Structured Floral Arrangement Program Benefits in Patients With Neurocognitive Disorder.

Hiroko Mochizuki-Kawai,Satoshi Mochizuki,Yuriko Yamakawa,Izumi Kotani

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01328

Abstract

We attempted to clarify positive benefits in cognitive abilities and motivation during our cognitive intervention [structured floral arrangement (SFA) program] for patients with neurocognitive disorder due to stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and other related disorders. In this SFA program, participants are required to arrange cut flowers and leaves on absorbent foam according to an instruction sheet. In a previous study of patients with schizophrenia, our SFA program encouraged participants and contributed to stimulating their visuospatial process and memory. Here, 27 patients with neurocognitive disorders participated in this study. Sixteen patients were assigned to an SFA-treated group and participated in six sessions during two phases plus to daily activities. Eleven non-treated patients engaged only daily activities during the same period. We compared Apathy Scale scores and neuropsychological scores between the SFA-treated and non-treated patients. Their mean attendance rate was more than 90% during the two phases. SFA-treated patients copied a Rey–Osterrieth complex figure more accurately than non-treated patients (p < 0.05) during the later intervention phase, whereas during the earlier phase, accuracy was comparable between treated and non-treated groups. In the SFA-treated group, recall scores also improved (p < 0.01), and the positive outcomes were maintained for about 3 months (p < 0.05). The Apathy Scale scores did not show significant change in either the SFA-treated or non-treated groups. Our present results suggest that the SFA program encouraged continuous participation to cognitive intervention and was useful for ameliorating dysfunctions in visuospatial memory and recognition in patients with neurocognitive disorder.

Highlights

Various cognitive interventions have been developed to improve cognitive functions of patients with neurocognitive disorder due to stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), Alzheimer’s disease, and other-related disorders
cognitive training (CT) seems relatively successful for people with mild neurocognitive disorder; Cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) seems more acceptable for people with severe neurocognitive disorder, including elderly dementia (Buschert et al, 2010; Panerai et al, 2016)
We have developed a structured floral arrangement (SFA) program, combining benefits of CT and horticultural therapy, in which participants were required to arrange cut flowers and leaves on absorbent foam according to an instruction sheet

Summary

Introduction

Various cognitive interventions have been developed to improve cognitive functions of patients with neurocognitive disorder due to stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), Alzheimer’s disease, and other-related disorders (van de Ven et al, 2001; Talassi et al, 2007; De Vreese et al, 2008; Mapelli et al, 2013; Zucchella et al, 2014; Hallock et al, 2016; Panerai et al, 2016; Orrell et al, 2017; Pérez-Martín et al, 2017). CT generally consists of computer-based or paper-and-pencil cognitive exercises for targeting specific functions, including memory, attention, and executive function (Talassi et al, 2007; Panerai et al, 2016), and CT has shown significant cognitive outcomes in patients with stroke (Zucchella et al, 2014), TBI (Hallock et al, 2016), and multiple sclerosis (Pérez-Martín et al, 2017). When treated with an appropriate program, patients experienced positive outcomes in neurocognitive functions (Buschert et al, 2010; Panerai et al, 2016)

Methods

Results

Conclusion