On 7 May, Mari Lloyd-Williams, Caroline Mogan, Sarah Russell and Karen Harrison-Dening published a brief report on behalf of the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine at Oxford University, summarising evidence for the beneficial effects of activities delivered at home on cognitive function in people with dementia. The report provided an overview of studies investigating the cognitive and psychological benefits of reminiscence therapy, cognitive stimulation therapy, music-based interventions, art therapy and meaningful activities for people with dementia. Among other findings, these studies identified a reduction in depression for reminiscence therapy, associations between listening to music and improved performance in memory tests, and improved neuropsychiatric symptoms following art therapy.
The report identified some limitations to the studies, notably the small sample sizes and paucity of evidence for home-based interventions, as opposed to interventions delivered in the group home setting. However, the overall conclusion was that engaging people with dementia in activities they find enjoyable can help provide a sense of purpose whilst in social isolation. Moreover, the fact that many of these interventions are not technology-based may have practical advantages during the COVID-19 pandemic. The rapid review can be found here:
