Investigating the cognitive function of the elderly and related factors in nursing homes in Tehran in 2019

Aging is associated with a decrease in cognitive function and an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and depression. Understanding the factors affecting these diseases is of great importance in order to improve the health of the community. So the aim of the present study was to investigate the cognitive function and its influencing factors in the elderly in Tehran sanatorium.

The study was a correlational study which was conducted on 131 elderly people (38 male & 93 female) over 60 years old living in Tehran nursing homes with an average age of 72.3 years.. Subjects first completed the consent form for participation in the study. Then the demographic characteristics of the subjects were recorded. The mini mental state exam (MMSE) and Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21) were used to assess dementia and stress, respectively. Weight and height were also measured and recorded by digital scale and tape meter, respectively. Independent T test was used to investigate the differences between groups and Pearson correlation coefficient was used to examine the relationship between variables. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v.21 software.

The results of statistical analysis of data indicate that there is an inverse relationship between age and educational level (P <0.02) and a positive relationship between age and dementia (P <0.002). There was also a significant inverse relationship between education level and dementia (P <0.000). Mean age (P <0.003) and stress level (P <0.048) were significantly higher in the dementia group. On the other hand, the level of education was significantly higher in the group without dementia (P <0.000).

According to the findings of this study, it can be concluded that increased age, level of education, and stress are influencing factors contributing to the decline in cognitive function and related diseases, such as dementia in nursing homes.