Long-Term Effectiveness of Spaced-Retrieval Memory Training for Older Adults with Probable Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract

Ten older adults with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) were trained to recall everyday objects using the spaced-retrieval technique. Five persons had participated in a prior spaced-retrieval program (Cherry & Simmons-D'Gerolamo, 1999, Clinical Gerontologist, 20, 39-63). The authors retested these original participants to measure the long-term effectiveness of spaced-retrieval training. Five new participants were included for comparison purposes. During training, participants selected a target object from an array of items at increasingly longer retention intervals. To enhance the effectiveness of spaced-retrieval training, two original and two new participants were given a target object orientation task prior to training. Positive effects of prior experience occurred for most of the original participants. The orientation task enhanced memory for the target objects. Implications for memory remediation in late adulthood are considered.

Spaced Retrieval Enhances Memory for a Name-Face-Occupation Association in Older Adults With Probable Alzheimer's Disease

“…To our knowledge, our results are the first to show retention of an association that includes social information about the target person (i.e., name, face, and occupation). Our findings are also compatible with prior research in which spaced retrieval effects were found using common household objects as the training material (Cherry & Simmons-D'Gerolamo, 2004, 2005.…”

“…Spaced retrieval training gains have been demonstrated across different types of materials (common household objects, Cherry & Simmons-D'Gerolamo, 1999, 2004, 2005 names of caregivers, Camp & Schaller, 1989; face-name associations, Hawley & Cherry, 2004;Joltin, Camp, & McMahon, 2003). Long-term maintenance of the trained material has also been found (Cherry & Simmons-D'Gerolamo, 2005;Clare, Wilson, Carter, Hodges, & Adams, 2001), suggesting that the technique may be well suited for addressing real-world memory tasks in which retention is often required long after initial acquisition. Hawley and Cherry (2004) trained six older adults with probable AD to remember an unfamiliar name-face association using spaced retrieval.…”

Non-pharmacological intervention for memory decline

“…In this form, the intervals were adjusted according to the patient's performance. Several studies have demonstrated that adjusted SRT is efficacious in individuals with probable AD and leads to an improvement in associative memory (Hawley and Cherry, 2004;Cherry and Simmons-D'Gerolamo, 2005;Hopper et al, 2005Hopper et al, , 2010Hawley et al, 2008;Cherry et al, 2010).…”

Once-Weekly Spaced Retrieval Training Is Effective in Supporting Everyday Memory Activities in Community Dwelling Older People with Dementia

“…As carers' coping capacity is linked to placement of people with dementia into residential care (Brodaty, Gresham, & Luscombe, 1997), removing sources of frustration by supporting everyday function through spaced retrieval training could, potentially, delay placement. The effects of longer-term support of everyday function through spaced retrieval training (as also reported by Cherry & Simmons-D'Gerolamo, 2005) warrant further investigation especially in conjunction with more emphasis on the effects of successful training on family carers and their quality of life (Hawley & Cherry, 2008).…”

“…and colleagues (Cherry & Simmons-D'Gerolamo, 2005;Cherry, Hawley, Jackson & Boudreaux, 2009) have also shown that researcher-nominated training goals achieved through spaced retrieval training can be maintained for 6 to 9 months. Demonstrating that participant-nominated training goals can be maintained could further strengthen the practical utility of spaced retrieval training, especially if individuals were able to use trained information to support day-to-day activities.…”