CST has been shown to lead to improvements in memory,
concentration, language, verbal skills, and quality of life. Allegro Richmond Heights in St. Louis, Missouri offers CST to residents with mild or moderate dementia in partnership with Washington University Occupational Therapy.
CST, an evidence-based program, was originally developed in the United Kingdom for people with mild-to-moderate dementia, but it's only now gaining momentum in the United States.
“It's a non-pharmacological intervention designed to supplement other medical interventions and is delivered as a structured
group activity. The program consists of two sessions of themed activities per week for seven weeks,” says Dr. Patricia Nellis, OTD, OTR/L, director of the Division of Clinical Operations in the Program in Occupational Therapy at Washington University. “The goal is to actively stimulate and engage people by soliciting intact long-term memories and bringing them into the current moment through conversations, activities and participation.”
Sessions at Allegro, limited to 10-12 participants, begin with warm-up activities: discussing current events and stretching. Each group is named and sings together to encourage focus and camaraderie. From there, the discussion pivots to resurrecting past memories and connecting them to the present day. Additional sensory elements such as smelling, hearing, tasting and touching are incorporated in an effort to evoke memories.
Dr. Nellis enjoys rewarding moments when a resident will recall a particular memory. “We had a woman from memory care in a
group who wouldn’t open her eyes. Early on, hearing one of the songs made her open her eyes. She started to open up and sing along. Clearly, she had been in a choir and had a strong voice. We told her, ‘Oh my goodness, you're a singer, and you have so much to offer!’”
The CST groups are also a safe space to discuss different cultures, as well as life experiences of other participants. “One woman lived through World War II in Great Britain. Her family lived in air raid
shelters, and her mother's job was to look for injured people following a raid. It’s amazing information that people share,” Dr. Nellis notes. “They are all storytellers, and the stories have a lot of meaning, which is attached to who they are.”
In addition to these positive outcomes, the friendships and relationships that have blossomed out of these groups is a beautiful sight. "One group started having lunch together after sessions to continue the conversations. They know each other much
better now,” Dr. Nellis says.
No one says it better than Douglas Schiffer, President and Chief
Operating Officer of Allegro Senior Living. "It is exciting to see how many individuals participating in this program have improved their motor skills, relationship-building, and overall quality of life. This outcome goes hand-in-hand with our commitment to providing communities where our residents can Live Beautifully.”
Allegro Richmond Heights is the only senior living community in the St. Louis area to offer CST in partnership with Washington University Occupational Therapy.
Read more about this offering, view an informational webinar with Dr. Nellis, and read FAQs and inaugural session findings here.