Life Quality and the Self: A Person- Centered Case Study of Alzheimer’s Disease

Life Quality and the Self:

A Person- Centered Case Study of Alzheimer’s Disease

Sylva Sarafidou, Psychologist

Pulsus Conference Group

Global Experts Meeting on Psychiatry and Mental Health

Rome, 23-24 July 2018

Abstract

Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disorder that manifests
itself physically, cognitively, emotionally, behaviorally. Despite that
AD influences all aspects of life of the sufferer, treatment focuses on
the biological and cognitive aspects, fact which is problematic, both
theoretically (as cognitive abilities decline, it is thought that the self is
gradually lost) and practically (aspects that should be targeted are
neglected). The result is that AD is approached differently from other
neuropsychiatric disorders and there is no focus on the individual’s
actual well- being.
A Person- Centered Approach recognizes and targets all
aspects of the person. The model approaches the core of the self and
its goal is to promote the holistic well- being of the person, leading to
a life with quality despite the disorder.
The importance of the PCA is made apparent through a case
study of an 84- year old man with AD. The interaction with the man
began with sessions of cognitive reinforcement only, as requested by
the caregivers, yet the spherical needs of the person and his low life
quality lead to the PCA being applied.
The treatment plan became more personalized (attuned to the
preferences and mood of the man), more engaging (allowing a sense
of agency, including the person in the process and the goal) and
elements that allowed the expression of the self (roles, character) were
added.
After some time, a therapeutic alliance was developed and the
man became more stable emotionally and cognitively, learned to
manage life with his existing skills, and his subjective well- being
increased, as reported by the caregivers, the man himself, and as
revealed through questionnaires.
A PCA in AD allows the person to maintain a sense of self,
and a quality of everyday life, because it approaches individuals as
persons and not as manifestations of disorders.

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Biography

Sylva Sarafidou was born in Athens, Greece in 1992. She completed her BA with a major in Psychology and a minor in Art History in 2015. At the same time she conducted her internship for two years in a psychiatric clinic and three elderly care units. She is now completing her MSc in Neuroscience and Psychology of Mental Health at King’s College London (along with the Accredited King’s Membership Programme), and her training in Integrative Psychotherapy and Expressive Arts Therapies. Professionally, she is working with individuals with Alzheimer’s and other neuropsychiatric disorders since 2015, with children with developmental disorders (in groups of creativity and expression) since 2016, and with the caregivers and families with support and
psychoeducation. Moreover she is writing articles about psychology and mental health in online magazines and is conducting public speeches about dementia. Her main tool is a combination of all arts and a neuroscientific background.

Email: syl.sfd@gmail.com