Background: Group Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) has been found to be effective in improving cognitive functioning and quality of life in people with dementia. However, little is known about whether it would be effective if delivered in an individual format. Design: A small n within-subjects, repeated measures design was used, with participants acting as their own control, to assess whether Individual CST was beneficial for people with vascular dementia. Method: 27 research packs were distributed, 12 returned the opt-in slip, eight completed the therapy and five participants (with a diagnosis of vascular dementia) were included in this study. Participants completed a four-week baseline period, seven-weeks of Individual CST, followed by a four-week follow up period. Outcome variables were cognitive functioning (assessed at start of baseline and end of intervention), quality of life and self efficacy (assessed at start of baseline, start of intervention, end of intervention and end of follow up) and anxiety and depression (assessed weekly). Results: Cognitive functioning was maintained or improved in four out of five participants. Improvements tended to be in the memory and language domains but declined in the attention domain. Participant quality of life and anxiety and depression ratings were also maintained or improved following the intervention. Conclusion: This research suggests that Individual CST may be beneficial for people with vascular dementia in terms of maintaining or improving cognitive function, improving quality of life and mood. This has implications for the provision of future interventions for dementia. Further research is required to further build on these findings in addition to assessing cost-effectiveness before Individual CST is offered as a therapeutic option.

Dementia is a progressive condition that can profoundly affect the lives of individuals and their families. With no known cure for the disease, the focus has shifted towards promoting well-being and enabling individuals to maintain an optimum quality of life. Understanding of the perspectives of both people with dementia and their carers in this area will provide greater insight into to the provision of dementia care services. The first paper systematically reviewed the literature exploring the level of agreement between self and family-proxy ratings of patient quality of life. Twenty-six studies were identified for review. The overall level of agreement between ratings was low. Patients were found to consistently rate their quality of life as higher, compared to family-proxy ratings. A range of factors influencing this discrepancy were identified: neuropsychiatric symptoms, cognition, awareness of disease, caregiver burden and stress, relationship factors, activities of daily living and sociodemographic characteristics. The need for further interventions to address these factors is highlighted, as well as implications for future research. The second paper aimed to explore people with dementia and their carers lived experience of social interaction and communication after attending a Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) group. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis revealed six superordinate themes. These captured the difficulties faced by people with dementia in accessing social opportunities and the positive experience of being in the CST group. Several challenges experienced by carers were highlighted and the subsequent impact this had on their emotional well-being. Improvements for people with dementia were noticed in areas of social communication, confidence and emotional wellbeing, with no noticeable change in memory. Carers expressed a desire for on-going support and intervention following the group. These findings have important implications for future research, dementia care and increased carer support.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Sistemas Multiagentes estão recebendo cada vez mais a atenção de pesquisadores e desenvolvedores de jogos virtuais. O uso de agentes permite controlar o desempenho do usuário, adaptando a interface e alterando automaticamente o nível de dificuldade das tarefas. Este trabalho descreve uma estratégia de integração de sistemas multiagentes e ambientes virtuais tridimensionais e exemplifica a viabilidade dessa integração através do desenvolvimento de um jogo com características de Serious game. Este jogo visa estimular as funções cognitivas, tais como atenção e memória e é voltado para pessoas portadoras de diferentes distúrbios neuropsiquiátricos. A construção do jogo foi apoiada em um processo de desenvolvimento composto por várias etapas: estudos teóricos sobre as áreas envolvidas, estudo de tecnologias capazes de apoiar essa integração, levantamento de requisitos com especialistas, implementação e avaliação com especialistas. O produto final foi avaliado por especialistas da área médica, que consideraram os resultados como positivos. / Multi-agent systems are receiving increasing attention from researchers and developers of virtual games. The use of agents can control the performance of the user, adapting the interface and automatically changing the difficulty level of the task. This paper describes a strategy for integration of multi-agent systems and three-dimensional virtual environments and demonstrates the feasibility of this integration through the development of a game featuring the Serious game. This game aims to stimulate cognitive functions such as attention and memory and is designed for people with different neuropsychiatric disorders. The game construction was supported in a development process that consists of several stages: theoretical studies of the involved areas, the study of technologies that support this integration, requirements gathering with experts, implementation and evaluation specialists. The final product was evaluated by medical experts, who considered the results as positive.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Sistemas Multiagentes estão recebendo cada vez mais a atenção de pesquisadores e desenvolvedores de jogos virtuais. O uso de agentes permite controlar o desempenho do usuário, adaptando a interface e alterando automaticamente o nível de dificuldade das tarefas. Este trabalho descreve uma estratégia de integração de sistemas multiagentes e ambientes virtuais tridimensionais e exemplifica a viabilidade dessa integração através do desenvolvimento de um jogo com características de Serious game. Este jogo visa estimular as funções cognitivas, tais como atenção e memória e é voltado para pessoas portadoras de diferentes distúrbios neuropsiquiátricos. A construção do jogo foi apoiada em um processo de desenvolvimento composto por várias etapas: estudos teóricos sobre as áreas envolvidas, estudo de tecnologias capazes de apoiar essa integração, levantamento de requisitos com especialistas, implementação e avaliação com especialistas. O produto final foi avaliado por especialistas da área médica, que consideraram os resultados como positivos. / Multi-agent systems are receiving increasing attention from researchers and developers of virtual games. The use of agents can control the performance of the user, adapting the interface and automatically changing the difficulty level of the task. This paper describes a strategy for integration of multi-agent systems and three-dimensional virtual environments and demonstrates the feasibility of this integration through the development of a game featuring the Serious game. This game aims to stimulate cognitive functions such as attention and memory and is designed for people with different neuropsychiatric disorders. The game construction was supported in a development process that consists of several stages: theoretical studies of the involved areas, the study of technologies that support this integration, requirements gathering with experts, implementation and evaluation specialists. The final product was evaluated by medical experts, who considered the results as positive.

[pt] No Brasil, há uma falta de investimento em tratamentos psicossociais para demência. A Terapia de Estimulação Cognitiva (CST) é uma intervenção psicossocial baseada em evidências para pessoas que vivem com demência (PvcD) que foi adaptada e validada para vários países. Desenvolvida no Reino Unido, a CST envolve 14 sessões que acontecem ao longo de sete semanas. Seu objetivo é melhorar a função cognitiva por meio de atividades em grupo temáticas, que estimulam implicitamente as habilidades, incluindo memória, função executiva e linguagem. As sessões seguem um conjunto de princípios básicos que incluem estimulação mental, novas ideias, pensamentos e associações e opiniões em vez de fatos. Estudos sugerem que a CST pode melhorar a cognição, o humor, a qualidade de vida e as atividades de vida diária em PvcD leve a moderada. No Brasil, um ensaio controlado randomizado (RCT) buscou investigar a viabilidade da CST no país. Os resultados sugerem que aqueles que participaram dos grupos da CST apresentaram melhora significativa nas medidas relativas ao humor e às atividades de vida diária. Devido à pandemia COVID-19, foram feitas adaptações para que a CST pudesse ser oferecida virtualmente (vCST). O primeiro estudo foi realizado juntamente com o RCT para acessar a perspectiva dos participantes do grupo e explorar os efeitos da CST. Foram realizadas entrevistas individuais semiestruturadas com as PvcD que participaram dos grupos e seus cuidadores (n = 23). As transcrições das entrevistas foram analisadas por meio da Framework Analysis. A partir da análise, dois temas gerais, Benefícios pessoais de fazer parte do grupo e Mudanças na vida diária e sete subtemas, Benefícios para cuidadores, Benefícios para pessoas com demência, Memória, Sociabilidade, Linguagem, Humor, Orientação, Atividades cotidianas e Sintomas comportamentais e psicológicos. Os resultados indicam que a CST traz benefícios pessoais percebidos às PvcD e aos cuidadores, e há muitas melhorias percebidas, que são consistentes com achados qualitativos anteriores e apoiadas por achados empíricos de ensaios da CST. O segundo estudo teve como objetivo acessar a experiência e as perspectivas das PvcD que participaram de grupos da vCST e seus cuidadores (n =25), durante a pandemia do COVID-19. As informações qualitativas que surgiram da análise serão comparadas com dados quantitativos para entender a eficácia e a viabilidade do vCST. As transcrições das entrevistas foram analisadas por meio daFramework Analysis. A partir da análise, dois temas gerais, Benefícios pessoais defazer parte do grupo e Design da vCST e 12 subtemas, Prazer, Estimulação mental, Estimulação contínua, Ocupação, Cognição, Humor, Sociabilidade, On-line, Duração, Estrutura de sessões, Centrada na pessoa e Baseada em evidências. Os achados indicam que a VCST levou a melhorias percebidas para a PvcD e trouxe benefícios pessoais para aqueles que participaram dos grupos. Resultados semelhantes são encontrados em estudos da CST, que sugerem que a vCST é viável, como a intervenção presencial. / [en] In Brazil, there is a lack of investment in psychosocial treatments for dementia. Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) is an evidence-based psychosocial intervention for people living with dementia (PlwD) that has been adapted and validated to several countries. Developed in the UK, it involves 14 sessions over seven weeks. It aims to improve cognitive function through themed group activities, which implicitly stimulate skills including memory, executive function and language. Sessions follow a set of guiding principles which include mental stimulation, new ideas, thoughts and associations and opinions rather than facts. Studies suggest that CST can improve cognition, mood, quality of life and activities of daily living in mild to moderate dementia. In Brazil, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) sought to investigate the feasibility of CST in the country. The results suggest that those who took part in the CST groups had a significant improvement in measures relative to mood and activities of daily living. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adaptations were made for virtual delivery, and virtual CST (vCST) groups are being conducted. The first study was conducted alongside the randomized RCT to explore the real-life effectiveness of CST and to access the perspective of group participants. Individual semi-structured interviews were applied to PlwD who took part in the groups and their care partners (n = 23). The transcripts of interviews were analysed using Framework Analysis. From the analysis, two general themes, Personal benefits of being part of the group and Changes to daily living and 7 subthemes, Benefits for caregivers, Benefits por people with dementia, Memory, Sociability, Language, Mood, Orientation, Everyday activities and Behavioural and psychological symptoms have emerged. Results indicate that CST brings perceived personal benefits to PlwD and caregivers, and there are many perceived improvements, which are consistent with previous qualitative findings and supported by empirical findings from CST trials. The second study aimed to access the experience and perspectives of Plwd who have participated in vCST groups and their care partners (n = 25), during the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualitative information that has emerged from the analysis will be compared with quantitative data to understand the effectiveness and feasibility of vCST. The transcripts of interviews were analysed using Framework Analysis. From the analysis, two general themes, Personal benefits of being part of the group and Design of vCST and 12 subthemes, Enjoyment, Mental stimulation, Continued stimulation, Occupation, Cognition, Mood, Sociability, Online, Duration, Structure of sessions, Person-centred and Evidence-based have emerged. The findings indicate that vCST led to perceived improvements for PlwD and personal benefits for those who took part in the groups. Similar results are found in CST studies, which suggest that vCST is viable as studies have suggested with the face-to-face intervention.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T18:47:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Gislaine Gil.pdf: 5134717 bytes, checksum: 63859239988b9f387b27e313edf64467 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-04-24 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / In the current demographic context, aging and neurodegenerative diseases are topics discussed in the media as important to society affairs. Aging is usually related to functional changes, but adults and seniors wishing to remain cognitively healthy, looking in preventing the most promising way to achieve the goal. This study analyzed the effect of a multidisciplinary intergenerational program of cognitive stimulation on performance in attention, memory, mood and metamemory people over thirty years, with high school, a hospital tall in the city of São Paulo. Through documentary analysis / retrospective of people who spontaneously sought the stimulation program, due to subjective memory complaints assessed before and after five months (ninety minutes of stimulation per week) with the completion of the program of tests: attention, memory, ecological scales of anxiety, mood and intensity of subjective memory complaint. The results show an improvement in the performance of psychometric tests that suggested improvement in the functioning of attention and memory, beyond the reduction of depressive and anxiety symptoms. There was no statistically significant change in this study on metamemory / No atual contexto demográfico, o envelhecimento e as doenças neurodegenerativas são temas discutidos nos meios de comunicação como assuntos importantes para a sociedade. O envelhecimento é geralmente relacionado a modificações funcionais, mas adultos e idosos, desejando se manter cognitivamente saudáveis, procuram na prevenção o caminho mais promissor para atingir o objetivo. Este trabalho analisou o efeito de um programa intergeracional multidisciplinar de estimulação cognitiva no desempenho da atenção, memória, humor e metamemória de pessoas acima de trinta anos, com alta escolaridade, num hospital de porte alto, na cidade de São Paulo. Por meio da análise documental/retrospectiva, de pessoas que procuraram espontaneamente o programa de estimulação, em decorrência de queixas subjetivas de memória avaliadas antes e após cinco meses (noventa minutos de estimulação por semana) da finalização do programa com testes de: atenção, memória, ecológicos, escalas de ansiedade, humor e intensidade de queixa de memória subjetiva. Os resultados demonstraram que houve melhora no desempenho dos testes psicométricos que sugerem a melhora no funcionamento da atenção e da memória, além da diminuição de sintomas depressivos e ansiosos. Não houve neste estudo modificação estatisticamente significativa na metamemória

L’objectif principal de cette thèse est d’évaluer l’impact thérapeutique d’une intervention de stimulation cognitive associée à un programme d’activité physique au stade léger à modéré de la maladie d’Alzheimer. Précisément, il s’agit de détailler les effets respectifs et combinés de ces interventions selon les trois dimensions suivantes : 1) le fonctionnement cognitif général, 2) le fonctionnement exécutif à travers la mise à jour, l’alternance, l’inhibition et la planification, 3) le fonctionnement psychosocial, intégrant l’anxiété et la dépression. L’étude principale de cette thèse a comparé les performances pré- et post-intervention de 67 patients répartis en quatre groupes (i.e., groupe stimulation cognitive, groupe activité physique, groupe stimulation cognitive plus activité physique, groupe contrôle). Les résultats ont montré que, 1) la stimulation cognitive permet l’amélioration du fonctionnement cognitif général et le maintien des capacités d’alternance et de mise à jour, 2) l’activité physique favorise l’amélioration des capacités d’inhibition et le maintien des capacités d’alternance, et 3), l’association de la stimulation cognitive et de l’activité physique permet l’amélioration du fonctionnement cognitif général, l’amélioration des performances d’alternance et d’inhibition et le maintien des capacités de mise à jour. L’ensemble de ces résultats met en évidence le potentiel thérapeutique de la stimulation cognitive et de l’activité physique dans le traitement de la maladie d’Alzheimer. De plus, les données recueillies montrent que les bénéfices des interventions sont d’autant plus importants lorsque le programme intègre les deux formes de prises en charge. Les mécanismes par lesquels s’opèrent les changements dans la cognition des personnes souffrant d’Alzheimer sont discutés à travers le concept de réserve cognitive. L’enjeu des futures recherches réside dans le développement de thérapies visant le maintien du fonctionnement exécutif à travers la stimulation des capacités physiques et cognitives. / The principal objective of this thesis was to evaluate the therapeutic impact of an intervention which combines a cognitive stimulation program and a physical activity program in mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Specifically, the objective was to detail the respective and combined effects of these interventions in the three following dimensions, 1) general cognitive functioning, 2) executive functioning with updating, switching, inhibition and planning, 3) psychosocial functioning, including anxiety and depression. The main study of this thesis examines the pre-and post-intervention scores of 67 patients assigned into four groups (i.e., cognitive stimulation, physical activity, cognitive stimulation combined with physical activity, and control). The data showed that, 1) cognitive stimulation improved general cognitive functioning and maintained updating and switching abilities, 2) physical activity improved inhibition and switching abilities, and 3) associate cognitive stimulation and physical activity allowed the improvement of general cognitive functioning, inhibition and switching abilities, and allowed remaining updating abilities. Taken together, these results demonstrate the therapeutic effects of cognitive stimulation and physical activity in Alzheimer's disease treatment. Moreover, the data collected showed that the benefits of the interventions were particularly important when the program included both interventions. Mechanisms of changes in cognition of Alzheimer's patients are discussed through the concept of cognitive reserve. The aim for future researches is to develop programs of cognitive stimulation and physical activities to preserve executive functioning.

L’objectif général de ce travail de thèse était d’étudier la possibilité d’améliorer le fonctionnement cognitif (mémoire de travail, mémoire épisodique, vitesse de traitement, fonctions exécutives) et la santé psychologique (estime de soi, plainte mnésique, satisfaction de vie) lors du vieillissement grâce à la pratique des activités de loisir. Pour cela, quatre programmes utilisant les activités de loisir, allant du plus unimodal au plus multimodal, ont été conçus et proposés à des participants âgés. Leurs scores à différentes mesures ont été évalués avant et après les interventions et comparés à ceux de groupes contrôles. Les résultats mettent en évidence que globalement ces programmes permettaient l’amélioration des performances cognitives ainsi que des transferts sur la santé psychologique, sauf l’entraînement unimodal (i.e., spécifique). / The main objective of this thesis was to test the possibility to improve cognitive functioning (working memory, episodic memory, speed of processing, executive functions) and psychological health (self-esteem, memory complaint, satisfaction of life) with leisure activities during aging. The present work was based on four programs using leisure activities, from unimodal to multimodal composition including pretests and posttests and compared to control groups. Globally, results show that the programs heterogeneously improve cognitive performances and provide evidence of benefits transfer to psychological health, except for the unimodal program. Overall, results show that unimodal cognitive training only improve cognitive functioning (Experience 1), whereas playful and multimodal interventions improve psychological health and influence cognitive performance (Experiences 2, 3, et 4). Eventually, our results show that leisure activities during lifespan are associated with a better psychological health (Experiment 3), improve subjective well-being and help to better adapt to ageing. This work supports the idea that leisure activities during life span are in line with psychological health. It also highlights that multimodal cognitive interventions contribute to successful ageing more than unimodal programs.

Background: With age, older adults experience declines in both short- and long-term memory. One way to counter these age-related declines is through memory interventions which include computerized cognitive training and non-computerized cognitive stimulation. This dissertation examined whether a cognitive training program, Dakim BrainFitness (Dakim Inc., 2002) and a program of cognitive stimulation, Mind Your Mind (Seagull & Seagull, 2007), enhance memory performance among cognitively-intact older adults residing in independent-living retirement communities. Specifically, the following research questions were proposed: (a) How effective is the computerized cognitive training program in improving memory performance relative to the cognitive stimulation program or a no-contact control condition? (b) How effective is the non-computerized cognitive stimulation program, Mind Your Mind, at improving memory performance relative to a control condition? and (c) Will memory training gains endure 3-months post-training for those who participate in cognitive training? Method: Fifty-three older adults were randomized to cognitive training (n = 19), cognitive stimulation (n = 17), or a no-contact control (n = 17) condition. Participants in the cognitive training and cognitive stimulation conditions were asked to complete five 25-minute sessions per week for a 10-week period. Memory outcome measures included the Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT), the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test (HVLT), and the Wechsler Memory Scale-Third Edition (WMS-III) Family Pictures subtest. Outcome measures were administered at baseline, immediately post-training (or equivalent delay), and again at 3-months post-training. Results: Multivariate Analysis of Variance indicated no significant differences between the three training conditions on baseline characteristics and memory outcome scores (p = .660). To test hypotheses one and two, memory outcome measures were compared across training conditions and testing occasions. A repeated measures MANOVA indicated a significant group x time interaction, Wilks' Λ =.585, F(10,92) = 2.83, p = .004, partial η2 = .235. Follow-up analyses for each memory outcome measure from baseline to immediately post-training were conducted with training condition as the independent variable. Significant group x time interactions were found between conditions for AVLT delayed recall, F(2,50) = 3.683, p = .032, partial η2 = .128, and the HVLT immediate recall, F(2,50) = 5.059, p = .010, partial η2 = .168. No significant group x time interaction was indicated on the AVLT immediate recall, F(2,50) = 2.544, p = .089, partial η2 = .092. There was a marginally significant group x time interaction on the WMS-III Family Pictures delayed recall F(2,50) = 2.975, p = .060, partial η2 = .106. Post-hoc comparisons for significant outcome measures were conducted using Fisher's LSD test, while controlling for baseline performance. Results indicated that the cognitive training condition performed significantly better than the cognitive stimulation condition from baseline to immediately post-training on the AVLT delayed recall (p = .012), as well as on HVLT immediate recall (p < .001). The cognitive training condition also performed significantly better from baseline to immediately post-training as compared to the no-contact control condition (p = .011). A significant difference between the cognitive training condition and the no-contact control condition was also found on the WMS-III delayed recall measure (p = .030) immediately post-training. No significant differences between any of the conditions were found on either AVLT immediate or WMS-III Family Pictures immediate recall (ps > .05). There were no differences between the cognitive stimulation and control conditions across all memory outcomes (ps > .05). For hypothesis three, a repeated measures MANOVA indicated no main effect of time within the cognitive training condition for the memory outcome measures, Wilks' Λ = .047, F(6,11) = 2.11, p = .135, partial η2 = .535. Discussion: These findings provide evidence that the adaptive computerized cognitive training program, Dakim BrainFitness, significantly improved memory abilities as measured by the AVLT delayed recall, HVLT, and WMS-III Family Pictures delayed recall relative to cognitive stimulation. In contrast, there were no significant improvements for participants in the non-adaptive, non-computerized program of cognitive stimulation relative to controls. These findings coincide with the Model of Adult Cognitive Plasticity that in order to improve cognitive performance, there needs to be a mismatch between the individual's capacities and the demands of the task. Adaptive cognitive training may be more likely to provide a mismatch and produce positive plasticity changes in the brain. Future research pertains to exploring the cognitive benefits that these programs have on other types of cognitive domains.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-06-04T19:14:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2017-06-09 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Objetivo: Avaliar os impactos da estratégia de estimulação cognitiva, via computador, em idosos com ou sem comprometimento cognitivo leve (CCL), e o impacto em sua qualidade de vida. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo de intervenção controlado e randomizado, alinhado a um estudo de coorte populacional, realizado em um complexo assistencial Hospital Universitário, com caráter qualitativo e quantitativo. A coleta de dados foi realizada antes e após a intervenção. Utilizou-se o instrumento WHOQOL-Bref para mensurar a qualidade de vida e, questões semiestruturadas que geraram categorias de análise. Os dados foram digitalizados em um banco de dados no programa Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) para a realização de análises descritivas. A amostra foi composta por 92 idosos divididos em 38 do grupo intervenção e 54 do grupo controle. Foram realizadas 34 oficinas com duração de 17 semanas. Resultados: A maioria dos idosos eram do sexo feminino (81,5%), com média de 75,5 (±7,3) anos de idade e, 48% estudaram até o 1ºgrau. Os resultados apresentaram um aumento significativo na qualidade de vida dos idosos que participaram do grupo intervenção. A média global do questionário referente ao pós-teste foi de 16,14 (±1,5) para o grupo intervenção, ficando acima da média inicial no pré-teste de 14,63 (±1,5) e, acima da média do grupo controle que pontuou 14,47 (±1,6) no pós-teste. Os resultados apontaram um nível elevado na auto avaliação de sua condição física, mental, nas relações sociais, meio ambiente e qualidade de vida. Através da análise das categorias, os idosos que frequentaram as oficinas ganharam autonomia, confiança, melhora da memória, aumento da rede social e, inclusão a “era digital”, aprendendo a lidar com diferentes tecnologias. Conclusões: O presente estudo demonstrou a eficácia das oficinas de estimulação cognitiva como uma ferramenta de manutenção e melhoria de qualidade de vida dos idosos, pois está diretamente relacionada ao grau de satisfação, autonomia, independência e novos papéis sociais, além de proporcionar um envelhecimento ativo. Outro ganho foi a aprendizagem de novos conteúdos e a inserção social e digital dos participantes. / Objective: To evaluate the impact of the cognitive stimulation strategy, via computer, in the elderly with or without mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and the impact on their quality of life. Methods: This is a randomized controlled intervention study, aligned to a population cohort study, performed in a University Hospital care complex, with a qualitative and quantitative character. Data collection was performed before and after the intervention. The WHOQOL-Bref instrument was used to measure quality of life and semi-structured questions that generated categories of analysis. The data were scanned in a database in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) program to perform descriptive analyzes. The sample consisted of 92 elderly individuals divided into 38 from the intervention group and 54 from the control group. There were 34 workshops lasting 17 weeks. Results: The majority of the elderly were female (81.5%), with an average of 75.5 (± 7.3) years of age, and 48% studied to the 1st degree. The results showed a significant increase in the quality of life of the elderly who participated in the intervention group. The overall mean of the post-test questionnaire was 16.14 (± 1.5) for the intervention group, being above the initial pre-test mean of 14.63 (± 1.5) and above average of the control group that scored 14.47 (± 1.6) in the post-test. The results showed a high level of self-evaluation of their physical, mental, social, environmental and quality of life. Through the analysis of the categories, the elderly who attended the workshops gained autonomy, confidence, improved memory, increased social networking, and included the digital age, learning to deal with different technologies. Conclusions: The present study demonstrated the effectiveness of cognitive stimulation workshops as a tool for maintaining and improving the quality of life of the elderly, as it is directly related to the degree of satisfaction, autonomy, independence and new social roles, as well as providing an active aging. Another gain was the learning of new contents and the social and digital inclusion of the participants. / BV UNIFESP: Teses e dissertações