The Outcomes of Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) for Community-Dwelling Older Adults With Cognitive Decline in Taiwan

Abstract

Aim: To assess the impact of cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) on cognition, quality of life, and mood in Taiwanese elders with cognitive impairment attending a day care center. Methods: Twenty-five adults aged 65 years and older were assigned into the CST (n =12) and control (n = 13) groups. Weekly 90-minute CST sessions for 14 weeks were conducted by occupational therapists and occupational therapist students. The Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale—Cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog), the Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease (QOL-AD), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were used for pre- and posttest measurements. Within- and between-group comparisons of test scores were performed. Results: Significant between-group differences were found for the ADAS-Cog change scores. Specifically, there was significant cognitive improvement for participants in CST group at posttest, with no observable change for the controls. No significant pre-/postgains were noted in the QoL-AD and HADS scores for the 2 groups. Conclusion: The once-a-week CST approach seems to be a viable alternative to twice-a-week CST for community-dwelling older adults with mild to moderate cognitive deficits. Further investigation is required to determine the optimal dose of CST for the elderly.