Sustained Effects of Memory and Lifestyle Interventions on Memory Functioning of Older Adults: An 18-Month Follow-Up Study

Abstract

Background: There has been much research devoted to examining the short-term effects of different interventions for improving memory functioning of older adults with memory complaints. Nevertheless, very few studies have examined the long-term effects of these interventions. Thus, the present study compared the sustained effects of a conventional memory intervention (MI) and a Chinese lifestyle intervention on improving memory functioning in older adults.Methods: Twenty-nine older adults who were aged 60 years and older and had memory complaints were recruited. Each completed 10 weekly sessions of the Dejian Mind-body Intervention (DMBI; n = 11) or MI (n = 18) approximately 18 months ago. Participants’ verbal and visual memory functioning and their subjective impression of the changes of their memory performance and physical and psychological health status were evaluated.Results: Results showed significant improvements in memory in both intervention groups at the follow-up assessments when compared with baseline. In addition, older adults in both intervention groups perceived improved memory performance and physical and psychological wellness at follow-up, with the DMBI group reporting significantly greater improvements in physical health compared to the MI group.Conclusion: Altogether, the present study provides supportive evidence that the DMBI and MI might be two effective remedies for older adults to improve or preserve their memory functioning with relatively sustained effects.

Lower executive functioning predicts steeper subsequent decline in well-being only in young-old but not old-old age

“…Present findings also have important practical implications in a context of promotion of healthy aging. In line with experimental studies (Castel et al, 2017; Chan et al, 2018), the present results suggest that (besides other modifiable factors such as lifestyle; Gouveia et al, 2017) enhancing executive functioning may be an avenue to promote well-being, particularly in young-old adults. Moreover, we found that chronic diseases did not predict changes in executive functioning, nor well-being, but were correlated with baseline well-being status.…”

“…Empirical longitudinal evidence for the predictive role of cognitive functioning for well-being comes, for example, from studies reporting that better cognitive performance status in terms of spatial abilities and processing speed predicts higher subsequent well-being status in terms of life satisfaction 3 years later (Enkvist et al, 2013). These correlative findings dovetail with experimental studies demonstrating effects of cognitive interventions on subsequent increases in well-being, as shown for self-representations of intrapersonal affective and emotional states reflecting a sense of subjective well-being (Castel et al, 2017) and psychological wellness (Chan et al, 2018). Yet, other studies report mixed results.…”

Effects of a transtheoretical model‐based WeChat health education programme on self‐management among haemodialysis patients: A longitudinal experimental intervention study

“…The third data collection event was carried out at 21 months after the patient's entry into the study (T 2 , post-test 2 data collection). Studies showed that 12-18 months of follow-up was optional to validate the sustained effectiveness of the intervention (Chan, Cheung, Yeung, & Lee, 2018;Kazawa, Takeshita, Yorioka, & Moriyama, 2015). The instruments included in this study are discussed below.…”

Chanwuyi Lifestyle Medicine Program Alleviates Immunological Deviation and Improves Behaviors in Autism

“…Chinese Chan Medicine is a holistic approach facilitating better well-being and quality of life through modification of one's life habits, including diet modification, mind-body exercises, and self-realization. Cumulative empirical and clinical evidence of this Chinese lifestyle medicine program have suggested positive treatment outcomes on brain functions, mood state, problematic behaviors, and the physical health of normal individuals [30][31][32], elderly with memory complaints [33][34][35], and patients with various brain disorders, including ASD [36][37][38][39][40][41], depression [42][43][44], and epilepsy [45]. Children with ASD, who have adopted our Chan-based diet for 1 month, showed significantly enhanced executive functions (including cognitive flexibility, impulse control, and planning ability) and reduced social communication problem and repetitive behaviors, whereas those without changes in their diet did not show such improvement [38].…”