The effects of occupation-centered activity program on fall-related factors and quality of life in patients with dementia

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an occupation-centered activity program for dementia patients living in a local community, and examined the effects of the occupation-centered activity program on their cognitive functions, fall-related factors, and quality of life. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty subjects were divided into two groups: the experiment group (n=15) and the control group (n=15). The occupation-centered activity program was then applied to dementia patients for 60 minutes, 5 times/week for 12 weeks. To identify their cognitive functions before and after the intervention occupation-centered activity program, Mini-Mental State Examination-Korea (MMSE-K) and the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) were used. To assess fall-related factors, Korean Falls Efficacy Scale for the Elderly (FES-K) was used and leg strength, agility, and balance of the participants was measured. To examine quality of life, the Korean version of Quality of Life-Alzheimer’s Disease Scale (KQOL-AD) was used. [Results] The results of the intervention showed that although cognitive function improved in both the experimental and control groups, fall-related factors and the quality of life significantly improved only in the experimental group. [Conclusion] This indicates that the occupation-centered activity program had a positive effect on dementia patients’ cognitive functions, fall-related factors, and quality of life.