Conference paper

ART THERAPY MAY BE BENEFITIAL FOR REDUCING STRESS - RELATED BEHAVIOURS IN PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA - Case report

Ninoslav Mimica orcid.org/0000-0003-4552-0547 ; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Dubravka Kalinić ; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Communication with person with dementia (PWD) is becoming worse and worse during the course of illness, and at the end may
be totally lost. Non-pharmacological interventions may be beneficial in increasing the behavioural disturbances which appears
frequently during the progression of dementia, and combination of non-pharmacological techniques and drugs is usually more
efficacy than psychopharmacs alone. Mr. Zvonko, the PWD diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease of moderate stage, is presented in
this case report. Although Mr. Zvonko was treated with antidementia drugs, the behavioural disturbances were present. The
introduction of low doses of conventional antipsychotic was accompanied with extrapiramidal side-effects, and atypical
antipsychotics were not used due to the FDA warning and non-willingness of caregiver and family to take that risk. After his
individual and family status was evaluated, he was advised to attend the daily care centre and to start with art therapy. Despite he
was never drawing pictures before developing AD, everybody, including his wife who is also a caregiver, was surprised with his
talent and creativity. While drawing the pictures he was calm and satisfied and his behaviour in the daily care centre, but also at
home, became much more adequate. There was no need to add psychopharmacs for behavioural disturbances. In this case the art
therapy was shown to be an excellent add-on non-pharmacological intervention, beneficial for reducing stress-related behaviours in
PWD taking antidementia drugs.

Keywords

Alzheimer's disease; antidementia drugs; art therapy; communication; dementia

Hrčak ID:

76806

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/76806

Publication date:

31.3.2011.

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