Preserving prospective memory in daily life: A systematic review and meta-analysis of mnemonic strategy, cognitive training, external memory aid, and combination interventions.

Abstract

To preserve or improve independent functioning in older adults and those with neurocognitive impairments, researchers and clinicians need to address prospective memory deficits. To be effective, prospective memory interventions must restore (or circumvent) the underlying attention and memory mechanisms that are impaired by aging, brain injury, and neurodegeneration. We evaluated two decades of prospective memory interventions for efficacy, time/resource costs, and ecological validity. Method: We systematically reviewed 73 prospective memory intervention studies of middle-to older-aged healthy adults and clinical groups (N ϭ 3,749). We also rated the ecological validity of each study's prospective memory assessment/task using a newly developed scale. When possible (72% of studies), we estimated effect sizes using random-effects models and Hedges' g. Results: We identified four categories of prospective memory interventions, including mnemonic strategy, cognitive training, external memory aid, and combination interventions. Mnemonic strategy (g ϭ .450) and cognitive training (g ϭ .538) interventions demonstrated efficacy. Combination interventions showed mixed results (g ϭ .254), underscoring that "more is not always better." External memory aids demonstrated very positive outcomes (g ϭ .805), though often with small-sample, case-series designs. Prospective memory assessments had high ecological validity in external memory aid studies (84%), but not in mnemonic strategy (14%), cognitive training (20%), or combination intervention (50%) studies, p Ͻ .001, p 2 ϭ .33. Conclusions: Everyday prospective memory can be meaningfully improved, perhaps particularly with external memory aids, but larger trials are required to optimize treatments, increase adherence, and broaden implementation in daily life.

Value-based routing of delayed intentions into brain-based vs external memory stores

“…In sum, we show here that participants offload intentions to an external store based on value, which can lead to internal memory being prioritised for lower-value information. Given that external memory aids such as smartphones and wearable devices can be highly reliable in providing time-, location-, and person-based reminders for delayed intentions once they are programmed to do so (Jones et al, 2021), this implies that understanding the valuation of intentions could be as important as understanding forgetting, if we are to understand the determinants of real-world prospective memory success.…”

Media, technology, and the sins of memory

“…Creating and relying on external reminders significantly improved performance in a naturalistic prospective memory task (Gilbert 2015). A recent meta-analysis of prospective memory studies in middle-aged and older adults revealed overall positive outcomes for external memory aids in enhancing prospective memory (Jones et al 2021). Commonly used external memory aids include smartphones, smartwatches, and Google Calendar, which have proven useful for improving prospective memory performance in individuals with brain injuries and disease who are especially prone to absent-minded forgetting (eg, El Haj et al 2020; Jamieson et al 2019;Svoboda et al 2012).…”

Emerging topics in dementia care and services

“…Automatic billpay permits persons with ADRD and their families to streamline financial tasks that are frequently impacted by cognitive decline 54 as the individual does not have to remember to pay a bill or the steps of writing a check. Numerous promising technologies have been developed in this space, though, large randomized trials, best practices, and widespread adoption of any given cognitive prosthetic are, thus far, generally lacking 55,56 …”