The Effect of Cognitive Rehabilitation on Cognitive State and Depression in Elderly People With Mild Cognitive Impairment in the Amir al-Muminin Nursing Home of Kerman City: A Pilot Study

Objectives: Aging is a sensitive period in life. Due to the increase in elderly people population and the possibility of mild cognitive impairment and depression in elderly people, prevention of Alzheimer's disease, improvement of cognitive status and depression are essential to increase the quality of life of elderly people. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of cognitive rehabilitation on the cognitive status and depression of elderly people with mild cognitive impairment. Materials and Methodology: The research design was a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest with a control group. The statistical population of the study consisted of elderly men aged 60 years and older with mild cognitive impairment living in a nursing home (Kerman city) in the period of 1400. Using purposeful sampling method, were selected 24 elderlies and randomly assigned into two groups of control and experimental (12 people in each group). Evaluation of cognitive state and depression was performed using Mini-Mental State Examination and Geriatric Depression Scale in two stages before and after the intervention in experimental and control groups. Cognitive rehabilitation program was presented in 12 one-hour sessions for each experimental group. Research data were analyzed using covariance analysis and SPSS-19 software. Results: The results of the present study showed that cognitive rehabilitation program has a significant effect (P<0.05) on improving cognitive state and depression of elderly people with mild cognitive impairment. Conclusion: According to the research results, cognitive rehabilitation program is recommended as a non-pharmacological treatment to improve cognitive status and depression in elderly people.