Effectiveness of a year-long individual cognitive stimulation program in Portuguese older adults with cognitive impairment

ABSTRACT

Cognitive stimulation is a recommended therapy with positive effects on the cognitive performance of older adults with neurocognitive disorders. However, there are few one-on-one, long-term interventions applied by professionals. The aim of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of 47-week individual cognitive stimulation (iCS) interventions on cognition, mood, instrumental activities of daily living, and quality of life in older adults, with neurocognitive disorders using a single-blind, randomized, parallel two-arm RCT. A sample of 59 older adults with neurocognitive disorders (predominantly Alzheimer’s disease), who were non-institutionalized but socially vulnerable, was selected. The intervention group (n = 30) received 47 iCS weekly sessions. The control group (n = 29) maintained their baseline treatments. Outcomes were global cognitive function, cognitive impairment, mood, instrumental activities of daily living, and self-reported quality of life. All participants were assessed at baseline, 25 weeks, and 50 weeks. The results showed a significant effect of the intervention on MMSE, MoCA, GDS-15. Individual cognitive stimulation may have beneficial effects on the cognitive function and mood of older adults with cognitive impairment.

KEYWORDS:

• Alzheimer´s disease
• cognition
• dementia
• home training
• mood
• neurocognitive disorders
• non-pharmacological therapies
• older adults
• quality of life
• randomized controlled trial

Acknowledgments

Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian (2020 Gulbenkian Cuida Award), Anabela Nunes Salgueiro, Cediara – Associação de Solidariedade Social de Ribeira de Fráguas, Junta de Freguesia de Ribeira de Fráguas, Instituto da Segurança Social, Replicar Socialform, Rui Maia. Ethics committee: Unidade Investigação em Ciências da Saúde: Enfermagem (UICISA: E) da Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra (ESEnfC).

Ethical approval

The Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing, Nursing School of Coimbra (Portugal) (Code number: 664/04-2020)

Trial protocol

Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT04417751; Care at 360º: A Long-term Individual Cognitive Stimulation Program.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.