Misdiagnosed Dementia Patient Back to What She Loves Thanks to Customized Occupational Therapy

Her mental abilities helped her succeed in life and her dementia diagnosis seemed almost life-ending. After a career that included being the first female lawyer hired in a Utah firm, working on environmental policy in the Ford White House and serving as an associate dean at the J. Reuben Clark Law School, the Orem resident began declining physically and mentally.

But then she was referred to occupational therapy at Utah Valley Hospital and her hope for the future was restored.

“I’m a lawyer, I’m a pushy broad,” she quipped. “I look like a person who can take care of myself, but I had managed to be in and out of the emergency room for different falls and accidents.”

Her symptoms pointed to dementia, which left Lundberg feeling frightened and restricted. “I was pretty much on the floor when I started. I had been told that there was not much help for me or potential to get better,” she said. “Then I got assigned to Leslie, which was a gift from God.”

Leslie May is an occupational therapist, specially trained to help people improve their abilities to do everyday things like self-care or work and leisure activities. “When I go to meet a person, I truly, honestly consider them and their history and goals,” May said. “Sometimes a person with memory problems is treated differently or talked down to, but I got to know Constance and she is brilliant and motivated.” 

Lundberg told May she had lost the ability to read and her biggest goal would be to get that back in her life. In the course of the screening process, May noticed there was something wrong with Lundberg’s vision and referred her to a vision specialist. The doctor found Lundberg’s vision was within normal limits, but her brain was not processing what she was seeing. Armed with this information, May began creating a custom plan for her patient.

They began working on systems to help Lundberg see things in her everyday life that would help her be more independent and safe. “Therapy helped Constance see things again. Changing her dog’s leash from black to red helped her be more aware of her surroundings. Covering all of the words, except the one she was reading, helped her read,” May said.

After several months of coordinated care with May, her vision doctor and neurologist, Lundberg has made rapid progress and experienced no deterioration. Because of the improvements, her doctor now thinks her problems may be the effects of a stroke and not dementia. 

Now Lundberg is enjoying reading Anne of Green Gables and some sections of the New York Times again and says, “I was told I had dementia and would never get better, but Leslie put her expertise to work for me and constantly tweaked my therapy and gave me permission to soar.”