Thursday, December 27, 2012

Leisure activities alleviate depressive symptoms in nursing home residents with very mild or mild dementia.

Leisure activities alleviate depressive symptoms in nursing home residents with very mild or mild dementia.

Oct 2012

**Editor's note: Exercise/leisure activities can help us with depression too, even depression associated with lymphedema.  It is nto only a vital part of our physical well being, but mental/emotional as well.The point being whatever your interest might be, take part in it as often as you can**

Source

Department of Psychological Studies, Hong Kong Institute of Education, Kwai Chung Hospital, Hong Kong. takcheng@ied.edu.hk

Abstract


OBJECTIVES:

 To examine whether leisure activities can alleviate depressive symptoms among nursing home residents with very mild to mild dementia.

METHODS:

 A cluster-randomized open-label controlled design. Thirty-six residents with at least moderate depressive symptoms were randomized by home into three conditions-mahjong (a.k.a. mah-jongg), tai chi, and handicrafts (placebo). Activities were conducted three times weekly for 12 weeks. Outcome measure was Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) administered at baseline, posttreatment, and at 6 months.

RESULTS:

 Repeated-measures analysis of variance showed a group by time interaction on the GDS. Unlike control and tai chi participants whose scores remained relatively unchanged, the mahjong group reported a drop of 3.25 points (95% confidence interval: 1.00-5.50) on the GDS at posttreatment but gained back 2.83 points (95% confidence interval: 1.95-5.47) at 6 months. Activity discontinuation might be the reason for depression to return to baseline.

CONCLUSIONS:

 Mahjong can lower depressive symptoms in those with mild dementia, but activity maintenance may be essential for long-term effects.

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