Effects of socio-therapeutic interventions on cognitive functions among institutionalized elderly

Abstract

Cognitive impairment affects over one billion people globally, with elderly individuals in institutions in China being particularly impacted. This study involved 60 elderly participants with mild cognitive impairment, who were randomly assigned to one of two groups: 30 in a control group receiving traditional programs from the elderly institution and 30 in an intervention group receiving socio-therapeutic methods. Cognitive function was assessed before the intervention, and at the end of the first, second, and third months (with unsupervised interventions in the third month). Initially, both groups had similar low MMSE scores. However, the socio-therapeutic intervention led to significant cognitive improvements in the intervention group after the first and second months, with results remaining higher than the control group by the end of the third month. The study highlights the effectiveness of socio-therapeutic interventions in enhancing cognitive function and suggests that such programs should be adopted in elderly care institutions. Further research is needed to explore long-term effects and optimal program components, with personalized interventions and family/community involvement recommended to maximize benefits.