Evaluation and Presentation of a Model for Improving the Quality of Life of Older Adults Using a Biopsychosocial Approach and Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention
Keywords:
Preventive Interventions, Aging, Alzheimer’s Disease, Bio-Psycho-Social Model, Quality of LifeAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to design and conceptualize an operational biopsychosocial model to enhance the quality of life of older adults living in care centers and to prevent cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.
Methodology: A causal-comparative, retrospective design was employed involving 40 older adults residing in care centers in northern Tehran, including 20 cognitively healthy individuals and 20 individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at late stage I to mid-stage II. Data were collected over six months using observation, interviews, and standardized instruments assessing cognitive status, geriatric depression, activities of daily living, sleep quality, quality of life, general health, social support, and social participation. Descriptive statistics and inferential analyses, including univariate and multivariate analyses of variance, were applied.
Findings: Multivariate analysis revealed a statistically significant difference between healthy older adults and those with Alzheimer’s disease in the overall combination of biopsychosocial variables. Participants with Alzheimer’s disease demonstrated significantly poorer cognitive status, daily functioning, sleep quality, overall quality of life, social support, and social participation. No significant group differences were observed in depression, general health, or perceived loneliness. Effect size indices indicated that cognitive status and social participation accounted for the largest between-group differences.
Conclusion: The findings support the biopsychosocial approach as an effective framework for understanding functional disparities in aging and for developing preventive and supportive interventions, emphasizing that integrated biological, psychological, and social strategies are essential for improving quality of life and mitigating Alzheimer’s disease progression in older adults.
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