Cognitive reserve in retired employees at internal medicine outpatient clinic, Metropolitan Electricity Authority Hospital

Abstract

Background: As retired employees are getting elder leading to the risks of cognitive impairment. One protective factor is the cognitive reserve. It was found that higher cognitive reserve minimizes risks of dementia. Currently, there is no study that examined cognitive reserve of the elderly in Thailand.

Objectives: To examine cognitive reserve and its associated factors among the retired employees at internal medicine outpatient clinic, Metropolitan Electricity Authority Hospital.

Methods: This was a descriptive study. Data were collected from 100 retired employees who visited the outpatient clinic, department of medicine, Metropolitan Electricity Authority Hospital. The subjects were at least aged of 60 years old, had Thai mental state examination (TMSE) score more than 23 points and Thai geriatric depression scale (TGDS) score less than 13 points. The instruments were composted of The demographic and illness questionnaire, Cognitive Reserve Index questionnaire (CRIq), TMSE, TGDS, Barthel Activities of Daily Living Index, Chula Activities of Daily Living Index. were used the descriptive and inferential statistics to demonstrate for the associated factors. Linear Regression Analysis was done for predictive factors of CRIq and Leisure Time score.

Results: Most of the subjects had medium CRIq and Leisure Time score, 60.0 and 44.0 percent. From linear regression analysis, the predictive factors for CRIq score were job positions before retirement. Years of education and non alcohol use predict the Leisure Time of the subjects in this study.

Conclusion: In this study, most subjects revealed CRIq and Leisure Time at medium level. The higher job positions before retirement predicted the higher CRIq. While more years of education and non alcohol use predicted the higher Leisure Time score.