A fun, simple to deliver, person-centred therapy, Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) is a series of easy-to-follow activities for small groups of residents with all forms of mild to moderate dementia.
It is the only non-pharmacological intervention recommended by NICE for ‘cognitive symptoms and maintenance of function’. Guidelines on dementia issued in November 2006 by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) state that ‘People with mild /moderate dementia of all types should be given the opportunity to participate in a structured group cognitive stimulation programme. This should be commissioned and provided by a range of health and social care workers with training and supervision. This should be delivered irrespective of any anti-dementia drug received by the person with dementia’.
CST could also be offered, on a paid for basis, to people living in the community as an introduction to their local care home, CST is cost effective and now included in the NHS, Mental Health Foundation and Alzhemers Research Trust dementia information.
