The Lived Experiences of Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults

Abstract

Introduction Cognitive impairment is a common problem for older adults, arising from both common aging and premature dementia. The aging process often involves pathological changes, such as the death of nerve cells in various brain areas, leading to memory decline, reduced selfconfidence, stress, fear of dependency, diminished motivation in daily life, and a decline in social interactions among older individuals. 

Objective To explore the experiences of cognitive impairment in the daily lives of older adults 

Design A descriptive qualitative design 

Methods The informants comprised individuals aged 60 years and above, residing in a sub-district within a central province in Thailand. A purposive sampling was employed to select 15 individuals who met the inclusion criteria. In-depth interviews were conducted at a mutually convenient time for each participant between May and October 2023. Data were analyzed using content analysis based on Sandelowski’s concept. The research’s trustworthiness was assessed through credibility, confirmability, and transferability. 

Findings The experience of cognitive impairment in the daily life of the older adults can be summarized into three main themes: 1) forgetfulness, consisting of the recognition of forgetfulness, forgotten daily routine, and forgetfulness occurring outside the home, 2) emotional changes as a results of forgetfulness including irritability, anxiety and fear, and 3) management of forgetfulness, consisting of starting over, help from relatives, specifying the placement point, and doing activities. 

Recommendations This study reveals that forgetfulness, emotional changes, and management of forgetfulness are significant experiences among the older adults. The healthcare team can use this information for collaborative planning with the families of older adults to screen, monitor, and provide cognitive-stimulating activities to delay dementia in the older adults.