4 MOST EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES for DEMENTIA

Non-drug therapy for dementia is proving, in many cases, to be as effective as the drugs so often prescribed for the symptoms associated with cognitive disorders including Alzheimer’s disease.

There is substantial evidence that the alternative therapies often used in the care of people with dementia do, in fact, provide a degree of relief for symptoms of dementia. Many of the treatments have fairly extensive clinical support to back up those claims. We will discuss the claims and the support for each type of treatment separately. Follow the links in the categories below to get more detailed information of the various alternative therapies for Alzheimer’s.

Best Alzheimer’s Products began as a place to disseminate information about alternative therapies for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in general. So just what is alternative therapy?

Alternative therapy is known by many names. It is sometimes called “complementary therapy”, treatment that is used along with standard treatment. I don’t like that, as the therapies we recommend can be helpful whether any other treatment is in effect or not. In fact, studies indicate that many of our alternative treatments are as effective, even more effective than the so called “standard treatments” for dementia. So rather that being used “along with” standard treatments, these alternatives can be effective when used instead of those standard, usually pharmacological treatments.

I like better “non medical”, “non-pharmacological”, or “non-drug” therapy; or “non-invasive”, treatment. We think of alternative therapy for Alzheimer’s as any effective treatment that doesn’t involve drugs or medication, or some surgical intervention or other medical procedure. So terms like “non-pharmacological”, “non-drug”, or “non-invasive” are more descriptive, or more to the point.

That covers a lot of ground; indeed it can (and does) include anything from diet to aromatherapy and light therapy. Many of the alternative methods we suggest have not been subjected to rigorous clinical testing, the way pharmaceutical companies are required to test their drugs. however, our suggested alternatives do not have the potential dangerous and deadly side effects that prescription drugs often do.

On the other hand, there is a growing body of clinical evidence that may of these alternatives are as effective, if not moreso, as the treatments prescribed by the medical and pharmacological industries. And again, without the side-effects.

Here is a list of Alternative Therapies for Dementia ( in alphabetical order to avoid the perception of priority ) for which we have found varying degrees of support in the clinical literature and in the anecdotal testimony of care professionals:

Dementia Care Without Drugs—12 alternative therapies for dementia

There are other methods and activities that improve quality of life for people with dementia, but these are the most commonly recognized as therapeutic.

Now that I have made a point to not prioritize the effectiveness of this list, I am going to pick the four that we here believe to be the most effective to lessen difficult behavioral symptoms associated with dementia and to improve the quality of life for everyone involved in a care partnership. I have to stress that these are not dementia cures, only treatments. But in that regard, alternative therapies have the same batting average as do the pharmaceutical companies who have poured billions of dollars into their “quest for the cure.” So far the best their drugs can do is temporarily slow the inevitable progression. After all that money they are no closer to a cure than they were decades ago.

The four that seem to have the most clinical support and the best results in practice are:

1. Music Therapy
2. Art Therapy
3. Reminiscence Therapy
4. Doll Therapy

AN ASIDE: A couple of the alternative treatments listed here do show potential for actually halting and even reversing disease progression, but that is a discussion for another time.

Music Therapy

Before getting into the specifics of these four alternative therapies for dementia I need to clarify something: none of these four, or the others in the 12 alternative therapies list, are exclusive to people with dementia. Virtually anyone and everyone can benefit from them. Music is therapy for everyone, not just people who have Alzheimer’s disease. I think that each of us has experienced, if not euphoria, at least a certain reverie while listening to an especially enjoyable piece of music. Whether your tastes are for the classics, jazz, or rock-and-roll; or if you prefer listening to soul, country music, show tunes, or whatever; you will admit that music has the power to move you. This emotional attachment that we, as human beings, have for music, is the basis for music therapy, the reason it works so well. It is why we are so passionate about music therapy for Alzheimer’s and all other forms of dementia.

At this point I have to make an important caveat. Listing to and enjoying music, reacting to music, talking about and otherwise sharing music can all have some very profound positive effects. However, music therapy is a bit more than that. For it to be considered music therapy a certified music therapist must be involved in the process. That is, sessions must be conducted, “by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program. Music therapy interventions can address a variety of healthcare & educational goals.” This from the Music Therapy Association of America.

On the other hand we don’t always have access to a certified music therapist. Even so, participating in activities that involve music can certainly improve our quality of life, and the quality of life of those in our care.

There is long list of benefits attributable to Music therapy. Here is a partial list from the Cleveland Clinic:

A short list of positive impacts of music therapy

Here is an interesting historical fact: The evolution of the chinese written language goes back millenia. Initially the characters in Chinese script were pictographs, symbols that looked like the thing the character represented. Things and concepts that were similar had symbols that were similar.

One of the world’s oldest medical treatises was written twenty three centuries ago. It is The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine. That text chronicles the use of music as medicine. In fact, the picture on the left shows the Chinese written characters for music and for medicine. They are strikingly similar, and that is not coincidental.

2 ways to make music part of an overall treatment plan for people who have dementia.

Background Music

 Structured music therapy sessions are beneficial, but music can also be helpful when used in a less formal way.  A report¹ in the Journal of Music Therapy (Winter 2007) found twenty-eight people with Alzheimer’s, “show clear increase in positive behaviors, such as conversation, smiling, or moving to the rhythm, and a reduction in negative behavior such as wandering, fidgeting and showing aggression towards others,”  when music was played in the background.

Reminiscence Music

A 2000 study³ reported in the Journal of Music Therapy found reminiscence music to be effective against depression: “Results indicated that participation in small group reminiscence focused music therapy groups might help to reduce depressive symptoms in elderly people with dementia.”  Another group reported⁴ in International Psychogeriatrics “Music therapy is a safe and effective method for treating agitation and anxiety in moderately severe and severe AD.”

Read more music therapy.

Art Therapy

I Remember Better When I Paint. It’s the title of a documentary video, but it might be considered a treatment mechanism. As this poignant film demonstrates, art is an extremely effective non-drug therapy for dementia. And a raft of clinical studies backs this up. Art is an excellent ways to relax, but creating art is more than just a recreational pastime. Art provides a way to reach inside ourselves, to put on paper or some other medium, a representation of thoughts and feelings that we may not be able to express in any other way.

Sometimes words fail us. This is especially if one has one of the more than 100 known causes of dementia. Every memory care community should have some kind of an art program. It is not always feasible or practical to have an art therapist on staff. It may be enough to have one you can call in occasionally for special programs.

The mentioned video is not about creating such a program but will give you some ideas to help get it going. Another great resource in Memories in the Making, a book written for the express purpose of helping you organize an art program in your community. It not only gives you process (how to run things) but also suggests the materials you will need to get started.

Read more about the amazing benefits of Art Therapy for dementia.

Reminiscence Therapy

Reminiscence is remembering. One of the first and most easily recognizable symptoms of most dementia is memory problems. It is not too much of a stretch to form an hypothesis that reminiscence therapy is good for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.

In fact, your hypothesis has a lot of support in the clinical community. In fact, reminiscence therapy is good for people with dementia. It not only improves memory and cognition, but it improves self-image and quality of life.

See more here…

Doll Therapy

Anyone who has seen it happen knows that a doll has the power to soothe and comfort people with Dementia including Alzheimer’s disease. Formal investigation of the effects that dolls can have on elderly people who have cognitive disorders is in the early stages, but talk to caregivers who have participated in doll therapy for dementia and most of them will speak positively about the experience. Dolls have been shown repeatedly to soothe and comfort people with Alzheimer’s. Although it can be discomforting to see an adult hold a doll, we need to acknowledge the benefit that doll therapy can provide.

Research | Doll Therapy for Alzheimer’s

Much of the research involving doll therapy for Alzheimer’s disease has been carried out at Newcastle General Hospital in England and in care facilities in the area of Newcastle. Clinical Psychologist Ian James and nursing specialist Lorna Mackenzie, with others, reported significant improvement in the behavior of nursing home residents with dementia when dolls were introduced to the residents as a choice.
Various studies done by this group, all observing the effect of baby doll therapy on people with dementia, all reached similar conclusions.

Doll Therapy for Alzheimer’s — Not for Everyone

The nurturing instinct is strong. This instinct is a big part of the reason that doll therapy is so effective. On the other hand, it can lead to some problems that should be watched for when introducing dolls as therapy. In community settings, ownership issues have led to arguments between residents. Anxiety can result from dolls being mislaid.  Redirecting attention until the lost doll is found will usually defuse this potential calamity.

See more of the incredible benefits of Doll Therapy.