Does the Combination of the Cognitive Interventions Improve the Function of Daily Living and Save the Long-Term Care Cost? A Pilot Study of Effectiveness and Cost Saving Analysis of "Learning Therapy" for People with Dementia.

BACKGROUND

Although the effects of various types of cognitive interventions have been evaluated, effectiveness and cost-saving effect of the combination of the different cognitive interventions is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of conducting a definitive trial to assess the effectiveness of combined cognitive intervention.

METHODS

A matched controlled trial of learning therapy (LT), a combination of cognitive training and stimulation, was conducted. The samples were recruited from the nursing homes. Inclusion criteria were as follows: age 65 years or older, clinical diagnosis of dementia, level of activities of daily living at II or above, Mini-Mental State Examination score between 10 and 26, receiving long-term-care services without history of LT, and provision of written consent. The primary outcomes were safety, validity of eligibility, retention rate, and effect on the functions of daily living represented by Criterion Time for Certification of Needed Long-Term-Care (CT for CNLTC) at 12 months. Cost-benefit analysis was also conducted to assess the cost saving effect of LT.

RESULTS

No serious adverse events were detected. The exclusion rate at the screening phase was 5% and the retention rate was 77% at 12 months. LT demonstrated statistically significant improvement in CT for CNLTC at 12 months (Δ=18.8, almost equivalent to "one" degree of the care needed level) and saved the long-term-care cost by JPY 200,000 (USD 1,618).

CONCLUSIONS

LT is effective for improving care recipients' level of care needed and has a cost saving effect. A randomized controlled trial is required to verify these findings.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was approved by the ethics committee at Keio University School of Medicine (ID: 20150061). This trial was registered at University hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trial Registry (UMIN-CTR ID: UMIN000018223).