Improving Cognitive Impairment of Elderly by an Educational Program for Their Caregivers

摘要

Cognitive impairment is associated with increased risk for progression to dementia and functional disability. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an educational program for the caregivers of elderly persons in improving their cognitive impairment. This quasi-experimental design with pre-post assessment was conducted at four geriatric care homes in Cairo governorate on 34 elderly persons having cognitive impairment (Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] score 19 to 24). The researchers prepared the training program for the caregivers. It included knowledge about dementia, instructions to deal with the elderly persons, and a practical part focused on memory aids. The effectiveness of the program was measured by comparing the weekly morning and evening MMSE scores, and comparing the baseline (pre-test) and 8-week (post-test) MMSE scores. The data was from August 2012 to April 2013. The results showed statistically significant improvements in elderly's MMSE scores (p<0.001). The total MMSE score improved by 3.50 points. All elderly had cognitive impairment before the intervention; this decreased to 29.4% after the intervention (p<0.001). The improvement was markedly higher in the morning measurements compared with the evening ones. In multivariate analysis, the intervention was a statistically significant independent predictor of the improvement in the total MMSE score, in addition to the educational level. In conclusion, training the caregivers of elderly people in mental stimulation and memory aids can improve the cognitive impairment among these persons. The findings corroborate the need for developing intervention programs that equip the caregivers of elderly people with non-pharmacological management strategies that enable them to improve their cognitive impairment. Further research is needed to investigate the effectiveness of memory aids in improving the memory of elderly at different stages of dementia.