PURPOSE
The purposes of this study were to examine the effects of recreational therapy (60 minutes * 3times/week * 6weeks) on dementia behavior & affection, and activity of daily living of senile people with dementia. METHODS: The subjects were 27 senile people with dementia, 16 experimental group, 11 control group, admitted at K hospital in Chungnam province in quasi-experimental study. The recreational therapy program was developed, based on the recreational program for senile welfare made by athletics science research institute in Chungnam National University(1997). It consisted of rhythm game, ball play, and beanbag game. The data were collected through questionnaires from May 1st to June 10th 2003 and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi2-test, Fisher' exact test, and Man Whitney U test. RESULT: The dementia behavior and affection score was significantly different between the two groups (U=32.5, p=.005). The ADL score was significantly different between the two groups (U=12.0, p=.000). There were significant decrease in dementia behavior & affection, and improvement in ADL in the experimental group compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: Recreational therapy intervention was proved effect in decreasing dementia behavior & affection and promoting ADL of senile people with dementia. We recommended re-test in containing a communicating variable.