The effect of cognitive stimulation therapy on daily life activities, depression and life satisfaction of dementia patients in nursing home

In this research, it was aimed to evaluate the effects of cognitive stimulation therapy on activities of daily living, depression, and life satisfaction in individuals with dementia in nursing homes. It is a randomized controlled experimental study. The study was carried out in two different nursing homes between 30 March 2022 and 27 May 2022, and the sample consisted of a total of 60 individuals, 30 in the intervention and 30 in the control group. In September 2022 follow-up test was carried out. The data of the study were collected with 'Personal Information Form', 'Standardized Mini-Mental Test (SMMT)', 'Barthel Activities of Daily Living Index (BADLI)', 'Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale (IADLS)', 'Cornell Dementia in Dementia Scale (CDSS)' and 'Satisfaction with Life Scale (LDS)'. Cognitive Stimulation Therapy was applied as group therapy twice a week for a total of 14 sessions. In the pre-CST evaluation, it was seen that the intervention and control groups were moderately dependent on their daily living activity skill levels, they had high depression levels, and their life satisfaction levels were moderate. According to the results, significant difference was found in the BADLI pre- and post-test measurements, and IADLS post-test and follow-up test measurements in the comparison of the intervention and control groups after the IPT, and the mean scores of the individuals in the intervention group compared to the control group were significantly higher (p<0.001). A significant difference was found in the pre-, post- and follow-up test measurements of CDSS, and the mean depression level scores in the intervention group were significantly lower than in the control group (p<0.001). It was determined that there was a significant difference in the pre- and post-test measurements of the LDS, and there was a significant increase in the mean life satisfaction scores of the intervention group compared to the control group (p<0.001). It was found that Cognitive Stimulation Therapy is effective in increasing the levels of daily life activity and life satisfaction and reducing the level of depression in individuals with dementia. For this reason, it is recommended to be used by psychiatric nurses who care for geriatric individuals. Keywords: Activities of Daily Living, Cognitive Stimulation Therapy, Dementia, Depression, Satisfaction with Life, Randomized Controlled Trial.