Cognitive Rehabilitation in Cuba for North Carolina Families

Cognitive rehabilitation is a structured, evidence-based therapy that aims to maintain or improve cognitive function in patients with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Unlike medication, which targets the underlying biology, cognitive rehabilitation directly stimulates the brain's remaining capacity — leveraging neuroplasticity to maintain function for as long as possible.

At CIREN, cognitive rehabilitation includes memory therapy (reminiscence, memory books, spaced retrieval), attention training (sustained, selective, divided attention), language therapy (word-finding, comprehension, expression), executive function training (planning, problem-solving, reasoning), visuospatial therapy, and computer-assisted cognitive training. Each session is delivered by a trained specialist and coordinated with other disciplines by a single multidisciplinary team.

The program is adapted daily based on the patient's performance, fatigue level, and progress. This intensity — 4–6 hours per day, 5 days per week, for 4–8 weeks — is what makes CIREN's cognitive rehabilitation fundamentally different from U.S. standard care, where therapy is limited to 1–2 hours per week. It is the primary driver of functional improvement reported by American families.