Persons with Alzheimer's disease perform daily activities using verbal-instruction technology: a maintenance assessment.
OBJECTIVE
To assess whether verbal-instruction technology could help persons with mild and moderate Alzheimer's disease maintain their recaptured performance of daily activities.


METHODS
This study followed nine patients who had participated in previous studies aimed at helping them recapture one or more functional daily activities (i.e. table setting, coffee, tea or snack preparation, use of make-up and shaving). The plan was to follow each patient for at least 6 months after the intervention, unless his/her condition called for an earlier end of the study.


RESULTS
The study was interrupted after 5 months for two patients who developed serious behavioural problems and continued for 6-14 months for the other seven patients who had largely accurate performance with some adaptations of instructions/steps. Most patients also showed mood improvement during activity.


CONCLUSIONS
Verbal-instruction technology might be considered a critical tool to help persons with Alzheimer's disease enhance their activity and mood.
Lancioni
Giulio
G
Department of Psychology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy. g.lancioni@psico.uniba.it
Singh
Nirbhay
N
O'Reilly
Mark
M
Zonno
Nadia
N
Cassano
Germana
G
De Vanna
Floriana
F
De Bari
Anna Laura
AL
Pinto
Katia
K
Minervini
Mauro
M
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012656:Self-Help Devices / Q000523:psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014705:Verbal Behavior