Potential of an Interactive Computer-based Training in the Rehabilitation of Dementia: An Initial Study

Abstract

The present study examines the effectiveness of an interactive computer-based memory training programme for patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia. Subjects (Ss) were 14 mildly to moderately cognitively impaired adults (aged 65 years or over). The training consisted of ten 30-minute sessions designed to improve immediate and delayed retention of objects and routes. All training tasks were based upon a virtual, but familiar, apartment with several rooms (living room, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, and corridor). In the control group, Ss participated in a chat with a psychologist, in order to keep social stimulation comparable. The evaluation based on standardised psychometric tests revealed a positive effect of the computer-based training on certain domains of memory, specifically in the targeted areas.