Effectiveness of Reminiscence Therapy Versus Cognitive Stimulation in Older Adults With Cognitive Decline (TRvsCS)

Paulo Costa

Status: Completed

Conditions: Cognitive Decline

Treatments: Behavioral: Group intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05187572

TRvsCS

Details and patient eligibility

About

Although data suggest that non-pharmacologic therapies such as Reminiscence Therapy (RT) and Cognitive Stimulation (CS) can potentially maintain or reverse this trend, cognitive impairment can be a precursor to neurodegenerative processes. This study aimed to assess how an RT and a CS program affected cognition, depressive symptomatology, and quality of life (QoL) in older persons with cognitive decline who attended community support institutions in central Portugal. For seven weeks, a quasi-experimental study with two arms (RT and CS program) was conducted. The intervention was completed by 76 of the 109 older persons who were first screened (50 in the RT program, 26 in the CS program). In both groups, a pre- and post-intervention analysis revealed statistically significant differences in cognition, particularly in older adults' delayed recall ability.

Enrollment: 106 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 65+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Ability to give informed consent before study commencement;
• Ability to participate in group activities for a period between 45 to 60 minutes;
• No pronounced impairment of their visual and auditory abilities;
• Mild to moderate cognitive decline, assessed as a score equal to or below 20 points in the Six-Item Cognitive Impairment Test (6-CIT).

Exclusion criteria

• Unstable clinical condition;
• Prescribed with cholinesterase inhibitors and/or antipsychotics during the study period.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

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106 participants in 2 patient groups

Reminiscence Therapy (RT)

Experimental group

Description:

The RT program is composed of activities that follow older adults' lifespan (e.g., school, professional life, travelling, holidays and celebrations, historical dates/moments). Such activities allow older adults to revive and share life-changing/significant moments and integrate them into their autobiographical narrative. The program was developed and validated by Gil and colleagues for Portuguese older adults with cognitive decline.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Group intervention

Cognitive Stimulation (CST)

Experimental group

Description:

The CST intervention was based on the "Making a Difference" program, specifically developed for older adults with cognitive decline and previously adapted and validated to the European Portuguese language and culture. This program offers a sequence of activities that covers different cognitive domains and promotes older adults' socialization and self-esteem.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Group intervention