[The efficacy of multi-sensory environment therapy on psychological, behavioral symptoms among elderly patients with dementia].

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The treatment and care of demented elderly represents a major medical and social issue in Taiwan. Many empirical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of applying multi-sensory environment therapy to improve mood symptoms and reduce disturbed behavior frequencies among this population. While the technique has been widely applied in various clinical settings in the West, a study focusing on the treatment efficacy of multi-sensory environment therapy has yet to be conducted in Taiwan. PURPOSE: The purpose of the current study was to investigate the treatment efficacy of multi-sensory environment therapy on psychological and behavioral symptomatology among elderly patients with dementia. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study recruited 20 study participants from a nursing home in northern Taiwan. Treatment and control groups were arranged to contain 10 cases each. Participants were stratified by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score before random assignment to one of the two groups. The treatment group received a total of 24 sessions of multi-sensory environment therapy for 12 weeks. The control group received routine nursing home care. Researchers assessed treatment outcomes by comparing Neuropsychiatry Inventory (NPI) scores at baseline, week 6, and week 12, respectively. RESULTS: The experimental group showed a significant improvement over the control group on the NPI item "Motor Disturbance" at week 6. The experimental group scored significantly better than the control group on overall NPI score and on NPI items "Irritability or Liability" and "Motor Disturbance" after completion of the 12-week treatment regimen. CONCLUSIONS: Multi-sensory environment therapy helps improve behavioral and emotional symptoms in elderly patients with dementia. This technique may offer the potential to both improve the life quality of this population and reduce caretaker burdens.