ABSTRACT

Objective: This article aimed to systematically review studies on occupational therapy to improve social participation in older adults with dementia to elucidate associated intervention types, effects, and assessment tools.Methods: Literature published from 2014 to 2024 was searched using RISS, PubMed, and Embase. The main search terms included “dementia”, “social activity”, “leisure activity”, “play activity”, “social interaction activity”, “community based activity”, “social participation” and “occupational therapy”. Nine studies were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria.Results: The selected studies showed high quality and a low risk of bias. The interventions were mainly occupational or activity-based, and cognitive occupational therapy was commonly employed. All studies reported that occupational therapy improves social participation, highlighting improvements in social activities and instrumental activities of daily living. Overall, 23 assessment tools were used, with the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure and Social Behavior Scale being the most frequently used tools.Conclusion: This study confirmed the effectiveness of occupational therapy in improving social participation in older adults with dementia, thereby providing valuable insights for clinical practice.