First, older adults undergo cognitive changes that may affect their ability to learn new medical information. The goal of this research is to document difficulties and develop information-delivery systems for medical information that are ideal for older adults. Secondly, there is evidence that older adults' memory for actions can be facilitated greatly if they are instructed to imagine the completion of the intended actions. Currently, we are investigating how the resulting improvements in cognitive function may translate into direct benefits for seniors' prospective memory for a variety of health behaviors. In addition to major core initiatives, the Center also facilitates research in this domain through seed grants, international conferences, and fellowships.
Older adults are more likely to take medication correctly than younger adults.
Dr. Park and Jennifer Glass have developed work on cognitive function in various patient populations. In one study, they used models of cognitive aging to show that younger women suffering from fibromyalgia have cognitive function that resembles that of older adults. They recently completed a proposal to understand the long-term effects of chemotherapy on cognitive function after a cancer patient has been pronounced cured by the medical profession. Many of these patients never return to work and there is growing evidence that their neurobiological system has been permanently damaged by the chemotherapy. In other work, the implications of alcoholism for cognitive function in aged adults is examined.