Helping older adults remember whether they’ve done something

January, 2010

Older adults are more likely to forget that they've done something. A new study has found that doing something unusual (such as putting a hand on their head) at the same time helps seniors remember having done the task.

Previous research has shown that older adults are more likely to incorrectly repeat an action in situations where a prospective memory task has become habitual — for example, taking more medication because they’ve forgotten they’ve already taken it. A new study has found that doing something unusual at the same time helps seniors remember having done the task. In the study, older adults told to put a hand on their heads whenever they made a particular response, reduced the level of repetition errors to that of younger adults. It’s suggested that doing something unusual, like knocking on wood or patting yourself on the head, while taking a daily dose of medicine may be an effective strategy to help seniors remember whether they've already taken their daily medications.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-01/wuis-asp010410.php

Reference:

[1137] McDaniel, M. A., Bugg J. M., Ramuschkat G. M., Kliegel M., & Einstein G. O.
(2009). Repetition Errors in Habitual Prospective Memory: Elimination of Age Differences via Complex Actions or Appropriate Resource Allocation.
Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition. 16(5), 563 - 563.

seniors

working memory

Aging

Related News

Impaired recovery from inflammation linked to Alzheimer's

Analyses of cerebrospinal fluid from 15 patients with Alzheimer's disease, 20 patients with mild cognitive impairment, and 21 control subjects, plus brain tis

Tau protein travels with neuronal signals

Tau protein stabilizes structures that transport supplies from the center of the cell to the extremities, but sometimes some tau is not bound to these microtubules and instead clumps together into

Why sleep is disrupted in Alzheimer's disease

A study involving genetically engineered fruit flies adds to our understanding of why sleep and bioclock disruptions are common in those with Alzheimer's disease.

How inflammation and hypoxia damage the brain

A new study shows that a combination of inflammation and hypoxia activates microglia in a way that persistently weakens the connection between

APP found to also be involved in neurogenesis

A new function has been found for the

Prion proteins might help reduce amyloid-beta plaques

New research helps explain the role of amyloid-beta plaques in the development of Alzheimer's, by finding that the

More on how amyloid-beta gets out of control

Creating amyloid-beta requires the convergence of a protein called

Gardening as good as exercise in cutting heart attack risk

A Swedish study of some 4,000 60-year-olds has found that regular “non-exercise” physical activity such as gardening or DIY significantly reduced risk of heart attack or stroke, with those who were most active on a daily basis having a 27% lower risk of a heart attack or stroke and a 30% reduced

Benefits of exercise for older adults depends on genes

A year-long study involving 424 sedentary, mobility-limited seniors aged 70-89, has found that variants in a specific gene (the ACE I/D gene) affect seniors’ ability to benefit from exercise.

Importance of muscle for older adults

Data from the American National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III, involving 3,659 individuals (men aged 55+; women 65+), has found that the more muscle mass older adults have, the less likely they are to die prematurely.

Pages