The projected increase in the number of older adults intensifies the need to study interventions that improve health outcomes. The challenge is to recruit sufficient numbers of participants who are also representative of older adults to test these interventions. Failing to recruit a sufficient and representative sample can compromise statistical power and the generalizability of study findings.

This study is unique in that groups of patients with similar symptoms were identified rather than groups of symptoms. Further research using latent class growth analysis is needed.

Background/Objectives Older adults do not take medication as prescribed, diminishing the benefits of treatment and increasing costs to individuals and society. A multifaceted prospective memory intervention for improving adherence to antihypertensive medication was tested and assessed if executive function/working memory processes moderated intervention effects. Design A two group longitudinal randomized control trial was used. Setting and Participants and Measurements The sample consisted of community-based older adults (≥ 65 years of age) without signs of dementia or symptoms of severe depression who were self-managing prescribed medication. Following four weeks of initial adherence monitoring using a medication event monitoring system (MEMS®), individuals with 90% or less adherence were randomly assigned to groups. Intervention The prospective memory intervention was designed to provide strategies that switch older adults from relying on executive function/working memory processes (that show effects of cognitive aging) to mostly automatic associative processes (that are relatively spared with normal aging) for remembering to take one’s medications. Strategies included establishing a routine, establishing cues strongly associated with medication taking actions, performing the action immediately upon thinking about it, using a medication organizer, and imagining medication taking to enhance encoding and improve cuing. Results There was significant improvement in adherence for the intervention group (57% at baseline to 78% post intervention), but most of these gains were lost after 5 months. The control condition started at 68%, was stable during the intervention, but dropped to 62%. Executive function/working memory moderated the intervention effect, with the intervention producing greater benefit for those with lower executive function/working memory. Conclusion The intervention improved adherence, but the benefits were not sustained. Further research is needed to determine how to sustain the substantial initial benefits.

Symptom management during treatment may be an additional strategy for protecting cognitive function.

Background Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common pediatric cancer and survival approaches 90%. ALL survivors are more likely than healthy peers or siblings to experience academic underachievement yet little is known about neurocognitive predictors of academic outcomes. Objective Objectives were to compare neurocognitive abilities to age-adjusted standardized norms; to examine change over time in neurocognitive abilities; and to establish neurocognitive predictors of academic outcomes. Methods Seventy-one children were followed over the course of therapy. Cognitive abilities were assessed during Induction when the child was in remission (Baseline) and annually for 3 years (Year 1, Year 2, Year 3). Reading and mathematics abilities were assessed at Year 3. Results Fine motor dexterity was significantly below age-adjusted norms at all data points, but showed improvement over time. Baseline visual-motor integration was within the normal range but significantly declined by Year 3, and mean scores at Years 2 and 3 were significantly below age-adjusted norms. Verbal short-term memory was significantly below age-adjusted norms at all assessments. Visual-motor integration predicted reading and mathematic abilities. Verbal short-term memory predicted reading abilities, and visual short-term memory predicted mathematic abilities. Conclusions CNS-directed therapy is associated with specific neurocognitive problems. Visual spatial skills, verbal and visual short term memory predict academic outcomes. Implications for practice Early assessment of visual spatial perception and short-term memory can identify children at risk for academic problems. Children who are at risk for academic problems could benefit from a school based Individual Educational Program and/or educational intervention.