title: Dementia in elderly patients: can the 3R mental stimulation programme improve mental status?
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine whether the 3R mental stimulation programme can improve the mental status score (MSS) of a group of patients with dementia attending a day care centre. Fifteen patients with dementia attending a day care centre were exposed to the 3R stimulation programme over eight weeks while 15 controls were not. All patients from both groups were subjected to pre- and post-exposure questionnaires modified from the Mental Status Questionnaire of Kahn et al. A mental status score (MSS) was thus calculated on both occasions. All patients in the exposed group showed an improved mental status score, with the mean 'pre-exposure' and 'post-exposure' scores of 4.4 and 7.3, respectively (p < 0.001; paired t test). In contrast, the mental status scores of 12 control patients had deteriorated and mean 'pre-exposure' and 'post-exposure' scores were 4.1 and 3.4, respectively (p < 0.05; paired t test). Using multiple covariance analysis, the adjusted 'post-exposure' mean mental status score was 7.1 for the exposed and 3.6 for the controlled group (p < 0.001). The 3R programme appears to be effective for short-term mental stimulation of demented elderly people.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Occupational and Family Medicine, National University Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Ang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003631:Day Care, Medical; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D011936:Reality Testing; D016896:Treatment Outcome