Evaluation of effect of cognitive intervention programs for the community-dwelling elderly with subjective memory complaints.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the efficacy of cognitive training (CT) and cognitive stimulation (CS) programs for the community elderly with subjective memory complaints (SMC).


METHODS
The single-blind non-randomized controlled study was applied. The numbers of CT and CS participants were 14 and 11. The mean ages of CT and CS participants were 68.71 and 70.36. Memory training and problem solving strategies were applied in the CT group. There were ten 2-hourly sessions of CT, held twice weekly. CS group met once weekly in a 1.5-h class for eight classes. Cognitive performance tests of general cognitive performance, verbal memory and executive function were measured before/after the training and at 6 months follow-up.


RESULTS
In both training conditions, the general cognitive performance were enhanced. The CT group showed improvement in the verbal memory test. The CS group did not trigger any training effect in the verbal memory test but the executive function. All cognitive progresses remained at follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
Both cognitive training and cognitive stimulation programs showed training effects and remained until 6 months.
Tsai
Athena Yi-jung
AY
Institute of Public Health, National Yang-ming University, Taiwan.
Yang
Ming-Jen
MJ
Lan
Chun-Fu
CF
Chen
Cheng-Sheng
CS
D000368:Aged; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015397:Program Evaluation; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D014706:Verbal Learning