非藥物治療於居家失智長者之應用

Application of Nonpharmacological Intervention to the Elderly with Dementia at home

非藥物治療的介入是失智照護中重要的一環，非藥物治療不僅可以改善認知退化的程度，並可訓練失智者的日常生活功能，進而減少精神行為症狀的發生，降低照顧者負荷。近年失智症非藥物治療照護發展多元化，在國外更有數篇系統性文獻回顧進行探討與實證；反觀運用於居家失智者，尚未有相關研究文獻進行統合探討。失智症非藥物治療內容，包含現實導向療法、懷舊療法、認知刺激、光照療法、音樂輔療、園藝治療、多感官療法、藝術治療等，提供居家在失智症非藥物治療照護實務之參考與應用。因此，本文分享如何運用非藥物治療於居家失智者之經驗，期盼此方案能建立長照專業相關人員、家屬對失智症照護之新觀念，並運用非藥物治療幫助失智者提升心智、活動功能並延緩症狀的惡化。

Nonpharmacologic intervent ion is important in caring for Dementia patients. It reduces the degree of cognitive degeneration of the dementia population, provides training possibility for activities of daily living, reduces psychotic symptoms that brings heavy burdens to the caregivers. Recently, there are diverse approaches on nonpharmacologic treatments for the dementia. Some systematic reviews were conducted for investigational and empirical evidence; however, few discussions were found regarding to dementia population at home. Nonpharmacologic intervention for dementia patients includes reality orientation therapy, reminiscence therapy, cognitive stimulation therapy, phototherapy, music therapy, horticultural therapy, multisensory therapy and art therapy. This study aims to share the home caring experience for dementia patients in terms of the application of nonpharmacologic intervention.
It is expected that this study provides a new insight to long-term care professionals and family members of the dementia on how to improve patient´s mental status and daily living functions of the dementia and delay their degeneration.