Dementia Case Study

Pat Summitt was diagnosed with early onset dementia at age 59. Her symptoms included becoming very forgetful, losing car keys, calling out the wrong terms in basketball games, and wearing inappropriate outwear (ex. shorts when it was snowing). Pat's functioning level soon decreased resulting in her referral to occupational therapy. OT goals include increasing the client's ability to function independently and caregiver education. Pat's occupations include coaching, writing, and playing basketball. Her roles include being a mother, coach, author, spokeswoman. Pat Summitt passed away just 5 years after being diagnosed.  She is most known for coaching the University of Tennessee Lady Vols for 38 seasons with 1,098 wins.