Effects of compound music program on cognitive function and QOL in community-dwelling elderly.
Takaaki Fujita, Akemi Ito, Nana Kikuchi and 2 others
PMID 27942151WHAT IT FOUND
After 10 weeks, thinking and memory scores and function at home showed no clear change.
The physical health part of quality of life improved. The package mixed singing, exercise and reminiscence, so no single part can be credited.
Key findings
01The study found no significant change in cognitive function or vital function at home.
02The physical health part of quality of life improved from 42.2 ± 10.9 to 48.1 ± 7.5 points on the SF-8 physical component summary (p<0.05).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Only 15 participants were studied, and they came from one day-care center, so the results may not apply to other elderly groups. There was no control group, so changes could have happened for reasons other than the program. All participants received singing, physical exercise, and reminiscence together, so the contribution of any single component cannot be separated. The study did not verify carry-over effects. The authors suggest the 10-week duration may have been too short to detect cognitive or home-function changes.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that music, exercise, or reminiscence by itself improves quality of life. The participants received all three components together, there was no control group, and only the physical health part of quality of life changed, while cognitive and home-function scores did not.