Living Well with Dementia:
Dementia can change the way a person approaches everyday activities—but a diagnosis does not mean that meaningful activities, independence, or living at home have to end.
At I’ll Stay Home, occupational therapy helps people living with dementia continue participating in the activities that matter to them while supporting families and caregivers along the way.
Because therapy happens in the home, we can look at what is actually happening during everyday life—not just what happens in a clinic.
Serving Columbus Ohio and the surrounding communities.
Prefer to call or text? 614-500-4012
How can occupational therapy help someone living with dementia?
Dementia can affect memory, attention, problem-solving, judgment, communication, and the ability to complete familiar activities.
Sometimes the changes are obvious. Other times, they show up in subtle ways:
Getting dressed takes much longer than it used to
A familiar task suddenly becomes confusing
Meals are skipped or forgotten
Someone becomes frustrated when trying to complete an everyday activity
A person stops participating in hobbies they once enjoyed
Family members find themselves providing more and more assistance
Caregivers are unsure how much help to provide—or when to step in
Changes in the home make everyday activities more difficult
A person becomes less confident moving around the house
Activities that used to be meaningful are no longer being attempted
Occupational therapy looks at why these things are happening and what can be changed to help.
The goal isn't to make someone do things a certain way.
The goal is to find the right fit between the person, the environment, and the activity.
What does an occupational therapist do for someone with dementia?
Adapt everyday activities
Maximize current abilities
Set-up home to support success
Support meaningful activities
Address changes in behavior
Train family members and caregivers
An occupational therapist can provide practical strategies for supporting everyday activities while preserving as much independence as possible.
Caregiver education may include:
-How to give simple, effective cues
-When to provide assistance—and when to wait
-How to break an activity into manageable steps
-How to modify activities based on current abilities
-How to reduce unnecessary frustration
-How to encourage participation without taking over
-How to adapt the environment
-How to support meaningful activities
The goal is not simply to make caregiving easier.
It is to help create better experiences for both the person living with dementia and the people supporting them.
What can I expect from an in-home dementia OT evaluation?
Your home is where your daily routines actually happen.
That's why an in-home evaluation allows us to see more than what might be possible in a clinic.
We'll talk about what is going well, what has become difficult, and what you would like to continue doing.
I'll Stay Home looks at:
-Daily activities and routines
-Mobility and transfers
-Strength, balance, and endurance
-Cognition and functional problem-solving
-Vision and sensory factors
-The physical environment
-Meaningful activities and interests
-Caregiver routines and concerns
-Opportunities to maintain or increase independence
Most importantly, we listen.
There isn't one "right" way to live with dementia, and there isn't one intervention that works for every person.
Recommendations should fit the individual, the family, the home, and the goals that matter to you.
When should someone living with dementia see an occupational therapist?
Occupational therapy can be helpful at many different points in the course of dementia.
You don't have to wait until someone is having major difficulty.
Earlier intervention can provide an opportunity to identify strategies, establish routines, adapt the home, and educate caregivers before challenges become overwhelming.
You may want to consider an OT evaluation if:
-Someone has recently been diagnosed with dementia
-Everyday activities are becoming more difficult
-A person is beginning to need more assistance with dressing, bathing, eating, or other daily activities
-Favorite activities are being abandoned
-A caregiver is unsure how to provide the right amount of assistance
-There are increasing frustrations or difficulties during daily routines
-The home environment is becoming harder to navigate
-There have been falls or concerns about safety
-A person is preparing to transition to a different living situation
-Family members want to plan proactively for changes that may occur in the future
You don't have to wait for a crisis to ask for help.
Occupational therapy for caregivers
Caring for someone living with dementia can be rewarding—but it can also be exhausting.
Caregivers often find themselves gradually taking over tasks because it seems faster or easier. Sometimes that is necessary. Other times, the person may be able to participate with a little more time, a different cue, or a small change to the activity.
OT can help caregivers figure out the difference.
Rather than simply telling you what to do, I'll Stay Home works with you to develop practical strategies that fit your actual life.
Because supporting independence doesn't mean doing everything independently.
Sometimes independence means choosing.
Sometimes it means participating.
Sometimes it means doing part of an activity.
And sometimes it means having the right person there to help.
What to expect during an in-home occupational therapy evaluation:
1. Talk About What Has Changed
We'll discuss how dementia is affecting your energy, endurance, routines, activities and priorities.
2. Assessment With Your Occupational Therapist in Your Home
We'll look at how your abilities, environment and everyday activities interact.
3. Identify What's Getting in the Way
Together, we'll identify activities, routines or environmental factors that are making daily life more difficult.
4. Develop Practical Strategies
Recommendations may include activity modification, energy conservation, routines, adaptive equipment, home modifications, caregiver education or other occupational therapy interventions.
5. Decide What Comes Next
We'll help you determine which strategies make sense for you and whether additional occupational therapy or another member of your healthcare team may be helpful.
Stay Independent: Learn ways to adapt activities while continuing to do as much as possible.
Be Prepared: Build routines and strategies that can help you respond to changes before they become overwhelming.
Keep Living: Your goal isn't simply to manage a diagnosis but to continue doing what you want to do.
Why choose I'll Stay Home?
Your Goals. Your Choices. Your Life.
We know that change is scary, and we would never force a change you aren't ready for. Instead, we use evidence, your needs, your preferences and your goals to find the just-right fit for you.
Our goal is to help you maximize your safety, independence and quality of life while keeping you in control of the decisions that affect your life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does occupational therapy help people living with dementia?
Research on home-based occupational therapy for people with dementia has found benefits in areas including daily activities, behavioral and psychological symptoms, and quality of life. Evidence is strongest for individualized, multicomponent approaches that involve both the person with dementia and their family caregiver.
OT is not a treatment that stops or reverses dementia. Instead, occupational therapy focuses on helping a person function and participate in meaningful activities as abilities and circumstances change.
Can occupational therapy help someone remain independent with dementia?
Occupational therapy can help identify ways to support independence by adapting activities, routines, environments, and the amount or type of assistance provided.
Independence does not necessarily mean doing everything without help. It can mean having opportunities to participate, make choices, and continue doing meaningful things with the right support.
Can occupational therapy help caregivers?
Yes. Caregiver education and training are an important part of occupational therapy for people living with dementia and related neurocognitive disorders.
An OT can teach practical strategies for cueing, assisting with daily activities, adapting tasks, and creating an environment that supports successful participation.
Does the house need to be modified?
Not necessarily.
Sometimes a relatively small change can make an activity easier. Other times, the best intervention is changing the way an activity is performed or the way assistance is provided.
We don't recommend modifications simply because they are available. Recommendations are based on the individual person's needs, the environment, and what you are trying to accomplish.
Is this home health?
No.
I’ll Stay Home provides mobile outpatient occupational therapy, not home health.
You do not need to be homebound to receive services. Therapy takes place in your home because that's where your routines, activities, and challenges actually happen.
Is occupational therapy appropriate in the early stages of dementia?
Yes. Early intervention can be an opportunity to identify strategies for maintaining participation, establish supportive routines, address environmental barriers, and help families plan for changing needs.
Self-management approaches have been studied primarily in early-stage dementia, although the evidence in this area is still preliminary.
What if my family member doesn't think they need therapy?
That is common.
Occupational therapy doesn't have to feel like "therapy" in the traditional sense. We can focus on the person's own routines, interests, and goals rather than simply completing exercises.
The goal is to work with the person—not force change on them.
Do I need a doctor's referral?
A physician's referral is not always required to begin occupational therapy in Ohio, but insurance requirements can vary. If you plan to use insurance, we can help you determine whether your plan requires a referral, order or other documentation for coverage.
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Serving Columbus and the Surrounding Areas
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER:
All information on this website is intended for instruction and informational purposes only. The authors are not responsible for any harm or injury that may result. Significant injury risk is possible if you do not follow due diligence and seek suitable professional advice about your injury.
No guarantees of specific results are expressly made or implied on this website.
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