Aging & Memory
As people age, there are natural changes in how they process information and what they remember. Problems with memory can be worsened in individuals receiving treatments for diseases such as cancer. For some, these cognitive changes can result in a diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or dementia. Older adults who experience declines in memory may have difficulties caring for themselves, making medical decisions, communicating with their loved ones, and coping with stress.
Our research in this area focuses on supporting patients, caregivers, and loved ones in managing the challenges that come with changes in memory, and teaching them skills that support both emotional and brain health (e.g., memory exercises, tips/strategies).
A Patient-Caregiver Behavioral Intervention for Older Adults with Cancer and Mild Cognitive Impairment
Older adults diagnosed with cancer and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and their family caregivers often experience psychological distress (e.g., depression and anxiety symptoms). These physical and emotional challenges can make it difficult for patients and families to cope effectively and communicate about important health issues, such as future healthcare planning. We have developed an intervention called COPE+ for older adults with cancer and MCI and their caregivers. The intervention is delivered in 6 weekly sessions via videoconference. The content of the intervention involves teaching patients and caregivers skills to manage stress, cope, and enhance communication. We are currently conducting a study to examine whether this intervention improves patient and caregiver outcomes such as stress, anxiety, low mood symptoms, and relationship satisfaction.
This study is funded by the National Cancer Institute.
Assessing Dementia Patient Needs at Home
Many patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) experience unnecessary trips to the hospital. There is a need for practical tools to help clinicians monitor patient well-being at home so they can intervene before the need for hospital care. To address this need, our study team is developing and testing an initial version of a smartphone application called “Digital Outpost.”, The application is a remote patient monitoring platform in which caregivers report any symptoms of concern that their loved one is showing while coping with dementia (e.g., severe distress, pain, agitation, disorientation). If successful, this tool can help improve patient and caregiver well-being while saving health systems costs and keeping patients in their homes.
This study is funded by the National Institute of Aging.
Caregiver-assisted Pain Coping Skills Training for Dementia
Pain is a common, undertreated, and often disabling condition in persons with dementia (PWD) that impacts both the person and their caregivers. The overwhelming majority of research on pain evaluation and management in PWD focuses on those with advanced disease living in long term care facilities. Given the prevalence of pain in community-dwelling patients with less advanced disease, and the impact of pain on patients and caregivers, it is important to develop pain management programs for these vulnerable individuals. To develop a relevant pain coping skills program for this population, we first conducted interviews with ten patient-caregiver dyads to gather feedback about intervention content and delivery. We then implemented the 5-session intervention with 11 patient-caregiver dyads. Caregivers reported high satisfaction ratings. They also reported using the pain coping skills on a regular basis. Given these positive preliminary findings, we are currently seeking funding to conduct a larger study.
This study was funded by the National Palliative Care Research Center