NICE Guidance
The recent NICE guidelines on dementia in November 2006 (10) state that:
"People with mild / moderate dementia of all types should be given the opportunity to participate in a structured group cognitive stimulation programme. This should be commissioned and provided by a range of health and social care workers with training and supervision. This should be delivered irrespective of any anti-dementia drug received by the person with dementia".
Cognitive stimulation is the only non-pharmacological intervention to be recommended for cognitive symptoms and maintenance of function. As NICE only recommend drugs for people in the moderate stages of Alzheimer's disease, Cognitive Stimulation is the treatment of choice for people in earlier stages of dementia (with a Mini-Mental State Score above 20). This points to the importance of CST being offered routinely in services.