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Multisensory stimulation for elderly with dementia: a 24-week single-blind randomized controlled pilot study
Roumen V Milev1, Tracey Kellar, Marilyn McLean
1Department of Psychiatry, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. milevr@providencecare.ca
Summary
Multisensory stimulation (MSS) may improve challenging behaviors in elderly dementia patients. More frequent sessions showed better outcomes, even after treatment cessation, suggesting MSS as a promising alternative therapy.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Neurology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Dementia is a prevalent, debilitating condition in the elderly.
- Long-term care residents often exhibit challenging behaviors.
- Current pharmacological treatments for dementia symptoms are not always effective, necessitating alternative approaches.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of Multisensory Stimulation (MSS) as an alternative intervention for elderly individuals with dementia.
- To determine if the frequency of MSS sessions impacts treatment outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A pilot 24-week single-blinded, randomized controlled study was conducted.
- Participants received MSS for 12 weeks, either once or three times per week.
- A control group received standard care.
Main Results:
- A trend towards improved outcomes, measured by Daily Observation Scales (DOS) and Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I), was observed with increased MSS frequency.
- Statistical significance in DOS was achieved at week 8, and in CGI-I at week 12.
- These improvements persisted for 12 weeks post-treatment.
Conclusions:
- Multisensory Stimulation (MSS) shows potential as an adjunctive therapy for managing dementia in the elderly.
- Further investigation through larger, double-blind randomized controlled trials is warranted to confirm these findings.