Enhancing caregivers’ understanding of dementia and tailoring activities in frontotemporal dementia: two case studies

PURPOSE: To describe the intervention process and results of the Tailored Activities Program (TAP) in two people diagnosed with Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD).
METHOD: TAP is an occupational therapy (OT) community-based intervention program that prescribes personalised activities to reduce difficult behaviours of dementia. The OT works with carers over a 4-month period (assessment, activity prescription, and generalisation of strategies). Study measures were collected (blind researcher) pre- and post- intervention: cognition, functional disability, behavioural symptoms, and Caregiver Confidence and Vigilance.
RESULTS: A 51-year-old woman with behavioural-variant FTD could consistently engage in more activities post-intervention, with scores indicating improvements to behaviour, function, and caregiver confidence. A 63-year-old man with semantic variant FTD engaged well in the prescribed activities, with scores reflecting reduced carer distress regarding challenging behaviours and improved caregiver vigilance.
CONCLUSIONS: TAP is efficacious in FTD, allowing for differences in approach for FTD subtype, where behavioural symptoms are very severe and pervasive.