The evaluation of a one-year cognitive rehabilitation program for persons with dementia and their caregivers (a retrospective study).

Greet Aerts, Patricia De Vriendt, Ellen Gorus, Elise Cornelis, Karen De Roover, Jan Versijpt, Nathalie Vandewalle, Ingo Beyer

Research output: Contribution to journalMeeting abstract (Journal)

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effect of a one-year
multicomponent cognitive rehabilitation program that is offered to persons with dementia
(PwD) and their caregivers.
Methodology Test-results collected from the PwD and their caregivers in the beginning and
the end of the program were compared. Cognition (Mini Mental State Examination),
behavioral problems (Neuropsychiatric Inventory, Severity Items), functionality (Lawton
Scale) and quality of life (Quality Of Life, Alzheimer's Disease) of the PwD and burden
(Zarit Burden Interview) and stress (Neuropsychiatric Inventory, Distress Items) perceived
by the caregiver were measured.
Results 74 participants were included, 25 dropped out. There were no significant
differences at baseline between the group that completed the program and the drop outs.
For the PwD who completed the program a significant decline was found for cognition
(p=0,01) and there was an increase of behavioral problems (p=0,038), but not for
functionality (p=0,847). Despite this, burden (p=0,883) and stress (p=0,20) didn't rise
significantly for the caregiver in the course of one year. When looked at the participants
individually, respectively 21, 20 and 23 Pwd improved for functionality, behavioral
problems and quality of life, and 21 and 25 caregivers reported lower distress and burden.
Conclusion The multi-component program appears to be beneficial for the PwD and the
caregiver as maintenance of independence (functionality) of the PwD was achieved and an
increase of caregiver burden and stress was prevented. This is highly important since high
stress and caregiver's burden are key predictors for institutionalization of Pwd.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)31 - 58
JournalTijdschrift voor Gerontologie en Geriatrie
Volume48
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 2017
EventBVGG-SBGG 40ste Wintermeeting - Kursaal, Ostend, Belgium
Duration: 17 Feb 201718 Feb 2017

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