Effects of a multi-component training program on healthy older adults' prospective memory performance: assessing change over time

Prospective Memory (PM) is a cognitive function affected by aging. PM is the memory of future intentions and is significantly involved in everyday life, especially among older adults. Nevertheless, there are a few studies focused on PM training among healthy older adults and these studies did not report the optimal duration of training regarding improving PM performance among older adults. The present study aimed to determine the effective duration for training PM performance among healthy older adults. The current study was a randomized, controlled, single-blind, within participants crossover trial including a training program with a duration of 12 h. The sample of 25 older adults aged 55 to 74 years recruited from the active members of the University of the Third Age (U3A), Kuala Lumpur/Selangor, their family members, and friends. The study design ensured some participants would receive the training after baseline while others would wait for 6 weeks after the baseline before receiving the training. All participants were evaluated five times: at baseline, 6, 12, 16, and at 24 weeks post-baseline. Moreover, the training program ensured all participants were assessed after each training session. The minimum number of hours to achieve training effects for this multi-component training program was eight. Results supported the efficacy of the training program in improving PM performance among healthy older adults. Also, the optimal duration for the multicomponent training program on PM performance among healthy older adults was obtained

Challenges faced and lessons learned: a multi-component prospective memory training program for Malaysian older adults

The surrounding circumstances and environments of Malaysian older adults could make conducting interventions (mainly in terms of clinical or randomized controlled trials) a challenge. Working with older adults and facing cultural issues could be challenging. Objective: This paper illustrates a significant perspective of some of the challenges faced while conducting a randomized controlled trial exploring the impact of a multi-component intervention that included strategy- and process-based prospective memory (PM) training among Malaysian older adults. Methods: The current study was a randomized controlled trial (RCT) and therefore the challenges were presented in accordance with the CONSORT statement style. Results: A discussion on how these issues were addressed is provided. Conclusion: Some suggestions were presented to help researchers plan and create interventions for similar studies and to support a practical method of addressing all related challenges

Effectiveness of a preventative multi-component training program for prospective memory performance among healthy older adults

Aging affects older adults’ physical and psychological well-being. One of the most significant age-related changes could be found in cognitive functions. Hence, to promote healthy aging and longevity among older adults, a global interest regarding treating agerelated cognitive declines emerged. Cognitive training seems to be more successful, compared with the pharmacological treatments, in improving cognitive functions among older adults. Cognitive training includes strategy- and process-based approaches. Both approaches showed some advantages and disadvantages individually. Therefore, the literature suggested to use a combination of these two approaches (i.e., multi-component approach) to benefit from their advantages and surpass their disadvantages. One of the cognitive functions which is affected by age is Prospective Memory (PM). PM is the memory for future intentions and is an essential part of everyday life, especially among older adults. It has significant impacts on levels of independence and well-being as significant elements of healthy aging and longevity. Nonetheless, only a few studies have focused on PM training and improving levels of independence and well-being among older adults and these studies showed inconsistent results. Past studies focused on clinical populations, did not have adequate training approaches and targets, lacked strong study designs, and they did not consider older adults’ individualized characteristics and needs. Moreover, PM is closely associated with several other cognitive functions as well (e.g., episodic and working memories). As such, these functions can be adequately targeted by multi-component cognitive training programs to promote healthy aging among older adults. Consequently, this study developed a tailor-made, multi-component PM training program for healthy older adults. The current study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the intervention on the levels of independence, negative mood and anxiety among healthy older adults. In addition, the current study was planned as a randomized controlled trial (RCT) within participants’ crossover design. The sample consisted of 25 healthy older adults, aged between 55 and 75 years who are members of University of Third Age (U3A) Kuala Lumpur/Selangor, their family members or friends. The study included two conditions: treatment and control (waiting list). The intervention was conducted within a six-week period and lasted two hours per session. Implementation of intentions was used as the strategy-based approach, whereas the process-based approach used a computer game called “virtual week.” Two follow-ups were conducted one and three months post-intervention. The baseline measures included PM performance, independence, negative mood and anxiety measures. A significant increase in PM performance and the level of independence were found (e.g., PM: F (2, 11) = 58.15, p < 0.05, ɳ2 = 0.91; level of independence: F (1, 12) = 80.18, ɳ2 = 0.87, p < 0.05). Moreover, the results revealed a significant reduction in negative mood and anxiety levels (e.g., negative mood: F (4, 9) = 17.03, ɳ2 = 0.88, p < 0.05; anxiety: F (4, 9) = 44.43, ɳ2 = 0.95, p < 0.05). The training effects were also persistent after three months from the last intervention session

The efficiency of a multicomponent training for prospective memory among healthy older adults: a single-blind, randomized controlled within-participants cross-over trial

Objective: The main objective of the present trial was to evaluate the efficiency of a preventative multicomponent prospective memory training among healthy older adults. Design: This study was a two-arm within-participants trial with 4- and 12-wk follow-ups. Allocation ratio was 1:1, and pretraining and posttraining measurements were included. A total number of 25 healthy older adults were enrolled (mean = 63.32, SD = 4.44). Participants were randomly allocated into two conditions: (a) prospective memory training: participants underwent a multicomponent prospective memory training, and (b) control: participants were not contacted during the training phase. After the training phase was finished, participants crossed over to undergo the condition they did not experience before. The differences between pretraining and posttraining measures of prospective memory, activities of daily living, negative mood (depression), and anxiety were assessed. All changes in the measurements were analyzed using general linear method. This trial is registered at https://www.isrctn.com (#ISRCTN57600070). Results: Multicomponent prospective memory training program was significantly effective on both subjective and objective prospective memory performances among healthy older adults. Moreover, the training had significant positive effects on activities of daily living (independence) among participants. In addition, negative mood and anxiety levels were reduced after the training was finished. Conclusions: This multicomponent prospective memory training improved prospective memory performance and activities of daily living and reduce negative mood (depression) and anxiety levels among healthy older adults

Challenges faced and lessons learned A multi-component prospective memory training program for Malaysian older adults

Abstract The surrounding circumstances and environments of Malaysian older adults could make conducting interventions (mainly in terms of clinical or randomized controlled trials) a challenge. Working with older adults and facing cultural issues could be challenging. Objective: This paper illustrates a significant perspective of some of the challenges faced while conducting a randomized controlled trial exploring the impact of a multi-component intervention that included strategy- and process-based prospective memory (PM) training among Malaysian older adults. Methods: The current study was a randomized controlled trial (RCT) and therefore the challenges were presented in accordance with the CONSORT statement style. Results: A discussion on how these issues were addressed is provided. Conclusion: Some suggestions were presented to help researchers plan and create interventions for similar studies and to support a practical method of addressing all related challenges