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OCCT 527- Fall 2012 Group Protocol Name of Group: Cognitive & Social Games for Older Adults

with Mild Dementia/Alzheimers Date/Time/Length of Meeting(s): Wednesday January 8, 2012 from 9.00-10.00 am Place: Touro Adult Day Health Care Center Group Format: Closed Group Statement of Rationale: Many elders who suffer from cognitive decline lose confidence, and develop feelings of sadness and withdrawal that impact their social relationships and quality of life. This group will allow seniors to build social skills through rapport building and teamwork. Clients will be able to share personal information about themselves, and will begin to feel comfortable in the therapeutic process. Therapeutic Jenga game requires strategic planning, good hand eye coordination, and planned fine motor movements; thus elders will be able to improve not only their cognition, but also work on sequencing and fine motor skills. Participation in this group will help seniors to rebuild their confidence in their social and cognitive skills therefore leading to more satisfying and meaningful life. Leadership Role: The group leader will lead the group and will facilitate socialization, discussion and active engagement throughout the session. Group Goals: The primary goal of this group is to engage group members in social interactions with each other meanwhile promoting planning, and cognitive skills that are required for completing the game Outcome Criteria for successful goal attainment in session (in behavioral/occupational terms): Participants will derive satisfaction from social participation and group teamwork, and will show greater confidence levels in their social interactions and day to day tasks that involve planning and task concentration. Group Composition/Criteria for selecting members: The group is free for the participants of the adult day care center, and members must have diagnosis of mild to moderate cognitive decline and be 60 years or older. Groups methods/procedures to be employed, (briefly describe a list of methods/techniques and modalities): Group members will be split into two teams where they will play Jenga tower game. Members will be actively engage in teamwork and strategy planning to complete the tower without breaking it. Each building block of the tower contains a personal question that has to be answered by each game member; this social aspect facilitates social interaction and sharing of personal information in fun and supportive environment thus building and strengthening social relationships. List of material/equipment needed: Jenga tower game with 54 wooden building blocks. Each member will be provided with questionnaire sheet with 54 personal questions corresponding to each building block. A table with flat and smooth surface will be required.

Agenda: Therapeutic Jenga Materials: 1 Jenga game, questionnaire sheet for each member (each question corresponds to the number written on the Jenga wooden block). Directions: Each player (including the group leader) removes 1 block from the stack of Jenga blocks without knocking the whole thing over. The player then will read the number on the block and will find the matching question on the provided sheet and answer it out loud. The individual then replaces the block at the top of the tower and passes the turn to the other member of the group. Each group member should take a turn at stacking blocks. Sharing: Members of the group are encouraged to answer personal questions during game, but if the question is too personal or the person does not feel comfortable sharing, the question can be skipped or switched to another one by picking another block. If a player pulls a block s/he has already answered, s/he must also pull another block. If a player knocks the whole thing over, the game is finished & all other players get to ask him/her any question. Teams: Each team will have equal number of members. Each group member will be assigned order in which to take turn, for example Team 1: will have member 1 taking stacking the first block, and after completing the turn the member 1 from Team 2 will take their turn to stack the next block. Discussions: Members of the team are encouraged to give feedback and reassurance to each other during the game and when answering personal questions. Group leader will cacilitate open and positive environment to share personal feelings.

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