What type of therapy is generally not a goal for patients in advanced stages of dementia?

Restorative treatment focuses on improving or restoring specific skills or functions that may have been lost due to injury, illness, or disease. In the context of advanced stages of dementia, the cognitive and functional abilities of patients have typically declined significantly, making the goals of restorative treatment unrealistic. Patients in these advanced stages often lack the capacity for recovery of previously lost skills, which is why restorative treatment is not a common goal for these individuals.

In contrast, rehabilitative treatment may still aim to help patients maintain or improve their quality of life within their capabilities, and supportive treatment focuses on comfort and care to ensure the patient’s needs are met. Evidence-based treatment incorporates the best available research with clinical expertise and patient values, which remains relevant even in advanced dementia, often focusing on comfort and support rather than recovery of lost skills.