Tailored Activity Program for People with Dementia

C12825: Tailored Activity Program (TAP) for Improved Lifestyle with Dementia

Novelty:

An individualized home-based intervention program to reduce behavioral challenges, improve engagement for dementia patients and to improve quality of life of both the patient and the caregiver.

Value Proposition:

Approximately one third of people over 80 years of age will develop some form of dementia. Standard care typically involves pharmacologic agents, but these are only modestly effective, carry serious risks, including mortality, and do not address behavioral symptoms families consider most distressful; additionally, behavioral symptoms significantly increase health utilization and direct care costs. This 8 session intervention program functions as a theory-based method for improving the quality of life for those with dementia and reducing behavioral symptoms associated with this condition. Additional advantages of this intervention program include:

Technical Details:

Johns Hopkins researchers have developed a theory-based intervention program to reduce behavioral symptoms of dementia and to improve quality of life in dementia patients. The Tailored Activity Program (TAP) involves up to 8 one hour sessions in the home, which occur over 3 months, and includes 3 phases: ASSESSMENT, IMPLEMENTATION, and GENERALIZATION. First, the interventionist assesses the individual capabilities, previous and current habits, routines and activities, caregiver interactions, and the environment. In the Implementation phase, the interventionist uses the Allen Cognitive Disabilities Model to identify information processing capabilities of the person with dementia. The interventionist then identifies up to 3 activities based on the assessment phase and then works with the person with dementia and caregiver to implement each one successively over subsequent sessions. Finally, in the Generalization phase, the interventionist works with the caregiver to downgrade prescribed activities for future cognitive decline and generalize strategies to address general care challenges.

Looking for Partners:

To develop and commercialize the intervention program as a treatment standard for reduction of adverse behavior and for the improvement in quality of life for people with dementia.

Stage of Development:

Developed, ready for field testing

Data Availability:

Trial Data from sessions administered with veterans

Publications/Associated Cases:

BMC Geriatr. 2013. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2010. Gerontologist. 2009.