On July 29, Sichuan News, a cognitive impairment early intervention program jointly developed by Chengdu National Pharmaceutical Health and Sichuan Military Rehabilitation Center, is fully underway in Hongqiao Community, Wenjiang District.
It is reported that the program group invited elderly individuals of different risk levels – mild, moderate, and severe – from the risk population who had already undergone cognitive impairment risk assessments in the community, offering intervention courses of varying difficulty and content. Currently, 8 classes have been established in various communities, conducting 159 intervention sessions and serving over 4,000 individuals.
Scene of early intervention course for elderly cognitive impairment. Chengdu National Pharmaceutical Health provided the image
Prior to the training, professional therapists reassessed the cognitive levels of the elderly, selected training difficulty levels that matched their abilities, and adopted a progressive approach with increasing difficulty levels. They provided targeted cognitive training based on the cognitive domains that were impaired in the elderly, focusing on memory, attention, perception, sensitivity, executive function, and thinking.
According to reports, the program group used five-tone therapy combined with computer cognitive training to intervene with elderly individuals at risk of cognitive impairment. Guided by traditional Chinese medicine theories, music therapy methods were applied to cognitive impairment training, while incorporating modern computer cognitive training methods. This combined approach leveraged the advantages of computer cognitive training and the Chinese five-tone therapy, resulting in significant therapeutic benefits and providing a new diagnostic and therapeutic approach for early prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.
Scene of early intervention course for elderly cognitive impairment. Chengdu National Pharmaceutical Health provided the image
The person in charge of the program group stated that the computer cognitive training therapy is based on various mechanisms such as doctors’ diagnostic results, the elderly’s age, education background, medical history, and multiple electronic brain function assessments. It generates personalized rehabilitation training programs tailored to specific needs of the elderly.
Currently, in response to the aging population, and to establish a comprehensive care system for cognitive impairment, Chengdu City is actively promoting pilot projects for building elderly-friendly communities for cognitive impairment. The early intervention program for elderly cognitive impairment piloted in Hongqiao Community, Wenjiang District, will continue until the end of 2024. It is estimated that more than 200 elderly individuals aged 65 and above will participate in at least 3 intervention sessions per week, further enhancing publicity, education, and outreach efforts in the construction of elderly-friendly communities for cognitive impairment. (End)
