An evaluation of community-based cognitive stimulation therapy: a pilot study with an Irish population of people with dementia M. E. Kelly , *, S. Finan, M. Lawless, N. Scully, J. Fitzpatrick, M. Quigley, F. Tyrrell, A. O’Regan and A. Devane Department of Psychology, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland Objectives. Research shows that cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) improves cognitive function, quality of life, and well-being of people with mild–moderate dementia. Despite consistent evidence and recommendations, CST is not routinely available in Ireland post-diagnosis. The aim of the current research was to develop and evaluate community- based CST for people with mild–moderate dementia, run by the Alzheimer Society of Ireland across four pilot sites in Ireland. Methods. Participants with mild–moderate dementia attended once weekly CST sessions for 14 weeks. Baseline and post-intervention assessments were completed by CST participants, carers, and CST facilitators. Primary outcomes of interest for CST participants included quality of life (Quality of Life in Alzheimer Disease Scale), cognitive function (Montreal Cognitive Assessment), and subjective cognitive function (Memory Awareness Rating Scale-Functioning Subscale). Secondary outcomes included well-being, cognitive ability, satisfaction with cognitive performance, and engagement and confidence of CST participants; well-being of carers; and job satisfaction of facilitators. Post-intervention interviews supplemented quantitative analyses. Results. In total, 20 CST participants, 17 carers, and six CST facilitators completed evaluation assessments. Results showed that CST improved participants’ satisfaction with cognitive performance (p = 0.002), level of engagement (p = 0.046), level of confidence (p = 0.026). Improvements on subjective cognitive function just fell short of significance (p = 0.055). Qualitative analysis of interview data identified consistent themes of cognitive and overall benefits of CST; and provided support for quantitative data. Conclusions. Community-based CST positively impacted the lives of people with dementia and their families. This study supports prior recommendations that CST should be made routinely available to people with mild–moderate dementia, particularly in light of the lack of post-diagnostic interventions currently offered in Ireland. Received 25 January 2016; Revised 14 March 2016; Accepted 24 May 2016; First published online 14 July 2016 Key words: Cognitive stimulation, dementia, early intervention, post-diagnosis. Introduction Cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) is a non- pharmacological intervention for people with mild–moderate dementia that provides stimulation for thinking, concentration, and memory, typically conducted in a small group setting (Woods et al. 2012). Cognitive interventions may offer benefits to people with dementia early in the disease course in terms of maintaining existing cognitive function, delaying fur- ther decline, and improving subjective outcomes (Clare, 2008; Batsch & Miller, 2009). There is growing evidence that the brain can recruit additional neural networks in early stage dementia (Grady et al. 2003), and that new learning can be achieved (Clare, 2008). Cognitive interventions should therefore be a primary focus of service provision for individuals with mild–moderate dementia (Clare et al. 2003). Several research studies have examined the impact of CST on people with dementia (Spector et al. 2001; Spector et al. 2003; Onder et al. 2005); including one study with an Irish population in long-term care (Coen et al. 2011). Reported outcomes included improvements in cognitive function (Spector et al. 2003; Onder et al. 2005; Coen et al. 2011; Aguirre et al. 2012) and quality of life (Spector et al. 2003; Coen et al. 2011; Aguirre et al. 2012); and reduced anxiety or depression (Spector et al. 2001). More recently, Woods et al. (2012) evaluated 15 randomised control trials (RCTs) of CST, and concluded that CST consistently improved cognitive function, self-reported quality of life, and well-being for people with dementia; and improved staff ratings of clients’ communication and social interaction. The positive effects of the intervention remained evident up * Address for correspondence: M. E. Kelly, Department of Psycho- logy, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Room SF21, 2nd Floor John Hume, North Campus, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland. (Email: Michelle.E.Kelly@nuim.ie) Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine (2017), 34, 157–167. © College of Psychiatrists of Ireland 2016 ORIGINAL RESEARCH doi:10.1017/ipm.2016.23 https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/ipm.2016.23 Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 168.151.154.85, on 25 Sep 2017 at 22:57:00, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at