65th Annual Conference

Thursday, February 21

Early Bird Open Sessions

7:15-8:15 A.M.

Session 206

Do You Remember Me? Working with Individuals with Cognitive Impairment in Your Groups

Chair & Discussant:

Sharan L. Schwartzberg, Ed.D., Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences; Adjunct Professor, Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts

Presenter:        

Mary A. Barnes, BS, Fieldwork Coordinator, Department of Occupational Therapy/Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts

Groups may not succeed because of mismatch between member functional abilities and therapeutic processes. Cognitive functioning is crucial to group formation and development. Problems members have related to diminished cognitive abilities and leader strategies to address group and member needs will be discussed as well as applied to experiential opportunities.

Learning Objectives:

The attendee will be able to:

1. Identify common cognitive limitations found in members of their group therapy practice.
2. Describe the implications of these functional problems on member selection, group composition, and therapist technique.
3. Distinguish approaches to working with populations with cognitive problems such as individuals with mild to more severe cognitive impairment from conditions such as, depression, schizophrenia, eating disorders, head injury or traumatic brain injury, post-stroke, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, developmental disabilities, and Autism.
4. Apply the Functional Group Model to group interventions with individuals with cognitive impairment so as to enhance social participation of members.
 

Course References:

1. Gans, J. S., & Alonso, A. (1998). Difficult patients: Their construction in group therapy. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 48(3), 311-326.
2. Mosey, A. C. (1970). The concept and use of developmental groups. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 24(4), 272-275.
3. Schwartzberg, S. L., Howe, M. C., & Barnes, M. A. (in press). Groups: Applying the Functional Group Model. Philadelphia: FA Davis.