The Role of Namaste Care on the Quality of Life of the Elderly with Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

Introduction: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of Namaste care on the Quality of Life (QoL) of elderly individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD).Methods: This quasi-experimental pre-post intervention study was conducted on 25 elderly individuals with AD who were receiving care at a nursing care center. The QoL in the Last Stage of Dementia (QUALID) questionnaire was used to evaluate QoL before the intervention. This questionnaire had 11 items across various domains and was scored on a 5-point Likert scale. All participants received Namaste care for 4 months, 7 days a week, by trained caregivers. At the end of the study, QoL was reassessed using the QUALID questionnaire.Results: The findings revealed that the mean QoL scores before and after the intervention were 45.24±6.26 and 23.72±6.55, respectively. Namaste care significantly improved the QoL of elderly individuals with AD (P<0.001). All variables related to QoL showed improvement after the provision of Namaste care.Conclusion: The care for individuals with AD extended beyond medical and nursing protocols and encompassed psychological and social dimensions. Namaste care could enhance the quality of care for elderly individuals with AD.

Keywords

• alzheimer disease؛ aged
• quality of life؛ namaste care؛ neurodegenerative diseases