Effects of Cognitive Rehabilitation on Cognition, Apathy, Quality of Life, and Subjective Complaints in the Elderly: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To determine the efficacy of a new-generation integrative cognitive rehabilitation (CR) program (Rehacop) on cognition, clinical symptoms, quality of life (QoL), and subjective complaints in the elderly.

Design: A randomized controlled trial study with a cohort of elderly people over 55 years of age.

Setting: Communities of the Basque Country (Spain).

Participants: A total of 124 elderly participants (aged 79.00 ± 8.85 years) were randomized in the Rehacop group (RG) (n = 62) and control group (CG) (n = 62).

Intervention: The RG attended 39 CR sessions for 3 months (3 sessions/week, 60-minute/session) with the Rehacop program. The CG performed occupational tasks with the same frequency and duration as the RG.

Methods: Participants underwent a neuropsychological assessment at baseline and post-treatment which included cognitive, clinical, and functional tests. In addition, participants and their formal caregivers completed a subjective complaints questionnaire. The data were analyzed according to the intention to treat analysis and with participants who completed the study. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03435029).

Results: The RG showed significant improvements compared to the CG in neurocognition (ANCOVA timexgroup interaction effect size (η)=0.05, 90% confidence interval (CI) = 0.00-0.12). The RG also reduced apathy (η=0.06, 90% CI = 0.01-0.15) and participants' subjective complaints (η=0.11, 90% CI = 0.03-0.21) and improved QoL (η=0.08, 90% CI = 0.01-0.17).

Conclusions: Participants who attended the intervention improved their cognition, QoL, and reduced apathy and subjective complaints after treatment. These findings provide a new understanding of the benefits of CR in the elderly.