title: Non-pharmacological approaches to alleviate distress in dementia care.
abstract: Distress is one of the most common clinical manifestations associated with dementia. Pharmacological intervention may be appropriate in managing distress in some people. However, best practice guidelines advocate non-pharmacological interventions as the preferred first-line treatment. The use of non-pharmacological interventions encourages healthcare professionals to be more person-centred in their approach, while considering the causes of distress. This article provides healthcare professionals with an overview of some of the non-pharmacological approaches that can assist in alleviating distress for people living with dementia including: reminiscence therapy, reality orientation, validation therapy, music therapy, horticultural therapy, doll therapy and pet therapy. It provides a summary of their use in clinical practice and links to the relevant literature.
authors.affiliation: Four Seasons Health Care, Irish Regional Office, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.affiliation: Four Seasons Health Care, Irish Regional Office, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Agnelli
mesh_terms: D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: creative approaches; dementia; non-pharmacological interventions; reality orientation; reminiscence; validation