The effects of Montessori-Based Activities on Eating Difficulty of Institutionalized Elderly with Dementia : A Pilot Study

• Main Authors: Ya-Ju Huang, 黃雅如
• Other Authors: Li-Chan Lin
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2008
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/80114321799077989053

碩士 === 國立陽明大學 === 臨床暨社區護理研究所 === 96 === The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the effects of Montessori-based activities in decreasing eating difficulty of institutionalized elderly with dementia. This quasi-experimental study design was used. Convenience sampling was adopted to select one dementia in long-term care facilities, twenty-nine elderly were assigned to the experimental group and the control group. All subjects in experimental group received individual Montessori-based activities three days a week for a two months period. The control group received their regular daily activity programs. The major findings of this study were as follows: (1) The experimental group showed a statistically significant in scores of the Edinburgh Feeding Evaluation in Dementia, Eating Behavior Scale compared to the control group. (2) The experimental group mean differences of the feeding intervention in three meals between pre-and post test were significant less than that in the control group. (3) The experimental group showed a statistically significant improvement in chokes, eating amount compared to the control group. (4) During Montessori-based activities session, the experimental group exhibited significant decreases in the frequency of agitation behavior. (5) Mean differences of Cornell depression observation between pre-and post test in the experimental group were significant less than that in the control group. (6) Only the frequency of relatives visit was positively correlated with the eating behavior scale change score at a significant level. Study results suggest examining the long-term effects and crossover design of this Montessori-based activities program is recommended.