ROT-AJOT Panerai et al-raw data
Description
Objective: To define whether telephone-based reality orientation therapy (T-ROT) can improve cognition, mood, neuropsychiatric symptoms of patients with neurocognitive disorders forced to isolation, and relieve the burden of distress of their caregivers. Design: Nonrandomized interventional comparison study. Participants: Twenty-seven patients (14 in the experimental patient group and 13 in the control patient group) with Major Neurocognitive Disorder (M-NCD) and their primary caregivers. Outcomes and measures: Improvement in cognitive and behavioral symptoms of patients with M-NCD by T-ROT and assessment of any correlation between changes in clinical conditions of patients and their caregiver’s stress. T-ROT was administered to patients during 10 sessions after a comprehensive assessment, including the Telephone Mini-Mental State Examination, the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire, and two measures for depressive symptoms, administered both at baseline and at program discharge. Results: T-ROT significantly outperformed non-treatment on all depression, behavior, cognition, and caregiver burden measures. Conclusions and Relevance: T-ROT combined with emotional support seems to be a valid tool for monitoring and managing the behavioral symptoms of patients with NCD forced to isolation.