Improving the functioning of individuals with Alzheimer's disease: emergence of behavioral interventions

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative process that invariably results in diminished communicative functioning. Historically, it was thought that little could be done to improve the functioning of affected individuals. However, in recent years the value of behavioral interventions has increasingly been explored, resulting in a changing perspective. Some of the factors contributing to this changing view include: understanding that memory is not a unitary phenomenon, recognizing that certain types of memory are relatively spared in AD, a growing realization that conceptual knowledge is largely intact, and a greater understanding of how people learn and remember. Intervention techniques that capitalize on spared memory systems and take advantage of principles of learning and remembering have been successful in teaching individuals with AD new information and allowing them to maintain better functioning throughout the disease course.

(1) The participant will be able to describe the historical perspective on behavioral interventions, and four factors that have contributed to a changing perspective. (2) The participant will be able to list behavioral strategies that clinicians can use in order to improve functioning of individuals with AD.