Purpose : This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the program on the levels of cognitive function and depression in the elderly with mild dementia in the community. Method : The subjects of this study were 32 senior residents who had scores ranging from 15 to 23 on the MMSE-K, who were 60 years of age or older in the city of G, Korea. The first dementia nursing intervention program consisted of hand exercise to enhance brain function, music therapy, art therapy, and cognitive therapy from Oct.24 to Dec.17, 2002. The program was administered twice a week for 90 minutes totally 16 times. After the program, the second program which consisted of hand exercise, horticultural therapy was administered to the experimental group whose scores were less than 24 on the MMSE-K, twice a week for 90 minutes totally 10 times from Jan.7 to Feb.11, 2003. Measurement tools were the MMSE-K developed by Kwon & Park (1989), Korean version of the SGDS standardized by Bae (1996). The data were analysed by frequency, percentage, x²-test, Fisher's exact probability test, Wilcoxon signed ranks test, Mann-Whitney and ANCOVA using SPSS/PC +. Result: Cognitive function(z=-4.39, p= .000) in the elderly with dementia after receiving the first nursing intervention program was significantly more improved than before the intervention. Also, depression was significantly more reduced than before the intervention (z=-3.87, p=.000). In terms of comparing with two groups, the levels of cognitive function in the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group with no second nursing intervention program. Especially, orientation(F=14.443, p=.001) and recall of memory(F=4.738, p=.038) in the elderly with dementia after receiving the second nursing intervention program were significantly more improved than the control group. Also, the level of depression in the experimental group was significantly lower than the control group (F=13.628, p= .001). Conclusion: These findings confirmed that the continuous dementia nursing intervention program made a contribution in improving cognitive function and in reducing depression in the elderly with mild dementia. Therefore, it is recommended that this program be used in clinical practice as an effective nursing intervention for the elderly with mild dementia in the community.