Spaced Retrieval for Memory Loss Part 2: Implementation Strategies

Course overview

Speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists often lack evidence-based interventions that assist people with memory impairment to compensate for their loss. More specifically, helping people with dementia can be challenging and can sometimes leave a clinician feeling like nothing can be done at all. Thankfully, spaced retrieval and its theoretical underpinnings have been researched and proven superior for improving memory for new or previously known information for more than 200 years. The keys are to understand why and how the modality works, set up the treatment correctly, and remain consistent with delivery. At times, the modality can be too difficult or too easy for patients, but the flexibility of spaced retrieval also offers proven changes to improve outcomes. In part 2 of this series, clinicians will gain an understanding of the recommended protocol for spaced retrieval, hear suggestions for modification if the intervention is too easy or too difficult for the patient, learn how to plan and document during therapy, and finally, learn when to discontinue the use of spaced retrieval.