Clinical trial NCT01998711: Impact of a Memory Group for Older Adults Reporting Memory Difficulties
Official title: Memory Group Intervention for Mild Cognitive Impairment: Impact of a Memory Group for Older Adults Reporting Memory Difficulties.
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Mild Cognitive Impairment
Alzheimer's Disease
Keywords: Alzheimer's disease
Mild cognitive impairment
Memory intervention
Strategy use
Memory group
Lead sponsor: Bayside Health
Sponsor class: OTHER_GOV
First posted: 2013-12-02
Enrollment: 62
Sex: ALL
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL

Brief summary: Aims:

To evaluate the efficacy of a brief intensive intervention for persons with mild cognitive impairment, assisted by family members or friends. To equip persons with mild cognitive impairment with specific skills to prevent memory failures and improve the capacity of patients and families to cope with everyday memory difficulties.

Detailed description: Participants:

The sample will consist of 60 families who have a family member reporting memory loss and who have recently been assessed within the Cognitive Dementia and Memory Service (CDAMS). Participants will include patients and a family member / close friend. The potential patient participants must have received a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment following a comprehensive clinical assessment. They must also be English speakers, live in the community, have no evidence of significant visual or auditory impairment, and have no history of diagnosed alcohol or drug abuse or major psychological disorder. Potential family / friend participants are expected to be spouses or adult children.

Brief Description:

Patients and their carers will be assigned to either a 'brief intervention group' or a 'no intervention group'. Over 5 1 1/2 -hour weekly sessions, the brief intervention group will be taught a memory skills program which emphasises practical strategies for dealing with everyday memory problems. Interactive group discussion and 'take home' exercises are also included. The no intervention group will serve as a control group, and will receive only their usual care from the the memory clinic. At the completion of the study, the brief intervention will be offered to those in the no intervention group.

All participants will complete questionnaires about knowledge of memory techniques, common memory and behaviour problems and emotional health at pre-intervention, post-intervention and after a 3-month follow-up.

Methods of Data Analysis:

Outcome evaluation will be monitored by neuropsychological assessments of memory performance, and subjective self-reports. A 2 x 3 multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) will be used to assess differences on the experimental measures between groups (brief intervention, no intervention) across repeated assessment phases (pre-intervention, post-intervention, 3-month follow-up).

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

Participant presents with memory complaint Objective memory impairment on neuropsychological tests Normal general cognitive function Adequate activities of daily living Fails to reach criterion for clinical dementia according to NINCDS-ADRDA guidelines Living in the community Absence of significant visual or auditory impairment English speaker -

Exclusion Criteria:

-

Primary outcomes:
measure: Neuropsychological measures of memory and attention
measure: Self-report on memory performance in everyday activities
measure: Self-report on use of memory strategies
measure: Informant report on memory performance in everyday activities
measure: Informant report on use of strategies
measure: Assessment of psychological wellbeing
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Melbourne
country: Australia
facility: Caulfield General Medical Centre
state: Victoria
Study officials:
affiliation: Caulfield General Medical Centre - Psychology
name: Glynda J Kinsella, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: