Protection of cognitive impairment in older adults through non-pharmacological interventions

ABSTRACT

Assessing the healthy cognitive aging within social work, gerontology, and other related health fields has been raised over the years. This scoping review examines the potential protective effects of cognitive stimulation and training programs for older adults aged 65 and older. The present study is interested in finding out what cognitive stimulation programs exist, while also identifying ways effective and science-backed research can improve the lives of older adults diagnosed with cognitive impairment. Therefore, the study aims of the present study is to investigate whether non-pharmacological interventions play a role in preventing cognitive decline, type of cognitive assessment, and the measurement among older adults. This study discussed the implications for social work practice and limitation. It also advances the work of social work practice by the further discovery of what drives the cognitive variance amount of older adults as they age based on the cultural aspect of the intervention.

KEYWORDS:

• Cognition
• non-pharmacological intervention
• older adults
• cost effective strategy
• aging

Acknowledgments

This study was made possible by the support of Susan Kaplan Jacobs from the Health Sciences Library at New York University by facilitating the development of search strategies.