CLINICAL QUESTION

Does cognitive rehabilitation improve everyday function and well-being in patients with mild to moderate dementia?

EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER

Cognitive rehabilitation improves participant self-ratings of goal attainment, informant ratings of goal attainment, and self-ratings of satisfaction with goal attainment at the end of treatment and at 3 to 12 months of follow-up.¹ (Strength of Recommendation [SOR]: A, consistent, good-quality patient-oriented evidence.) Cognitive rehabilitation likely has a small positive effect on caregivers' social and psychological quality of life at 3 to 12 months of follow-up.¹ (SOR: A, consistent, good-quality patient-oriented evidence.)

PRACTICE POINTERS

Dementia is a group of neurodegenerative conditions that predominantly occur later in life.² More than 55 million people are living with dementia worldwide, and this number is expected to increase to 139 million by 2050.³ Practices that support independence and social participation in people with dementia could improve patient and caregiver quality of life.⁴