Feasibility, Acceptability, and Impact of a self-guided e-learning Memory and Brain Health Promotion Program for Healthy Older Adults.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the feasibility (e.g., completion rate), acceptability (e.g., satisfaction), and participant-reported impact (e.g., memory concerns, behavior change, goal attainment) of a self-guided, e-learning adaptation of a validated, facilitator-guided, in-person memory intervention for older adults. METHODS: Participants were 139 healthy older adults (mean age: 73 ± 7, 73% women). Participation tracking and pre/post questionnaires embedded within the e-learning program were used to assess feasibility, acceptability, and impact. RESULTS: Sixty-eight percent of participants completed the program. Anonymous feedback data indicated a high level of satisfaction with the program, the pace and clarity of the learning modules, and the user interface. Suggested improvements included offering more interaction with others and addressing minor platform glitches. There was a 41% decrease in the prevalence of concern about memory changes from baseline to posttest. The majority of participants reported an increase in use of memory strategies and uptake of health-promoting lifestyle behaviors. All participants reported moderate-to-high satisfaction with personal goal attainment. CONCLUSIONS: The program demonstrated good feasibility, acceptability, and lead to reduction in age-related memory concerns. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Self-guided, e-learning programming shows promise for fostering positive adaptation to age-related memory changes and improving the uptake of evidence-based strategies to promote brain health among older adults.

An Agile Development Cycle of an Online Memory Program for Healthy Older Adults.

Online interventions for older adults should be tailored to their unique needs to increase the efficacy of and adherence to the intervention. The agile development cycle is a dynamic model to solicit and incorporate feedback from older adults during the design process. We combined this approach with the framework of Harvard University's clinical and translational phases that provide a clear structure for evaluating new health programs before they are offered in the community. We based our online memory program on the empirically validated in-person Memory and Aging Program. The aim of the present study was to combine the agile development cycle with the clinical and translational phases framework to develop and pilot an online memory program tailored to the unique needs of older adults. Study 1 involved piloting individual program modules on site and integrating participant feedback into the program's design to optimize usability. Study 2 involved two sequential pilots of the program accessed remotely to evaluate preliminary clinical outcomes and obtain feedback for iterative modifications. Plans for further validation and limitations are discussed. The successful application of the agile development cycle implemented in this series of studies can be adapted by others seeking to offer online content for targeted end users.

The impact of memory-strategy training interventions on participant-reported outcomes in healthy older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

A number of memory-strategy training interventions have been developed to target and reduce the impact of normal age-related memory decline. Most outcome studies to date have used objective memory measures to evaluate the efficacy of such interventions. Participant-reported outcomes, well-suited to capture the extent to which such interventions address the expressed concerns of aging persons, have been less closely examined. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine whether memory-strategy training interventions improve participant-reported outcomes in healthy older adults with age-related memory changes. Of 536 identified articles, a total of 18 randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria for the review, and 15 of these provided relevant data to include in the meta-analyses. A systematic risk of bias assessment identified common problems with recruitment and masking procedures. Results from the meta-analyses indicate that memory interventions produce positive effects on several participant-reported outcomes, including improvements in perceived memory ability, memory self-efficacy, strategy use, memory-related affect, psychological well-being, and quality of life. Memory-strategy training interventions have a meaningful perceived impact on healthy older adults experiencing age-related memory changes. Future research utilizing stronger study designs (e.g., masking participants and study staff) and more closely investigating everyday functional impact is needed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Considering Age-Related Hearing Loss in Neuropsychological Practice: Findings from a Feasibility Study.

ABSTRACTHearing loss is highly prevalent in older adults and can pose challenges for neuropsychologists, as assessment and intervention procedures often involve orally presented information which must be accurately heard. This project examined the hearing status of 20 clients (mean age = 71 years) in a hospital-based outpatient neuropsychology clinic, and explored whether information about hearing loss informed neuropsychologists' clinical practice. A research assistant administered a brief hearing screening test to each participant. Four treating neuropsychologists were asked to comment on their client's hearing status before and after being shown their client's hearing screen test results. Screening revealed that the majority of participants had at least mild hearing loss, and that the neuropsychologists were relatively accurate (60%) at estimating their clients' hearing status. Neuropsychologists used information about a client's hearing status to make recommendations that clients pursue audiologic services, and to educate clients and family members about hearing loss and communication.