Cognitive Activities Help Delay Dementia in 60 Plus Population

Abstract

Introduction: Dementia is a group of chronic diseases associated with a decline in mental capabilities pertaining to memory, speech, understanding, concentration, perception and motor skills. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an intermediate developmental stage between the expected decline in cognitive abilities due to the normal course of ageing and mental deterioration due to dementia. Dementia is a syndrome commonly affecting the older population. Early detection of dementia followed by timely, appropriate intervention may help reduce the rate of disease progression significantly. Objective: To examine the effects of a cognitive intervention strategy on the working memory of the elderly population. Design, Setting, Participation and Intervention: A workshop of 21 days was conducted at 5 old age homes across New Delhi, India. Each session was of 90 min, consisting of two parts. The first constituted stimulating activities aimed at increasing the comfort and familiarity of the inmates and to motivate them to attend the workshops regularly. The second part included a test on elementary problems in arithmetic, linguistics, puzzles and quizzes. This survey was done on 96 residents (mean age = 74.6249) of which 25 were assigned as a control group who were reluctant to attend workshops. Result: MMSE was done at the beginning and end of each workshop. A remarkable improvement in cognition was seen in the group after the workshop as compared to control group. MMSE test was redone after a gap of six months, during which the inmates were cognitively inactive. On comparing the test results after the gap, a drop of 50% in cognition was noticed. Conclusion: After intervention the participants showed significant improvement in cognitive function. MMSE score improved in general. The workshops enabled better moods and anticipation of the residents towards the workshops. They became more social and interactive.