Procedural and Emotional Religious Activity Therapy

Abstract

Procedural and Emotional Religious Activity Therapy is a new approach for involving adults with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias with spiritually-laden activities. This therapy works by incorporating religious activities that are both emotionally-salient and have a procedural memory component. Thus, such activities are meaningful and intrinsically motivating for the adult with dementia. In addition, the procedural memory component is resistant to the neurological damage caused by Alzheimer's disease. Activities that use procedural memory can be employed well into later stages of dementia when activity therapy is more difficult to administer. This approach can be used to mitigate behavioral problems as well as increase quality of life. Due to the flexibility of this therapy, it can be used within a variety of religious paradigms. Guidelines and limitations in the use of this approach are provided.

Key Words:

• Dementia
• procedural memory
• activity therapy
• religion
• Alzheimer's