Abstract
Objective
Because medical interventions for persons with dementia have limited effectiveness, there is a need to evaluate non-pharmacological interventions designed to support individuals with cognitive impairment. Cognitive training is a non-pharmacological approach aimed at improving or maintaining cognitive functioning through practice. The current study evaluated the effects of a cognitive training program in older adults with moderate to severe cognitive impairment.
Method
Data were collected from seven females and one male with a mean age of 83.1 who met criteria for moderate to severe cognitive impairment as defined by a Modified Mini-Mental Status Exam score between 49-77 (M = 54.5). Participants were recruited from two organizations that provide housing and supportive services for older adults with cognitive impairments. Cognitive changes were measured using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status-Update.
Results
Effect sizes (Cohen’s d) were calculated to measure the magnitude of change from pre- to post-intervention. Results indicated no change in the domains of immediate memory (d = -0.08) and attention (d = -0.17). A medium effect size was found in delayed memory (d = 0.68), while large effect sizes were found in language (d = 1.70), visuospatial/constructional (d = 0.89), and the total scale index (d = 1.40).
Conclusion
The results provide tentative support for the effectiveness of cognitive training in maintaining or improving some cognitive abilities in older adults with moderate to severe cognitive impairment. Further research with larger samples sizes and control groups are necessary to verify these preliminary findings and to determine if benefits generalize to everyday life.
A tablet computer-based cognitive training program for young children with cognitive impairment
