Premium
Cognitive therapy as a tool for caring for the elderly confused person
Author(s) -
HITCH SALLY
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of clinical nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.94
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1365-2702
pISSN - 0962-1067
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2702.1994.tb00358.x
Subject(s) - quality of life (healthcare) , cognition , dementia , medicine , reminiscence , psychology , population , nursing , psychotherapist , gerontology , psychiatry , cognitive psychology , disease , environmental health , pathology
Summary• With the increase in the numbers of elderly people, methods to improve the quality of life for this population has never been more relevant. As the primary carers for this group of people, nurses are likely to be faced with this task. • Cognitive therapies such as reality orientation, validation, reminiscence and life review, can help to maintain or improve aspects of cognitive or behavioural functioning for the elderly confused. • If this in turn can increase life satisfaction for those elderly suffering from dementia then cognitive therapies must be addressed as means to improve individual quality of life. • Existing research otters contradictory evidence as to the practical application and usefulness of such therapies. More substantial research must be undertaken in the area, addressing nursing perspectives with regards to the implementation of cognitive therapies. • The author maintains that the cognitive therapies discussed in this paper have great potential for use within care of the elderly and despite controversial research results, can help to maintain or improve the quality of life for the elderly confused.