A preliminary study regarding changes in psychological, cognitive and physical functions through participation in forest therapy programs for dementia prevention of the elderly

Abstract

Since it is difficult to cure dementia completely, the effort of preventing and managing the occurrence is primordial. Along with non-pharmacological treatment, there is growing interests in the healing method applying a variety of forest therapy factors. For the programs, 30 participants aged from 60-80 were selected and they were divided into an experimental group (20 people) and a control group (10 people). The experimental group took part in the forest therapy programs of six nights and seven days, while the control group led a normal life without involvement in the programs. The study carried out tests twice before and after participation in the programs, such as a psychological index test (anxiety, depression, quality of life), a cognition index test (CERAD-K, CANTAB), and a biomarker test (cortisol, infection index, melatonin, heart rate variability, blood pressure). The test results of psychological index of the experimental group manifested effectiveness in that the anxiety scale significantly reduced, while the scale of quality of life showed statistical significance in three categories. According to the cognition index test, subordinate three categories significantly improved in CANTAB. Statistical significance was observed in autonomic nervous system activity regarding heart rate variability, and in systolic blood pressure regarding blood pressure. According to the CERAD-K test studying the difference between the two groups (experimental group vs control group), significant changes between the two groups were observed in the categories of path making B and constructional praxis. The main study that will be conducted in the future will inquire about the medical and scientific effects of forest therapy through a variety of research designs in the long term, and it is expected that the future study will serve as an alternative to prevention of dementia.

Keywords: Human health and well-being

ID: 3479125