A group of Comox Valley occupational therapists have been recognized for their innovative work with dementia patients.
Allison Ritchie, Laurel Steed and Kyle Hillman have received a Health Quality BC Award for bringing cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) to the community. Their award was in the ‘Coping with Transition from Life’ category.
The CST initiative provides evidence-based, non-pharmacologic interventions for mild to moderate dementia to patients and their informal caregivers in the Comox Valley.
The program incorporates activities involving reminiscence therapy, multi-sensory stimulation, and implicit learning, centring around themes such as food, maps, sounds, and childhood. For both program participants and caregivers, it fosters connection and support, ensuring no one feels isolated in facing a dementia diagnosis or the care of their loved one.
CST is an Island Health program. It operates in space provided by Providence Living at the Views at St. Joseph’s in Comox.
Ritchie, who helped spearhead the program with Steed, said as a clinician she finds the CST program meaningful and rewarding to facilitate.
“Observing clients finding hope through participating in the program, connecting and supporting each other and forging new friendships is a joy to watch unfold,” said Ritchie, who works on the Comox Valley Geriatric Specialty Services (GSS) team along with Steed. “Our aim is to maximize client engagement, using our professional expertise to tailor the activities to the right cognitive challenge in a respectful and fun way. Once clients feel safe and supported, they are often more talkative, confident and have a lot of wonderful stories and opinions to share.”
Hillman, who joined Ritchie and Steed as a facilitator during the Comox CST pilot, attests to the positive impact on clients, emphasizing how the program fills a crucial gap in therapeutic services for those living with mild to moderate dementia in the community.
“This program really helped to fill a gap in therapeutic services for clients living with mild to moderate dementia in our community,” said Hillman. “I believe that CST has had a positive impact on our clients by enabling them to engage in activities that are graded to their ability, in a space that feels safe for them.”
With an imminent need for expanded clinical treatment options for dementia, especially considering the growing number of Canadians affected, the CST program addresses a critical gap in care for those in the early stages of dementia in the region. The success of the pilot program in Comox, made possible by a donation from the Comox Valley Healthcare Foundation, demonstrated significant cognitive and quality of life improvements, leading to the GSS team being awarded a $50,000 Spark Innovate Grant. This grant has allowed the expansion of the program to other communities, meeting the demand on the waitlist, and training new facilitators. The program now boasts active sessions in two communities and a team of 10 trained CST facilitators across the Island Health region.