[Comparison of digital and conventional life story books on mood, communication, cognition and quality of life in people with dementia in nursing homes: A pilot study]

Abstract

Introduction: Person-centered care (PCC) includes life story, a form of reminiscence therapy that can be useful in the treatment of dementia. We compared the efficacy of using a digital or conventional life story book (LSB) on depressive symptoms, communication, cognition, and quality of life.

Material and methods: Thirty one persons with dementia living in 2 PCC nursing homes were randomly assigned to receive reminiscence therapy based on the Neural Actions digital LSB (n=16) or a conventional LSB (n=15). Both groups performed 2 weekly sessions of 45min for 5 weeks. Depressive symptoms were evaluated with the Cornell scale (CSDD); communication with the Holden scale (HCS), cognition with the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and quality of life with the quality of life scale for Alzheimer's (QoL-AD). The results were analyzed using ANOVA of repeated measures with the jamovi 2.3 program.

Results: Both LSB improved communication skills (η²=0.115; p<0.001), with no differences between groups. No effects on quality of life, cognition, or mood were found.

Conclusions: In PCC centres digital or conventional LSB can be useful in the treatment of people with dementia by facilitating communication. Its role on quality of life, cognition or mood is uncertain.

Keywords: Atención centrada en la persona; Communication; Comunicación; Demencia; Dementia; Estado de ánimo; Historia de vida; Life story; Mood; Person centered care; Reminiscence therapy; Terapia de reminiscencia.