Holistic health group on improving cognitive ability of persons with mild cognitive impairment: A randomized controlled trial

2^nd International Conference and Expo on Holistic Medicine and Nursing

August 14-15, 2017 Toronto, Canada

Daniel K W Young

Hong Kong Baptist University, China

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Altern Integr Med

Abstract :

Aim: This research study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a holistic health group, which is founded on eastern approach to health care, on improving the cognitive ability of Chinese people with mild cognitive impairment (PwMCI). Methods: By adopting randomized controlled trial (RCT), 38 Chinese PwMCI were randomly assigned to either a 10-session holistic health group or the control group. The treatment group attempted to promote the acceptance of illness, develop a positive lifestyle, maintain positive emotions, recognize own strengths, improve their communication and relationship with family caregiver. Control group and their family caregivers received standardized educational materials on basic information on cognitive decline for them to read at home. Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) were used to assess the cognitive ability of PwMCI in the pre- and post- treatment periods by a research assistant who was blind to the group assignment of the participants. Results: The paired sample t-test indicated that the treatment group (n=18) showed improvement in their MoCA score significantly (t=4.25, p<0.01), while the control group (n=20) did not. Moreover, repeated measures ANCOVA demonstrated that the treatment group was significantly more effective than the control group in improving the MoCA score (F=4.45, p<0.05) with a moderate effect size (partial eta square=0.13) even after controlling the differences between treatment and control group in various demographic variables. Conclusion: This present RCT provides evidences to support the feasibility and effectiveness of the short-term multi-component holistic health group on improving the cognitive ability of PwMCI.

Biography :

Daniel K W Young has completed his PhD at Bristol University UK. He has worked as a Registered Social Worker for more than 15 years in Hong Kong. He has worked as an Assistant Professor at Department of Social Work Hong Kong Baptist University since 2012 and has developed his expertise both in research and practice in mental health counseling. He is the Program Director of Master of Social Science in Counseling Hong Kong Baptist University. His research interest is on mental health counseling, dementia care and cognitive behavioral therapy. He has published 20 articles at local and international refereed journals.