Using SRT to Improve The Drinking Problem Behavior of Elderly People With Dementia During The Care of Day Care

The Effectiveness of Using Spaced Retrieval Training to Improve The Drinking Problem Behavior of Elderly People With Dementia During The Care of Day Care Centers in Taoyuan, Taiwan

Objective: To explore the effects of intermittent retrieval training on cognitive function, daily water intake, body weight, total body water, drinking problem behaviors in day care centers, and caregiver distress in day care centers for elderly people with dementia.

Methods: This study adopted a quasi-experimental research design with two groups of pre- and post-tests. The sample was recruited by convenient sampling. The experimental group was intervened with the intermittent retrieval training program to perform relevant drinking training, 40 minutes each time, 3 times a week, for a total of 8 weeks of intervention measures, while the control group was carried out with routine care for general drinking. Both groups collected pre-test data before the intermittent retrieval training intervention program in the first week, and conducted post-test data tracking and analysis in the 4th and 8th weeks after the intervention activities. The research tools included basic attribute data sheet, Chinese version of cognitive ability screening test (CASI), daily water intake, average daily water intake and drinking problem behaviors in the past week, body fat scale for measuring weight and total body water content, and day care center caregiver burden assessment scale. It is expected that this research intervention measure can improve the behavior of elderly people with dementia to drink water independently.

Background: Elderly people with dementia have impaired semantic and episodic memory, which significantly affects the difficulties of caregivers in day care centers and the burden of primary caregivers. During their internship in nursing care for the elderly at graduate school, researchers found that many elderly people with dementia have drinking problems. Some elderly people did not drink enough water, which caused their skin to be dry and flaky. They also forgot to replenish water after many dynamic activities in the course, which caused them to sweat too much. Many female elderly people also suffered from urinary tract infections. Therefore, if a training program can be designed for each elderly person to use time retrieval training as drinking behavior training, it will not only improve the memory of elderly people with mild cognitive impairment and dementia, but also enhance the training of the elderly in daily life functions, so as to increase the daily water intake to improve the physical burden and the occurrence of diseases and the burden on day care centers or family caregivers.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Elderly people with dementia aged 65 years or above who are receiving care in day care centers.
• Clear consciousness and able to communicate in Mandarin and Taiwanese.
• Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR) should be 1-2 points.
• Brain Health Test (BHT) should be less than 9 points.
• Pass the SRT training screening test, indicating that the trainer's name can be remembered for 20-30 seconds.
• Agree to participate in this study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients diagnosed with severe cognitive impairment according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) after evaluation by psychiatrists.
• Patients with chronic heart disease and renal failure.
• Patients with upper and lower limb dysfunction.
• Patients with hearing impairment and dysphagia.