The Efficacy of Using Volunteers to Implement a Cognitive Stimulation Program in Two Long-Term Care Homes (VolCogStim)

Queen's University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Age-Related Memory Disorders; Impairment of Attention; Learning Disorders; Geriatric Disorder; Impaired Cognition

Treatments: Other: Cognitive stimulation program; Other: Standard Friendly Visit

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01818778

Queens-Baycrest 65

Details and patient eligibility

About

Many volunteers visiting seniors make socially-based "friendly visits". This study investigated the efficacy of volunteers making visits focused on stimulating cognition. Participants were randomly assigned to either a "friendly visit" control group or a cognitive stimulation group. Seniors receiving stimulation visits made statistically significant improvement in memory abilities.

Full description

Older adults who maintain their cognitive skills and abilities are able to live more independently than those whose skills have deteriorated. The costs (money, time, personnel) associated with providing cognitive stimulation programs to residents in long-term care homes often prohibit the delivery of these programs. The present study explored the efficacy of using volunteers to administer a stimulation program in two long-term care homes. The program focused on stimulating reasoning, attention, and memory abilities using uncomplicated, pen-and-paper exercises. Thirty-six resident participants and 16 volunteer participants were randomly assigned to one of two parallel groups, either the control or stimulation group.

For eight weeks, three times each week, control group participants met for standard "friendly visits" (casual conversation between a resident and volunteer) and stimulation group participants met to work through a variety of exercises meant to stimulate the cognitive abilities of residents. Results were analyzed using a 2-way ANOVA and indicated statistically significant Group x Time interactions for Verbal Memory (F(1, 33) = 7.92, p = .008), Non-Verbal Memory (F(1, 33) = 6.8, p = .014), Learning (F(1, 33) = 5.27, p = .028), and Verbal Fluency (F (1, 33) = 5.56, p = .024).

Volunteers completed a post-study questionnaire which indicated that the volunteers in the stimulation group found their skills-based interactions more stimulating for residents. Given this showing of improved resident abilities, it is reasonable to assert that the study does demonstrate that a volunteer-administered, cognitive stimulation program can provide measurable gains in the cognitive abilities of older adults. Further studies concerning the role of volunteers in the maintenance of the cognitive abilities of older adults are recommended.

Enrollment: 52 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 65+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• 65 years and over
• living in a long-term care home
• normal or corrected visual and auditory acuity
• English proficiency
• not currently using de-stabilizing, psychotropic medication known to impair cognition
• ability and willingness to actively listen to and accurately follow 2-step instructions for at least 20 consecutive minutes

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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52 participants in 2 patient groups

Stimulation Group

Experimental group

Description:

Cognitive Stimulation Group: One-on-one (one volunteer visiting one resident at a time), stimulation-group residents and stimulation-group volunteers met 3 times each week, for 8 weeks, to work through a variety of memory, reasoning, and selective attention exercises. Each visit was 20 minutes in length.

Treatment:

Other: Cognitive stimulation program

Control Group

Active Comparator group

Description:

Standard "Friendly Visit": Control-group residents and control-group volunteers, one-on-one, met for 8 weeks, 3 times each week, for "friendly visits". Each visit was 20 minutes in length.

Treatment:

Other: Standard Friendly Visit