Running head: TREATMENTPLANNING FOR FAMILIES EXPERIENCING DEMENTIA 1

Treatment Planning for Families Experiencing Dementia

Student’s Name

Tutor’s Name

Institution

Date
TREATMENTPLANNING FOR FAMILIES EXPERIENCING DEMENTIA 2

Robin Grayson, aged 63 years, is suffering from Lewy Body Dementia (LBD). Lewy

Body Dementia often used interchangeably with Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) is a mental

condition that results from deposits of proteins in the nervous system. The proteins affect the

functioning of the nerves which play the role of messenger in the body system. These proteins

then lead to the death and loss of some brain tissues. The death and loss of nerve cell is referred

to as dementia (Segal, 2017). The mentioned patient is currently leaving at his son’s place. The

family consists of four members who are taking care of him. The ailment that Grayson is

suffering from limits his movement (motor symptoms) and has mental capacity complications

(cognitive symptoms). He is also experiencing sleep difficulties. After diagnosis, it has been

found out that the risk factor for this patient’s condition is age.

For the Grayson’s issue, family-based therapy will be useful. Family caregiving for

patients with Lewy Body Dementia is a major social and clinical problem (Benbow & Sharman,

2014). For instance, after talking to Grayson’s son, he revealed that taking care of his father been

difficult due to stressful emotional, social and economic burdens he is facing. However, after

identifying several approaches to incorporate into the family-based therapy, the approach is fit

for application in this case. A systematic approach, Structural Ecosystem Therapy (SET) will be

incorporated to make the therapy successful. Grayson’s son is the primary caregiver and is

bearing most of the day-to-day caregiving functions. Therefore, he is the one that requires the

most motivation to push changes related to caregiving in the family’s interactions. Although the

other family members are typically distressed by the current family functioning, SET will

enhance adaptation of the entire family to the caregiving environment after the primary caregiver

is motivated to play that part (Benbow & Sharman, 2014). Therefore, following SET intervention
TREATMENTPLANNING FOR FAMILIES EXPERIENCING DEMENTIA 3

the primary caregiver is the entry point of the therapist into the family and will remain so

throughout the intervention (Mitrani & Czaja, 2000).

As a systematic approach, SET is practical in the case of Grayson’s therapy since the

model views the behavior of the family members as interdependent and repetitive (Mitrani &

Czaja, 2000). Therefore, after the primary caretaker is motivated to play the role of caring for the

patient, it may encourage the rest of the family to take part in the process. The model will

encourage family members to take part in care giving and turn the repetitive family patterns of

interaction into adaptive activities and thus relieve the burden of the primary caregiver.

Long-Term Short-Term Objectives Strategies Expected Outcome

Goal(s) Goal(s) (With Time

Frame)

1. Grayson a) Grayson 1. Grayson a) Mental 1. Therapist

will stay at son will will go health and

his son’s successfully through therapy caregiver’s

house. His cope with therapy and report about

son and the the sessions physical patient’s

rest of the caregiving successfully. therapy participation

family will role. 2. All family sessions in therapy

take care of b) Grayson members daily. sessions

Grayson will have will engage b) Education (after every

through the no sleep in and 30 days).

course of difficulties caregiving training

the therapy sessions

TREATMENTPLANNING FOR FAMILIES EXPERIENCING DEMENTIA 4

2. The rest of c) By the end roles. on

the family of four caregiving

members months, for family

will Grayson members.

successfully will be able

take part in to commute

the as well as

caregiving take part in

role. physical

activities

without

assistance.

Considering the complexities involved in determining the interventions which are

effective, using evidence-based interventions would be fit. One of such interventions is mental

health therapy and physiotherapy. Mental health therapy will include all possible measures to

help maintain and improve the mental state of Grayson. For the treatment of cognitive symptoms

donepezil and rivastigmine will be administered while melatonin will be used for the treatment

of sleep disorder. Other non-medicinal treatments such as speech therapy will be used to improve

the mental state of the patient. Such non-medicinal strategies will involve educating the patient

as well as his caregivers about Lewy Body Dementia so that aspects such as depression and other

similar aspects within the family can be treated.

TREATMENTPLANNING FOR FAMILIES EXPERIENCING DEMENTIA 5

Additionally, the patient will engage in physical therapy activities that will not require the

presence of the therapist. The routines included in physical therapy involve physical activities

that will enhance the patient’s strength, stability, and flexibility. Therefore, this therapy will

consist of some physical fitness programs. Also, this therapy will require the caregiver of the

patient to walk him outdoors since this will improve his state of mind.

In addition, educating and training Grayson’s care givers would be very essential in his

therapy. Therefore, education for basic understanding of Lewy Body Dementia and skills

training for management of the conditions symptoms will be provided for the patient’s care

giver. This intervention will be provided through sessions between the therapist and the caregiver

at the participant’s home. These sessions will be supplemented with telephone calls to reinforce

learning as well as provide extra assistance.

According to David (2013), a doctor may use donepezil and rivastigmine as a remedy for

cognitive symptoms of Lewy Body Dementia. The use of physical therapy through physical

exercises aids Lewy Body Dementia patients regain strength, enhance their stability and

improves their stability. Therefore, it would be practical to use mental health therapy as well as

physical therapy for the treatment of Grayson since these interventions have been proved to work

before. Additionally, Samiaet et al. (2014) states that caregivers require basic understanding of

dementia as well as the appropriate skills to manage the ailment’s symptoms. It is important to

educate the caregivers since they require increasing levels of care during the course of the

therapy. Therefore, educating and training Grayson’s caregiver is the right thing to do since it is

proved that it increases their skills of handling a patient with Lewy Body Dementia.
TREATMENTPLANNING FOR FAMILIES EXPERIENCING DEMENTIA 6

References

David, J. D. (2013). Dementia with Lewy Bodies. 1-8. Retrieved from

https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/download/english/fs33_de

mentiawithlewybodies.pdf

Segal, L. R. (2017). Lewy Body Dementia. Signs, Symptoms, Treatment, and Caregiving for

Dementia with Lewy Bodies, 3-16. Retrieved from

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/alzheimers-dementia/lewy-body-dementia.htm

Mitrani, V. B., & Czaja, S. J. (2000). Family-based therapy for dementia caregivers: Clinical

observations. Aging & mental health, 4(3), 200-209.

Benbow, S. M., & Sharman, V. (2014). Review of family therapy and dementia: twenty-five

years on. International psychogeriatrics, 26(12), 2037-2050.

Samia, L., Aboueissa, A., Halloran, J., & Hepburn, K. (2014). The Maine Savvy Caregiver

project: Translating an evidence-based dementia family caregiver program within the RE-

AIM framework. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 57(6-7), 640-661.