#26: How to Truly Support a Patient with Dementia: Rehab Reimagined with Adria Thompson, M.S., CCC-SLP

What if we told you that progress in dementia care doesn’t always look like reps, goals, or traditional outcomes—and that your impact as a rehab professional goes far beyond the checklist?In this powerful episode, I’m joined by Adria Thompson, M.S., CCC-SLP, the incredible dementia care educator behind @belightcare and www.belightcare.com. Adria is the TOP dementia care influencer on social media—and for good reason. Her heart-forward, evidence-informed approach is changing the way we think about communication, participation, and purpose in therapy.Together, we dive into: 💭 The most common misconceptions PTs and OTs still have about working with individuals with dementia ✨ How to create engagement—even with moderate to advanced cognitive decline 🏡 Why environment (noise, clutter, timing) can make or break your session 🧩 How to structure sessions that feel safe, meaningful, and actually helpful 💔 What to do when you feel discouraged or stuck in sessions with low participationWhether you’re in acute care, home health, outpatient, or anywhere in between—this episode will help you reframe your mindset, retool your strategies, and reconnect with the bigger mission behind your work.💡 Learn more from Adria at @belightcare and www.belightcare.comThis one’s FULL of perspective shifts that will stay with you long after the episode ends!SUBSCRIBE AND REVIEW!If you’re enjoying the podcast, please consider subscribing and leaving a 5-star rating on Spotify or a review on Apple Podcasts. Your support helps me reach more physical therapists who love neuro and want to grow their expertise!Follow The Brain PT!instagram.com/the_brain_ptthebrainpt.comyoutube.com/@thebrainptRegister to one of my courses! www.thebrainpt.com/courses