住院老人認知功能變化及認知刺激之應用

Cognitive Function and Application of Cognitive Stimulation in Older Hospitalized Patients

認知功能變化是老年病患住院期間常見的合併症，會直接影響病患之日常生活功能、使其失去獨立性，繼而導致住院日數延長、再入院、入住機構機會以及死亡率增加，對現行的健康照護系統產生巨大的衝擊。本文以老年患者住院期間之認知功能曲線變化、促使發生認知功能改變的因素、現實定向與認知刺激治療以及臨床護理人員的角色與功能等部份來進行介紹，期提升大家對住院老人認知功能變化以及認知刺激的認識，進而能將「認知刺激」介入的原則運用於實際的臨床照護中。

Cognitive decline is a common adverse event for older hospitalized patients. Cognitive decline may increase the likelihood of dependent activities of daily living, prolonged length of stay, hospital readmission, nursing home institutionalization and mortality in these patients. All the adverse outcomes will make an enormous impact on our existing health care system. This article aims to review the patterns of cognitive change in older hospitalized patients, factors contributing to cognitive decline, and utility of reality orientation and cognitive stimulation therapy in order to gain awareness among professionals. Nurses, could therefore apply the principles of cognitive stimulation therapy into their daily clinical care.