Institute of Modern Services, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, China.
Institute of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
PLoS One. 2024 Oct 15;19(10):e0309685. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0309685. eCollection 2024.
With the increasing global aging population, the health and welfare of elderly individuals, especially individuals with prevalent mild cognitive impairment (MCI) living in nursing homes, have become critical concerns. These concerns highlight the urgency of developing effective interventions to address the cognitive and psychological needs of elderly individuals, ensuring their well-being and alleviating the burden on their caregivers.
This study investigates the impact of wooden toy training on mitigating cognitive decline in elderly individuals with cognitive impairment. It evaluates how this training influences cognitive functions and psychological well-being, exploring whether it can slow or reverse the progression of cognitive decline. This outcome will be assessed in a randomized controlled trial, in which changes in cognitive ability and psychological health indicators among the participants will be measured.
A two-arm, open-label, cluster-randomized controlled trial.
SETTING(S): The study was conducted in two nursing homes, which served as both the recruitment sites for participants and the intervention locations. These nursing homes were selected for their ability to facilitate the intervention and for their representative demographic characteristics of the elderly population. The settings provided a controlled environment that was conducive to implementing the wooden toy training program and observing its effects on the participants.
A total of 76 elderly participants with mild cognitive impairment but functional independence were recruited.
Participants were randomized into an intervention group and a control group. The intervention group engaged in an 8-week wooden toy training program, whereas those in the control cohort received customary nursing care. Standardized cognitive and psychological well-being measures were used to assess improvements in cognitive performance and mental health.
Significant improvements were observed in the cognitive functions of the intervention group from a baseline score of M = 13.11 to M = 16.29 postintervention (95% CI [-4.44, -1.93]), along with reductions in depressive symptoms from a baseline score of M = 8.63 to M = 7.18 (95% CI [0.38, 2.51]). Additionally, engagement in activities with wooden toys significantly satisfied their need for competence, increasing from a baseline of M = 16.29 to M = 20 postintervention (95% CI [-5.92, -1.51]), and relatedness, which improved from a baseline of M = 20.32 to M = 22.95 (95% CI [-4.73, -0.53]).
This study underscores the potential of a wooden toy intervention in nursing homes that combines cognitive challenges with traditional cultural elements to improve cognitive functions in elderly individuals with mild cognitive impairment. Our findings suggest a novel method of promoting the cognitive and psychological health of nursing home residents through emotional comfort and social interaction.
随着全球人口老龄化的加剧，老年人的健康和福利，尤其是居住在养老院的有普遍轻度认知障碍（MCI）的老年人的健康和福利，已成为人们关注的焦点。这些关注点突显了开发有效干预措施的紧迫性，以满足老年人的认知和心理需求，确保他们的福祉并减轻其照顾者的负担。
本研究旨在探讨木制玩具训练对减轻认知障碍老年人认知能力下降的影响。评估这种训练如何影响认知功能和心理健康，探索它是否可以减缓或逆转认知能力下降的进程。这一结果将通过一项随机对照试验来评估，其中参与者的认知能力变化和心理健康指标将被测量。
一项两臂、开放标签、群组随机对照试验。
该研究在两家养老院进行，这些养老院既是参与者的招募地点，也是干预地点。这些养老院被选中是因为它们能够促进干预措施的实施，并且具有老年人人口的代表性人口统计学特征。这些设置提供了一个有利于实施木制玩具培训计划并观察其对参与者影响的受控环境。
共招募了 76 名有轻度认知障碍但功能独立的老年人。
参与者被随机分为干预组和对照组。干预组进行了 8 周的木制玩具训练计划，而对照组则接受常规护理。使用标准化的认知和心理健康评估工具来评估认知表现和心理健康的改善情况。
干预组的认知功能从基线的 M = 13.11 提高到干预后的 M = 16.29（95%置信区间[-4.44，-1.93]），同时抑郁症状从基线的 M = 8.63 降低到 M = 7.18（95%置信区间[0.38，2.51]）。此外，参与木制玩具活动显著满足了他们的能力需求，从基线的 M = 16.29 提高到干预后的 M = 20（95%置信区间[-5.92，-1.51]），以及关系需求，从基线的 M = 20.32 提高到 M = 22.95（95%置信区间[-4.73，-0.53]）。
本研究强调了木制玩具干预在养老院中的潜力，这种干预将认知挑战与传统文化元素相结合，以改善有轻度认知障碍的老年人的认知功能。我们的研究结果表明，通过情感安慰和社会互动，为养老院居民提供促进认知和心理健康的新方法。
