A Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Educational Intervention among the Caretakers of Elderly with Cognitive Impairment

Background: With 1095 million people over 65 years of age (2006 census) 5.8% belong to the grey sector. Out of the projected figure of 1330 million people in 2025 more than 12% will be those who have crossed the 60 years and above. Cognitive impairment is the result of abnormal functioning of the brain in which memory, thinking, orientation and judgement gets impaired. With increasing age, the incidence of cognitive impairment is also increased in an individual. Objectives 1) To identify elderly with cognitive impairment 2) To assess knowledge on cognitive impairment among the care-takers of elderly 3) To determine the effectiveness of educational intervention on knowledge regarding cognitive impairment 4) To compare post-test knowledge of cognitive impairment between 7^th and 14^th day with their selected socio-demographic characteristics

Materials and methods: A quasi experimental study, pre test and post test design without control group approach was undertaken among caretakers of elderly with cognitive impairment in Loni(Bk). The data were collected from 50 caretakers of elderly with cognitive impairment who are selected by simple random sampling method, who met the inclusion criteria. Folstein's Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) was used to identify elderly with cognitive impairment and self- prepared and content validated structured questionnaire (for assessment of knowledge of caretakers) was used for data collection, carried out in three phases , pre test was carried out before implementation of the intervention. Followed by the educational intervention, post test was conducted on 7^th and 14^th day. The appropriate statistical analysis method was used wherever it is required.

Results: The significant findings in relation to knowledge , overall pre test knowledge score on cognitive impairment of group I was (9.2±3.96) which is 51.04% group II was (11.46±3.86) which is 49.25%. It interprets that caretakers had 'average knowledge' on cognitive impairment. The effectiveness of educational intervention on cognitive impairment on for group I (7^th day) was (11.46±3.86) which is (48.75%) and on the Group II (15^th day) was (15.7±3.89) which is (62.59%).

Conclusion: The study outcome revealed that educational intervention was found to be effective in improving the knowledge of caretakers of elderly with cognitive impairment. It should be emphasized that educating caretakers with educative materials would thereby improve the knowledge and develop the competency in providing care to elderly.