Effects of a cognitive stimulation program on psychological well-being in a sample of elderly long-term care hospital inpatients.

Objectives: The primary objective of this work is to report the observed changes in psychological well-being in a sample of long-term medically hospitalized patients, after attending a cognitive stimulation program. The secondary aim is to determine if the observed changes were related to previous cognitive level.Methods: Inclusion criteria for study participation were to be a long-term care hospital inpatient, to be 65 years old or older, and to be cognitively preserved or with mild cognitive impairment. A total of 176 participants were included and distributed in two groups: Cognitive Stimulation Group (N = 123) and Non-Cognitive Stimulation Group (N = 53). Measures were applied just before the beginning of the program and just when it finished, two months later. Participants of the Non-Cognitive Stimulation Group were re-assessed again after two months.Results: No differences were found between the two groups in the measures assessed at baseline. After treatment, participants of the Cognitive Stimulati...