Effects of play activities program for nursing home residents with dementia on pain and psychological well-being: Cluster randomized controlled trial

Contact Information

Keywords

Keywords: depression; group therapy; pain; psychological and social aspects.

Abstract

Aim: The prevalence of chronic pain among nursing home residents with dementia is high. This present study aimed to explore the effectiveness of a play activities program among nursing home residents with dementia. Methods: Each nursing home was randomly assigned to an experimental group or control group. A 1-h play activities program was offered weekly for 8 weeks to the experimental group, whereas participants in the control group read books and magazines for 15 min weekly for the 8 weeks. Outcome measures were assessed at baseline, post-intervention (at week 8) and 4 weeks after the intervention. Results: A total of 53 nursing home residents from four nursing homes were recruited. There were significant treatment effects on pain, depression and happiness level when comparing the experimental group and control group. However, there were no treatment effects on activities of daily living, social engagement, behavioral symptoms and mobility between the two groups. Conclusion: The play activities program was useful in reducing pain and improving the psychological health of nursing home residents with dementia. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 1485-1490.

Citation

Tse, M. M. Y., Lau, J. L., Kwan, R., Cheung, D., Tang, A. S. K., Ng, S. S. M., Lee, P. H., & Yeung, S. S. Y. (2018). Effects of play activities program for nursing home residents with dementia on pain and psychological well-being: Cluster randomized controlled trial. Geriatrics & gerontology international, 18(10), 1485–1490. https://doi.org/10.1111/ggi.13509

DOI

10.1111/ggi.13509

EWB Constructs:

(3) positive affect

EWB Measures:

(1) visual analog scale of happiness

data availability:

data availability details:

N/A

brain imaging paradigm:

N/A

brain region/circuit:

Exclusion Criteria:

Exclusion criteria for the participants were those with a Mini-Mental State Examination score range outside of 10–25; that is, normal or with severe cognitive impairment.

Inclusion Criteria

(i) aged >65 years;
(ii) currently living in a nursing home;
(iii) able to communicate in Cantonese;
(iv) suffering from pain that was either self-reported by participants or assessed with a pain score of ≥1 by the Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia Scale

Non-EWB Behavioral
Measures:

(1) Functional Mobility: Timed Up and Go test
(2) Depressive symptoms: Geriatric Depression Scale
(3) Pain level: Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia Scale
(4) Cognitive function: Mini-Mental State Examination
(5) Functional Status: Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living
(6) Sense of initiative and social involvement: Index of Social Engagement
(7) Behavioral symptoms: Minimum Data Set Behavioral Symptom Rating Scale
(8) participants’ behavior and social relationship: Non-Pharmacological Therapy Experience Scale

First author:

Mimi M.Y. Tse

species:

Human

sample size:

study design:

(5) RCT

longitudinal data?

Yes

younger controls?

interventions:

8-week Play activities program

study population:

(2) patients with (pre)clinical dementia
(3) patients with other mental health disorders than dementia

sex (% female):

73.58%

ethnicity (%white)

0% (Hong Kong)

Age (mean, sd):

85.25, 7.73

biological/Physiological Measures:

N/A