Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia

This paper will establish through a clinical research study of the use of the TTAP Method® on a Dementia and Gero- Psychiatric unit for a one year period (2014). All healthcare staff were taught to engage in “Emotive Conversations” through the use of this replicable multimodel approach with those individuals afflicted with middle to late stages of dementia, and other psychiatric diagnosis. Data collected over a 365 day period from 1800 patients demonstrates increased mood,increased overall time staff spent engaged with patients and decrease in patient falls. This research supports how channeling change through collective impact can significantly effect patients and staff on a gero-psyciatric unit, while successfully impacting healthcare. The TTAP approach is formulated on the basic functional organization of the brain, neuroplasticity, including neurons, neurotransmitters and areas of the brain involved in transforming emotional and perceptual inputs into physiological responses and behaviors (Damasio, 1998, 1999; Golomb, J.,1996, Grober, E., 1999; Kandel, Schwartz & Jessel, 2000; LeDoux, 2000; Levine Madori, 2007-2014). All healthcare staff were given 15 hours of TTAP Certification Training which utilizes person centered themes within the therapeutic process to engaged participants in a twelve step process that incorporates medication & mindfulness, drawing, sculpture, movement, phototherapy and other forms of the creative arts into an ongoing enriching non-pharmaceutical approach. This method substantiates how conversation which is rich in emotions along with the expressive arts is quickly becoming a powerful way in which to break down “silo’s” of responsibility in demanding and complex healthcare units while continually allowing for self-discovery (Cozolino, 2012, Luzebrink, 2013, Hass-Cohen, 2014). Examples of other research studies utilizing this innovative method with the Alzheimer’s population will be presented from the United States and Finland.