WebBased Cognitive Health Improvement For Older Adults

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): National health priorities to maintain independence and minimize costly institutionalization in an aging society are changing the burden for wellness, especially cognitive wellness, from physician to patient. To slow or prevent cognitive decline and/or disability, our rapidly aging population requires improved cognitive health literacy and effective lifestyle choices. We propose an innovative, interactive, Sharper Memory e-Newsmagazine intervention promoting improved cognitive health literacy and motivating effective lifestyle decisions to achieve optimal memory fitness and cognitive vitality in community-residing older adults. The intervention will inform, empower, and motivate people to optimize their memory fitness, a key to preventing disability and maintaining independence. It includes unique self-management technologies to provide motivation for: enhancing life-style behaviors and improving cognitive health and general well-being. Phase I aims to design, develop, and field test a prototype online Sharper Memory Monitor module to train and motivate interest in lifestyle change options affecting personal memory fitness. We will test feasibility to improve cognitive health literacy skills by: training subjects to identify their cognitive health priorities; providing specific lifestyle options, thereby motivating lifestyle change; and assessing their commitment to one cognitive health change goal. Phase I outcomes will measure change in cognitive health knowledge pre to post intervention, the proportion of subjects willing to use the PC to set one cognitive health improvement goal via a self directed plan, and the proportion implementing their plan. Phase II will fully develop a Sharper Memory e-Newsmagazine cognitive health intervention to meet the memory fitness needs for cognitive vitality of elderly across demographic variables. Phase III commercialization, with National Library of Medicine collaboration, will also target informal/formal caregivers, clinicians, service providers, and social networks (e.g., AARP, SeniorNet, VA, etc.).