Strategies for Improving Memory: A Randomized Trial of Memory Groups for Older People, Including those with Mild Cognitive Impairment

Abstract

Memory groups can engage older people in techniques for maintaining cognitive health and improve memory performance, but more modest benefits are seen for older adults with aMCI.

Providing Online Memory Interventions for Older Adults: A Critical Review and Recommendations for Development

“…The MMQ has excellent content, factorial, and construct validity, reliability, and independence from demographic variables (Troyer & Rich, ). Furthermore, it has been demonstrated to effectively capture outcomes of memory interventions (Kinsella et al, ; Troyer, Murphy, Anderson, Moscovitch, & Craik, ). Importantly, the MMQ is relatively quick and simple to complete, and would be appropriate to administer as an online survey.…”

“…Closer to home, the La Trobe Caulfield Hospital (LaTCH) memory group (Kinsella et al, ) is an Australian‐developed program, consisting of six 2‐hr weekly sessions, with group sizes ranging from 6 to 12. Sessions are run by experienced facilitators and use a problem‐solving approach to illustrate common everyday memory problems (psychoeducation), as well as training and modelling of compensatory strategies applicable to everyday life.…”

“…Participants receive handouts after each session, and homework to facilitate skill application and practice. In a randomised controlled trial, gains post‐intervention were observed in strategy knowledge, strategy use, well‐being, and prospective memory performance, and were maintained for older adults without objective impairment at 6‐month follow‐up (Kinsella et al, ). These results suggest that the LaTCH program may be suitable for adaptation to online e‐therapy for older Australians.…”

“…In the context of memory interventions, this translates to a target population of people at increased risk of developing memory deficits (e.g., family history or subjective memory decline), or people who already have mild to moderate memory deficits, such as mild cognitive impairment. Although there is some evidence that memory interventions, like the LaTCH program, can be beneficial for people with mild cognitive impairment (Kinsella et al, ), benefit may be limited when cognitive impairment is already evident (Libon et al, ), and neuropathological burden can be high (Haroutunian, Hoffman, & Beeri, ; Markesbery et al, ). Moreover, older adults with cognitive impairment will likely have more difficulty using technology—indeed memory impairment is associated with decreased Internet use (Gell et al, ).…”

“…Online programs can be delivered with different levels of facilitator contact, ranging from no contact (fully automated) to an online version of face‐to‐face therapy (i.e., videoconferencing) (Johansson & Andersson, ). The options vary depending on the content of the intervention, which ideally draws upon the most efficacious aspects of established, conventional memory interventions; that is, psychoeducation regarding age‐related changes in memory, training in multiple memory strategies, and opportunity to normalise memory complaints among peers (Kinsella et al, ; Rebok, Carlson, & Langbaum, ; Vandermorris et al, ). Psychoeducation and memory strategy training modules can be provided with little or no facilitator input, for example, in the form of self‐directed tutorials, or downloadable instructional videos.…”