Promoting Positive Dementia Attitudes Through Occupational Engagement: The Development of a Dementia Awareness Program for Community Older Adults

Purpose: This capstone project explored the effects of adding occupational engagement into a dementia awareness program on attitudes toward dementia among community-dwelling older adults, aiming to challenge dementia myths and promote an inclusive environment through occupational therapy perspectives. Methods: This project used a pre-test, post-test design with convenience sampling to develop and assess a dementia awareness program based on insights from Silverado Red Rock Memory Care Community and participation from members of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in the program. Changes in positive attitudestoward dementia were measured using the Dementia Attitudes Scale (DAS). Participants also completed a feedback form regarding their insights upon completing the program. The feedback was reviewed through thematic analysis and identification of positive keywords, phrases, and direct quotations. Results: A Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test on the DAS showed a non-significant increase from a pre-program average of 102.33 (SD=14.59) to a post-program average of 104.75. However, upon completion of the program, five participants showed an upward trend toward more positive attitudes, which was also reflected in their feedback forms. Conclusion: While the total scores of the Dementia Attitude Scale (DAS) did not significantly differ between pre and post-program assessment, qualitative feedback indicated a positive program reception, suggesting a beneficial impact on attitudes toward dementia.