Effects of Cognitive–Health Education Intervention Using Dementia Partners on Subjective Memory, Depression, and Health Function in Older Women Living Alone

The aim in this study is to examine the effects of a cognitive-health education intervention utilizing dementia partners on subjective memory, depression, and health function among community-dwelling older women living alone. A one-group pretest–posttest experimental design was employed. The participants were 30 women aged 65 and older, registered at a senior welfare center in a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Trained dementia partners provided an eight-week cognitive health education intervention through weekly home visits to older women living alone. The intervention comprised cognitive activities (e.g., rhythmic clapping exercises, folktales, and sticker book tasks) and health education using booklets on nutrition, defecation, stress management, and sleep. The outcomes were assessed by measuring changes in subjective memory, depression, and health function before and after the intervention. Significant post-intervention improvements were observed in subjective memory (t = -4.63, p < .001) and depression (t = 4.09, p < .001). Cognitive-health education interventions utilizing dementia partners effectively improve subjective memory and alleviate depressive symptoms among socially isolated older women living alone. These results highlight the potential of an individualized and systematic cognitive health management model, offering a practical approach for community-based promotion of cognitive function and prevention of depression in this vulnerable population