Cognitive intervention using Montessori and DementiAbility for people with mild cognitive impairment
Authors:   Faculty of Education and Liberal Arts, Hatyai University, Songkla Province, Thailand, Ratsameemonthon Chadchom , Pittayapinune Teppagone ,   Thai Wisdom Institute for Research and Development, Songkla Province, Thailand, Petchsakul Arbtip ,   Hatyai City Municipality Office, Songkla Province, Thailand, Kemsen Sasithorn ,   Songkhla Rajanagarindra Phychiatric Hospital, Songkla Province, Thailand
Published: February 2024

Background: Age-related illnesses are more prevalent with advancing age, with seniors facing more chronic diseases and disabilities. Chronic diseases that mostly older adults deal with are caused by high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol-also called noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). NCDs can cause severe chronic diseases such as heart disease, kidney failure, and cerebrovascular disease, and these can result in a high risk of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Together, brain cells shrink around 2,000 million cells when getting older, causing difficulty recalling names or words, decreased attention span, or a decreased ability to handle many tasks simultaneously. Therefore, protecting senior citizens with MCI needs to be seriously consideration. Objectives: This quasi-experimental research aimed to study the effects of a program to reduce brain deterioration in older people with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Materials and methods: The samples consisted of senior males and females requiring service at Songkhla Rajanagarindra Psychiatric Hospital, Songkhla, Thailand. A sample group was selected using an equivalent group design. The researcher utilized inclusion and exclusion criteria to gather 32 older adults and employed a simple random selection into experimental and control groups. For three months, the experimental group engaged in a seven-care-kit program based on Montessori’s philosophy and DementiAbility methods to help protect against brain deterioration. Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon Value were used to analyze the result of the program’s effectiveness, which assessed cognitive ability by MoCA. Results: The attention span domain showed a significant statistical difference at (p=0.03) after post-tests comparing the experimental and control groups. A comparison of the pre-test and post-test of the experimental group found four domains-total cognitive domain, attention span domain, delayed recall domain, and visuospatial perception domain were significant with a statistical difference of (p=0.001, p=0.002, p=0.003, and p=0.004 respectively). Moreover, two domains- the delayed recall domain and the total cognitive domain in the control group showed a significant statistically increasing difference at (p=0.001 and p=0.005, respectively). Conclusion: The senior citizens’ active daily activities may help protect against dementia in older adults with MCI. The Home-Based Protection of Brain Deterioration Program demonstrated a satisfactory program that enhanced the attention span, visuospatial domain, and delayed recall of older people with mild cognitive impairment. Hence, the program as a dementia prevention program for older adults with MCI.