Occupational Therapy Practice Guidelines for Adults With Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders (AOTA PRACTICE GUIDELINES SERIES)

Practice guidelines are important tools for promoting the highest quality of care. In this latest practice guideline from the American Occupational Therapy Association, Occupational Therapy Practice Guidelines for Adults With Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders gives occupational therapy practitioners, educators, and health care professionals an evidence-based guideline for providing the best, most appropriate care for adults with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders as well as their caregivers. There are numerous types of dementia; some are rare, but others are reaching alarming proportions and will continue to grow as the world s population ages. The most prevalent is Alzheimer's disease, an irreversible, progressive brain disease causing neuropathological changes in brain tissue, which accounts for 70% of all dementia in older adults. The disease affects those with it, their families, and their communities. An occupational therapy evaluation can inform decision makers about the need and level of support at each stage of the disease. Maintaining quality of life with a progressive condition includes promotion of optimal participation in daily activities. Occupational therapy services can maximize engagement in day-to-day leisure, social, life skills, and self-care activities. Designed primarily for clinical practitioners, Occupational Therapy Practice Guidelines for Adults With Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders is a vital reference tool for occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant students and educators, policymakers, and other health care professionals who work with clients with the disease and their families and caregivers. The guideline clarifies the role of occupational therapy services for external audiences by determining the appropriateness of occupational therapy referrals and detailing the scope of services related to Alzheimer's disease.