Mental stimulation and dementia

This chapter discusses the types of mental stimulation interventions, supporting evidence, possible mechanisms of action, targets of intervention, and steps to consider in implementing mentally stimulating activities for older adults in community or clinical settings. Clare and Woods categorised cognitive interventions into three types based on the mode of delivery and the goals of the intervention: cognitive stimulation, cognitive rehabilitation, and cognitive training. Support for the potential role of mentally stimulating activities in preventing or mitigating cognitive decline comes from animal studies as well as observational studies in humans and, to a lesser extent, randomised clinical trials. There is a paucity of clinical trials of cognitive stimulation or cognitive rehabilitation programs in people with or at risk of dementia. Dementia prevention involves governments, professional organizations, public health professionals, healthcare professionals, and individuals working at three levels to maintain and improve the health of individuals and communities. These include: primary, secondary and tertiary prevention.