Cognitive interventions may improve performance among older adults. This study aimed at testing the efficacy of a cognitive training program based on ecologic tasks, which mimic shopping tasks, involving memorization of grocery items and simple mathematical calculations. This intervention study involved an experimental and a control group, and pre and post intervention evaluations; 21 older adults participated in eight training sessions and 12 participants completed pre and post test evaluations. Efficacy of training variables included the CERAD cognitive battery, the Geriatric Depression Scale and four questions from the Life Satisfaction Scale. During training, participants engaged in tasks that were similar to everyday activities, such as memorizing grocery lists, categorization of grocery items, and dealing with money in tasks of change. The group which received training showed significant improvement particularly in the verbal fluency animal category and in the immediate word list recall (sum of three trials) of the CERAD battery. The control group did not show significant changes from pre to post test. Results suggest cognitive training may increase performance in episodic memory and mathematical calculations among elderly adults.
Aging; Older adults; Cognitive training; Memory