Effectiveness of a physiotherapy treatment with passive music therapy to improve balance of gait in older adults with cognitive impairment and dementia.

Identifier:  TFM:569

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TFM569

Authors:  Morreres Pardes, Anna

Abstract:
Introduction: Dementia is a problem with increasing prevalence as the world’s population ages. This type of pathologies leads to a gait deterioration greater than the one experienced by the healthy older adults. Musical therapy is a technique used to improve gait coordination and cadence, although its effect on gait balance in this profile of people has not been proven. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of physical therapy treatment with passive music therapy in older adults with mild-moderate cognitive impairment and dementia. Methods: A pilot, experimental, randomized, controlled study was conducted. The study sample was selected from the population older than 65 years with cognitive impairment or dementia according to the Mini-Mental State Examination of a nursing home from Lleida: La Nostra Llar de Sant Jaume. The following variables were evaluated at the beginning and at the end of the intervention: balance with the Tinetti test; and the lower extremity strength, balance and gait velocity with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). The participants were allocated to the intervention group, which performed 3 times/week for 8 weeks a walking intervention combined with passive music therapy, or the control group who performed the same physiotherapy treatment without the musical therapy during the same period of time. Results: At the end of the intervention, there was a slight improvement in balance, gait velocity and SPPB score in both groups (intervention and control), but this improvement was not significant in any of the variables. Conclusions: An 8-week walking program combined with passive music therapy in older adults with cognitive impairment does not alter the balance of gait, static balance, gait velocity or lower limb strength.