The Effectiveness of Community Aging Care Centers on Global Function for People Living with Dementia

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Lai, Po-Yu^{a; 1} | Wang, Wen-Fu^{b; c; 1} | Chang, Ming-Che^d | Jhang, Kai-Ming^{b; *}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Family Medicine, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan | [b] Department of Neurology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan | [c] Department of Recreation and Holistic Wellness, Ming Dao University, Changhua, Taiwan | [d] Department of Nuclear Medicine, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Kai-Ming Jhang, No. 135 Nanxiao St., Changhua City 500, Taiwan. Tel.: +886 4 7238595/Ext. 3521; E-mail: [email protected].

Note: [1] These authors contributed equally to this work.

Abstract: Background:The global population with dementia is growing rapidly. Dementia patients have been included in the services of the long-term care Act 2.0, supported by Taiwan’s government since 2017. Community aging care centers are extensively established, which are places providing social connections and group physical and cognitive training programs for elderly people. Objective:To elucidate the efficacy of community aging care centers on cognitive function in people with dementia. Methods:A total of 1,277 patients with dementia diagnosed at the Changhua Christian Hospital outpatient departments were enrolled. A total of 113 patients who used community aging care centers and 452 subjects matched for age, education, and initial score of clinical dementia rating scale sum of boxes (CDR-SOB) control group were analyzed. The primary outcome was the change in CDR-SOB scores before and after utilization of community aging care centers. Results:The mean annual change of CDR-SOB scores were 1.72±2.97, 1.08±2.36, and 1.04±3.64 in control, Community Service Centers for Dementia, and community elderly stations, respectively, after about 1.5 years follow-up. Patients with dementia using community aging care centers had significantly less progression in CDR-SOB scores than those in the control group (–0.65; 95% CI: –1.27, –0.03; p = 0.041). Using one more day of community aging care centers per week significantly promotes 0.16 points of CDR-SOB decline (–0.16, 95% CI: –0.31; –0.00; p = 0.045). Conclusion:Community aging care centers, based on the long-term care Act 2.0 in Taiwan, were effective in delaying the decline in global function in people living with dementia.

Keywords: Cognitive dysfunction, community care, dementia, long-term care

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-220372

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 89, no. 2, pp. 553-562, 2022