The Memory Fitness Program: Cognitive Effects of a Healthy Aging Intervention

Context Age-related memory decline affects a large proportion of older adults. Cognitive training, physical exercise, and other lifestyle habits may help to minimize self-perception of memory loss and a decline in objective memory performance. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine whe...

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Veröffentlicht in:The American journal of geriatric psychiatry 2012-06, Vol.20 (6), p.514-523
Hauptverfasser: Miller, Karen J., Ph.D, Siddarth, Prabha, Ph.D, Gaines, Jean M., Ph.D., R.N, Parrish, John M., Ph.D, Ercoli, Linda M., Ph.D, Marx, Katherine, M.P.H, Ronch, Judah, Ph.D, Pilgram, Barbara, M.A, Burke, Kasey, B.A, Barczak, Nancy, R.N., M.S, Babcock, Bridget, B.A, Small, Gary W., M.D
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Sprache:eng
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Zusammenfassung:Context Age-related memory decline affects a large proportion of older adults. Cognitive training, physical exercise, and other lifestyle habits may help to minimize self-perception of memory loss and a decline in objective memory performance. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine whether a 6-week educational program on memory training, physical activity, stress reduction, and healthy diet led to improved memory performance in older adults. Design A convenience sample of 115 participants (mean age: 80.9 [SD: 6.0 years]) was recruited from two continuing care retirement communities. The intervention consisted of 60-minute classes held twice weekly with 15–20 participants per class. Testing of both objective and subjective cognitive performance occurred at baseline, preintervention, and postintervention. Objective cognitive measures evaluated changes in five domains: immediate verbal memory, delayed verbal memory, retention of verbal information, memory recognition, and verbal fluency. A standardized metamemory instrument assessed four domains of memory self-awareness: frequency and severity of forgetting, retrospective functioning, and mnemonics use. Results The intervention program resulted in significant improvements on objective measures of memory, including recognition of word pairs (t[114] = 3.62, p
ISSN:1064-7481
1545-7214
DOI:10.1097/JGP.0b013e318227f821