Prevention Strategies for Cognitive Aging

Dementia and Alzheimer's disease rates are rising. Although there are many theories, research does support both nutrition and physical activity showing a direct correlation with healthy brain aging. While not every slip of the memory is dementia, but cognition does change as we age, sometimes, but not always, impacting the safety and feasibility of aging in place. It can be difficult to identify those cognitive changes that will have real-world functional consequences and those that won't. This course will provide participants with an examination of cognitive changes that might occur in their aging clients. Prevention strategies and epigenetic links will be discussed regarding successful aging to allow clinicians to have a meaningful impact on their clients' ability to age in place safely and with good quality of life.

Target Audience: Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants, Speech-Language Pathologists

Highlights

• Equips professionals working with older adults with the essential knowledge, skills and abilities to understand and address the complexities of aging and cognitive disorders
• Improve understanding of the aging process, including the normal changes that occur and the cognitive disorders that can develop, such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease
• Recognize cognitive decline's common signs and symptoms, utilize assessment tools to accurately identify cognitive disorders, and apply effective intervention strategies to support older adults
• Apply best practices in case management, emphasizing the importance of a person-centered approach and the role of family and community support systems