Cognitive rehabilitation
Cognitive rehabilitation refers to a number of therapies that offer retraining in cognitive functions. The main focus is to correct deficits in memory, concentration and attention, perception, learning, planning, sequencing, and judgment. Cognitive rehabilitation therapy (CRT) aims to enhance the person’s capacity to process and interpret information. This can improve the person’s ability to function in all aspects of daily life, such as maintaining relationships with family and friends, working, and participating in their community.
Individuals may need to focus on restoring, strengthening, and sharpening cognitive functions impaired due to a brain injury, stroke, or another medical incident. In cognitive rehabilitation therapy, a clinical provider will work with patients by providing them with cognitive exercises to perform, hands-on, bridging activities, and discussion questions to help them learn and translate cognitive strategies to their everyday lives.
Cognitive Rehabilitation Exercises for Memory Skills
The following exercises can be used to help you improve memory function:
Picture Recall
Caregivers, place two different cards from a deck of playing cards face up and let the person view them for 5 seconds. Then, put the cards back into the deck. Now, as the caregiver goes through the deck individually, point or identify the cards that were previously face up. Increase the number of cards to a max of 5 as the person progresses. The individual has to exercise sustained attention while the cards are being exposed, as well as memory as they have to keep in mind the one they saw in the beginning.
Naming Therapy
This cognitive rehabilitation exercise is often used to help people suffering from aphasia recall words, but it’s also a great way to improve memory in general. One good naming therapy exercise is to have someone else write down a general category (such as tools, animals, plants, countries, occupation, foods, sports, etc.) Then try to remember and name (verbally or in writing) as many items in that category as possible. For caregivers, if the patient gets stumped, you can give hints. For example, if they can’t come up with any animal names, you can tell them to think of a farm or zoo, etc. Remember giving a hint is not cheating. It can help the brain make connections.
HumansMatter. Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy (2024). HappyNeuron. Retrieved from: https://surl.li/ryuich
Reinkensmeyer, A. (2024, February 15,). 15 Helpful Cognitive Rehabilitation Exercises to Sharpen Your Mind. Retrieved from: https://surl.li/cwrwsi