This study was to develop and evaluate a folk play program as a nursing intervention for the elderly with dementia.

First, a folk play program was developed through a careful study of literature review and field-work. Second, a nonequivalent control group pre-post test was designed. The subjects of the study were the elderly with dementia staying in nursing homes; 15 were in an experimental group adopting a folk play program developed through this study, 18 in the control group on a gymnastics and walking program which is generally used. The 40 min. intervention was conducted 5 times a week for 4 weeks.

The folk play program improved the cognition(t=6.12, p<.001) and ADL(t=2.92, p=.014) and diminished the frequency of problematic behaviors significantly(t=-6.39, p<.001). There was a significant difference of cognition, ADL, and problematic behaviors between the control and the experimental group before and after the experiment(t=3.38, p=.002; t=2.05, p=.046; t=-7.74, p<.001).

Compared with the gymnastics and walking program, the folk play program proved to be much more effective in the elderly with dementia in improving their cognition and ADL, as well as in diminishing their problematic behaviors. Therefore, a folk play program should be appliedas an effective and practical Korean nursing intervention for the elderly with dementia.