| Budget Amount *help |
¥6,370,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,470,000)
Fiscal Year 2012: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000)
Fiscal Year 2011: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000)
Fiscal Year 2010: ¥2,210,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥510,000)
Fiscal Year 2009: ¥2,210,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥510,000)
|
|---|
| Research Abstract |
We conducted horticultural therapy involving elderly patients with dementia from nursing homes, with the aim to clarify methods to prepare a horticultural therapy program which is effective for preventing the development of severe dementia. The comparison of changes in cognitive functions between the intervention and control groups showed that horticultural therapy is effective for improving “memory/learning” and “language” functions. Levels of salivary chromogranin-A measured before and after each session and subjects’ status during the activity indicated that the use of plants that are closely related to subjects’ life reduced psychological stress, improved memory recall, and promoted active conversations, suggesting that it is suitable for the horticultural therapy program which focuses on the tertiary prevention of dementia. In conducting horticultural therapy, more attention should be paid to people with hearing loss, those who have never experienced agricultural work, and those with cognitive impairments, so the effects of horticultural therapy may be increased.
|
