This study examined the factors influencing rehabilitation participation (RP) among 224 community-dwelling older adults with dementia utilizing day-care services. To assess engagement, researchers utilized the Pittsburgh Rehabilitation Participation Scale (PRPS) over three consecutive days, categorizing participants into either a good RP group or a poor RP group. Individuals with severe cognitive impairment (MMSE scores under 10) were excluded from the sample. The participants' average age was 85 years, consisting of 64 men and 160 women, and they were evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15), and Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES). Statistical analysis revealed significant differences between the two groups regarding cognition and motivation. The good RP group demonstrated significantly higher MMSE scores and significantly lower AES scores compared to the poor RP group. Interestingly, depression scores did not differ significantly between the groups. Furthermore, when analyzing subgroups based on cognitive severity, a significant association between higher participation and lower apathy was explicitly observed in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MMSE scores of 20 to 23). Ultimately, the study concludes that rehabilitation participation is connected to cognitive function and apathy rather than depression, suggesting that targeting apathy could effectively improve rehabilitation engagement.
