The Effect of Memory and Attention Rehabilitation to Decrease of Memory Deficits in Older Adults With Alzheimer Disease

Objectives: Alzheimer's disease is a chronic problem and most common demantic disorders in elderly. That has high cost for elders and them family. In this study, we examined the effect of memory and attention rehabilitation, a new and non-pharmacological approach to reduce memory defecits in Alzheimer's disease. Methods & Materials: This study was a quasi-experimental research, in single-subject study -Time-series with control group- and based on A-B design. That was conducted in two group of control and experimental in order to evaluate effectiveness of memory and attention rehabilitation, to decrease of memory deficits in elders with Alzheimer's disease. Subject consisted of eight patients (4 controls and 4 experiments) with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. For experiment group, memory and attention rehabilitation were held in 45 minutes -1 hour session, twice weekly for 7 weeks. For data collection, patient evaluated by MMSE, GDS-15, WMS-O, in 1 and 14 sessions, and with Logical memory, Learning associations and Digit span subscales of WMS-O, and Coding subscale from WAIS-R in 1, 5, 8, 11 and 14 sessions. Statically analysis was done by visual inspection of graphed data, effect size and improvement percent for individuals and groups. Results: The analysis of data showed that memory functions in the paired patients and groups before the intervention was similar, but after procedures experimental patients showed increasing in level of functions and show significant effect size (d= 3.17-1.22), and significant improvement percent in memory functions. Conclusion: Consequently, the hypothesis of this study memory and attention rehabilitation decrease the memory function in elders with Alzheimer’s disease, such hypothesis was confirmed