Authors (including presenting author) :
Armstrong Tat San Chiu(1), Winsy Wing Sze Wong(2), Tony Ka Keung Wong(3), Samuel Chin(4)
Affiliation :
(1) The Hong Kong Society for the Blind
(2) Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, Faculty of Humanities, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
(3)Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
(4) Hong Kong College of Health Service Executives
Introduction :
Non-pharmacological interventions, such as cognitive stimulation, have been proven effective in improving the cognitive functions of people with dementia (PwD; Woods et al., 2023). Storytelling has been commonly used as a therapy for PwD in which narratives relevant to their personal experiences can be adopted for life review or reminiscence (Damianakis et al., 2010). Nevertheless, the efficacy of cognitive intervention in individuals with visual impairment and dementia has rarely been investigated. The present pilot study aimed to investigate the efficacy of ‘A Trip of Memory’, a narrative-based cognitive stimulation program on PwD with visual impairment.
Objectives :
The present pilot study aimed to investigate the efficacy of ‘A Trip of Memory’, a narrative-based cognitive stimulation program on PwD with visual impairment.
Methodology :
A total of 36 visually impaired PwD (mean age = 87.2 years) residing in the Kowloon Home for the Aged Blind participated in the current study. Convenient sampling was adopted. The participants attended 10 sessions of narrative-based therapy in groups of five to six. In each session, the participants listened to a story related to a local bus trip, which was followed by cognitively stimulating activities and questions regarding the story and discussion/sharing of personal events related to the plot of the story. Outcome measures included the Hong Kong Version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment for the Visually Impaired (HK-MoCA-VI, Yip et al., 2024), semantic category fluency, the Cantonese version of the Amsterdam Nijmegen Everyday Language Test (CANELT; Wong, 2024), Communication Outcomes for People with Dementia Scale for the Visually Impaired (COPD-VI; Ho et al., 2024) and the Holden Communication Scale (HCS; Holden & Woods, 1995).
Result & Outcome :
Adherence to therapy was satisfactory. Gains in HK-MoCA-VI and verbal fluency after therapy reached statistical significance (p ≤ .01). Nevertheless, no improvement in CANELT, COPD-VI and HCS was noted.
The study provided preliminary clinical evidence for ‘A Trip of Memory’ in improving global cognition and executive functions of PwD with visual impairment. Further studies by including a larger sample and control group is recommended.
