Summary

Eligibility
for people ages 60 years and up (full criteria)
Location
at Sacramento, California
Dates
study started
completion around
Principal Investigator
by Sarah Farias, PhD

Description

Summary

Compensatory aids (e.g., alarms, calendars) play an important supporting role when completing everyday tasks (e.g., appointments, medication management), and there is a growing body of scientific work suggesting that compensatory training improves daily functioning. However, traditional paper-based calendars and to-do-lists have limitations related to accumulation of information, difficulty retrieving information, and remembering to complete activities. Such limitations may be overcome using a digital format through organized digital files, search functions, and alarms. This pilot project proposes to train older adults at risk for cognitive decline to use the Digital Memory Notebook (DMN), a tablet-based application (app), to support everyday functioning. The primary goal is to obtain preliminary evidence that a 6-week, individual and group-based DMN training intervention results in demonstrable changes in target behaviors (e.g., goal-directed DMN use to support everyday activities) among older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and subjective cognitive complaints (SCC). Participants will complete a curriculum involving 2-hour weekly sessions for 6-weeks. Each week will cover a specific function of the DMN and will include standardized goal-setting and weekly homework targets. Following the 6-week intervention, participants will continue to use the DMN app for 4-weeks to evaluate stability. Participants will complete a questionnaire packet 1 week prior to the 6-week intervention, 1 week after the 6-week intervention, and 5 weeks following the 6-week intervention. MCI and SCC participants will complete separate 6-week individual or group interventions spaced two months apart at UCD.

Official Title

Compensation Training to Improve Everyday Functioning of Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Subjective Cognitive Complaints: The Digital Memory Notebook

Details

The manualized curriculum will involve 2-hour weekly sessions for 6-weeks. The study personnel will administer all intervention sessions. Each week will cover a specific function of the Digital Memory Notebook (DMN) and will include standardized goal-setting and weekly homework targets. A research assistant will assess homework adherence using a standardized form and through data extracted from the DMN (e.g., number of alarms set). Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) participants will complete separate 6-week individual or group interventions. Following the 6-week intervention, participants will continue to use the DMN app for 4-weeks to evaluate stability.

Participants will also be asked to complete questions about their medical background including history of traumatic brain injury or stroke, as well as any current medical conditions and questions regarding demographics including age, ethnicity, and education.

Potential participants will be told that participating in the study will involve completing questionnaires at 3 different time points within 12 weeks (i.e.,week 1, week 8, week 12), identifying a knowledgeable informant who will also complete questionnaires, participating in a 6-week course to learn how to use the DMN and to support everyday functioning, and to continue to use the DMN for one month following the intervention.

Information collected will be in the form of counts (e.g., number of alarms set) and number of minutes spent on the device. Specific content entered into the DMN will not be reviewed.

Keywords

Prodromal Alzheimer's Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Subjective Cognitive Complaints, Alzheimer Disease, Cognitive Dysfunction, Digital Memory Notebook (DMN) Application

Eligibility

You can join if…

Open to people ages 60 years and up

You CAN'T join if...

  • Unable to consent
  • Pregnant women
  • Prisoners

Location

  • Alzheimer's Disease Center, University of California, Davis
    Sacramento California 95817 United States

Lead Scientist at UC Davis

  • Sarah Farias, PhD
    Professor, Med: Neurology, School of Medicine. Authored (or co-authored) 86 research publications

Details

Status
accepting new patients
Start Date
Completion Date
(estimated)
Sponsor
University of California, Davis
Links
Learn more or sign up for the study here! Sign up for this study
ID
NCT04240665
Study Type
Interventional
Participants
Expecting 20 study participants
Last Updated