Group Reminiscence as an Effective Intervention for Cognitive Impairment among Rural Older Adults in South India: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Abstract
Background: Early identification of cognitive impairment and adopting
measures to promote cognitive health is essential for a better quality
of life. Reminiscence is a psychosocial intervention and is one of the
effective non-pharmacological interventions to promote cognitive health
in older adults. The present study aims to investigate the effectiveness
of group reminiscence among older adults.
Methods: The present study was a single-blind randomised controlled
trial (RCT) conducted in Telangana, India. A total of 130 older adults,
aged 60 years and above, who met the inclusion criteria were recruited
in the study. Of these adults, 65 subjects each were randomly assigned
to experimental and control groups. The data were collected using
the mental status examination. The experimental groups received a
group reminiscence for 12 weeks. The data were analysed using the
SPSS-25 version.
Results: The findings of the study highlight the effectiveness of
reminiscence as demonstrated in the improvement in the experimental
group (Z = -5.47, p < 0.01). The pre-post mean difference of the cognitive
functions between the groups was analysed; the Z value was -6.174,
p value was less than 0.01, and the effect size was -0.54, indicating a
large difference due to the group reminiscence intervention.
Conclusion: The study findings highlight the effectiveness of the group
reminiscence intervention in promoting cognitive functioning among
older adults. Given the substantial growth of the ageing population
in countries like India, where nurses play a critical role in the primary
healthcare system, the study supports the need for equipping primary
healthcare professionals with non-pharmacological interventions like
group reminiscence to promote cognitive and mental health in the
elderly population.
How to cite this article:
Talagathoti DRP, Manchana V. Group
Reminiscence as an Effective Intervention for
Cognitive Impairment among Rural Older Adults
in South India: A Randomised Controlled Trial.
Chettinad Health City Med J. 2023;12(3):62-68.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2278.2044.202353
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