Is Watching Television a Realistic Leisure Option for People with Dementia

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Abstract

Background: Watching television is a common leisure activity, not least among older people. However, watching television may become difficult when it is disturbed by symptoms of dementia. Method: A total of 284 questionnaires were handed out to relatives of people with dementia in Iceland, in the Memory Clinic of the University Hospital and in specialized units for people with dementia (6 day-care units and 8 units within nursing homes). The response rate was just below 58%. Results: Watching television was shown to play a less important role in the course of the daily life of people with dementia as soon as the symptoms of the disease became evident, and it increasingly became less relevant. So, this previous leisure activity left an ever-growing void of time to fill. However, watching television may provide an important social context for contact and togetherness during the progress of the disease, as watching television with someone close to them was important for the individuals with dementia. Conclusion: It is not a viable option for people with dementia to watch television on their own, but they may enjoy watching television while sharing this activity with a person close to them. This may even provide quality time.

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Leisure activities, cognition and dementia.

Hui-Xin Wang, Weili Xu, Jin-Jing Pei (2012)

Accumulated evidence shows that leisure activities have a positive impact on cognitive function and dementia. This review aimed to systematically summarize the current evidence on this topic taking into account the limitations of the studies and biological plausibility for the underlying mechanisms linking cognition, dementia and leisure activities, with special attention on mental, physical and social activities. We included only longitudinal studies, with a follow-up time of at least 2 years, published in English from 1991 to March 2011 on leisure activities and cognition (n=29) or dementia (n=23) and provided some evidence from intervention studies on the topic. A protective effect of mental activity on cognitive function has been consistently reported in both observational and interventional studies. The association of mental activity with the risk of dementia was robust in observational studies but inconsistent in clinical trials. The protective effect of physical activity on the risk of cognitive decline and dementia has been reported in most observational studies, but has been less evident in interventional studies. Current evidence concerning the beneficial effect of other types of leisure activities on the risk of dementia is still limited and results are inconsistent. For future studies it is imperative that the assessment of leisure activities is standardized, for example, the frequency, intensity, duration and the type of activity; and also that the cognitive test batteries and the definition of cognitive decline are harmonized/standardized. Further, well designed studies with long follow-up times are necessary. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Imaging Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative disease. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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Systematic review of the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions to improve quality of life of people with dementia.

Claudia Cooper, Naaheed Mukadam, Cornelius Katona … (2012)

People with dementia report lower quality of life, but we know little about what interventions might improve it. We systematically reviewed 20 randomized controlled trials reporting the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions in improving quality of life or well-being of people with dementia meeting predetermined criteria. We rated study validity with a checklist. We contacted authors for additional data. We calculated standardized mean differences (SMD) and, for studies reporting similar interventions, pooled standardized effect sizes (SES). Pooled analyses found that family carer coping strategy-based interventions (four studies, which did not individually achieve significance; n = 420; SES 0.24 (range 0.03-0.45)) and combined patient activity and family carer coping interventions (two studies, not individually significant; n = 191; SES 0.84 (range 0.54-1.14)) might improve quality of life. In one high-quality study, a care management system improved quality of life of people with dementia living at home. Group Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (GCST) improved quality of life of people with dementia in care homes. Preliminary evidence indicated that coping strategy-based family carer therapy with or without a patient activity intervention improved quality of life of people with dementia living at home. GCST was the only effective intervention in a higher quality trial for those in care homes, but we did not find such evidence in the community. Few studies explored whether effects continued after the intervention stopped. Future research should explore the longer-term impact of interventions on, and devise strategies to increase, life quality of people with dementia living in care homes or at home without a family carer.

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The Quality of Life of People with Dementia and Their Family Carers

F.K. Bruvik, Froydis Bruvik, Ingun Dina Ulstein … (2012)

Background: We aimed to identify factors associated with the quality of life (QoL) of ‘persons with dementia’ (PWDs) and their family carers. Method: Two-hundred and thirty dyads of PWDs and their family carers were included. The PWDs were assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI-Q), two Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scales, the Cornell Scale and the QoL-Alzheimer’s Disease scale (QoL-AD; self- and proxy-reported scores). The carers were assessed with the QoL-AD and the Geriatric Depression Scale. Results: Factors associated with self-reported QoL were depression (β = –0.26, p < 0.001) and impaired ADL (β = –0.26, p < 0.001) and with proxy-rated QoL were NPI (β = –0.18, p = 0.02), depression (β = –0.32, p < 0.001) and impaired ADL (β = –0.43, p < 0.001). Factors associated with QoL in carers living together with the PWDs were depression (β = –0.56, p < 0.001) and having a hobby (β = 0.19, p = 0.01), whereas depression was associated with QoL in those who lived separately from the PWD (β = –0.60, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Depression and impaired ADL were associated with the self- and proxy-rated QoL of the PWDs, whereas depression in the carers negatively affected their QoL.

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Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (publisher-id): DEE

Journal ID (pmc): DEE

Journal ID (doi): 10.1159/issn.1664-5464

Title: Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders Extra

Publisher: S. Karger AG

ISSN (Electronic): 1664-5464

Publication date Subscription-year: 2015

Publication date Collection: January – April 2015

Publication date (Electronic): 17 March 2015

Volume: 5

Issue: 1

Pages: 116-122

Affiliations

Faculty of Nursing, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland

Author notes

*Margrét Gústafsdóttir, Kaplaskjólsveegur 29, IS-107 Reykjavík (Iceland), E-Mail margust@hi.is

Article

Publisher ID: 369383 Pmcid ID: PMC4404928 Other ID: Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord Extra 2015;5:116-122

DOI: 10.1159/000369383

PMC ID: PMC4404928

PubMed ID: 25941531

SO-VID: 0f9cf9fb-db76-43b4-aa4e-57ab07d94b3a

License:

Open Access License: This is an Open Access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported license (CC BY-NC) ( http://www.karger.com/OA-license), applicable to the online version of the article only. Distribution permitted for non-commercial purposes only. Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug. Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.

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Is Watching Television a Realistic Leisure Option for People with Dementia

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Karger: Neurology and Neuroscience

Most cited references 20

Leisure activities, cognition and dementia.

Systematic review of the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions to improve quality of life of people with dementia.

The Quality of Life of People with Dementia and Their Family Carers

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