Pilot study: Habits for Healthy Cognitive Aging

Feb 4, 2020 | Dona Locke | @DrDonaLocke | Comments (10)

 

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Here in the HABIT Program our treatment focus has been helping those diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment, which is a syndrome that tells us something isn't going quite right in the cognitive aging process. We are passionate about our work and are so thankful to work with our HABIT partnerships to maximize their functioning, minimize symptoms, and maximize quality of life for both the person with MCI and their loved one.

I'm delighted to report that in addition to our work with people who have MCI,  we are now running a small pilot study to help those without cognitive impairment, who would like to be as proactive as possible about their brain health. This project was inspired by research interventions aimed to support healthy cognitive aging, such as the FINGER study in Finland and work by my friend Dr. Sarah Farias and her colleagues Dr. Katherine Denny and others at University of California-Davis. The program is very similar to that of Drs. Farias & Denny and their team, and I wish to share my gratitude to them for being so willing to share and collaborate on such an intervention. The intervention involves a two pronged approach of developing the strongest cognitive compensatory strategies possible (using a structured planner, developing tasks lists and prioritizing, and organizing into functional zones) and adopting lifestyle patterns to support brain health (physical exercise, cognitive exercise, and stress management).

The design of this pilot study is a randomized trial. Everyone enrolling in the trial receives a packet of materials and recommendations necessary to implement the two pronged brain health approach. Half of the participants are randomized to implement these habits and recommendations on their own over the course of 10 weeks (self-implementation group). The other half of the participants are randomized to attend coaching intervention classes, with me, once per week for two hours. The intervention classes are designed to help provide structure and homework for implementing all of the recommendations over 10 weeks.

We are currently in the 4th week of the 10 week classes and I'm really enjoying working on this project! In March, we'll get feedback from both groups on what they liked, what they didn't like, and measure how well they did implementing all of the recommendations and life changes across the groups. I can't wait for their feedback!

What do you think--would you feel up to implementing recommendations across 6 different areas on your own or would a little weekly help be better for you? I'll plan to report back with another post when we have more information from the results of the study. Finally, I want to give a big thank you to the participants who volunteered to be a part of this project!

If you'd like to talk to others who are living with mild cognitive impairment or their loved ones, please join the Connect discussion Mild Cognitive Impairment (Mild Neurocognitive Disorder).

 

 

Interested in more newsfeed posts like this? Go to the Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) blog.

How wonderful to start early with life-style changes that make a difference. With the tools your program uses, a big change in the progression should bring the needed results for so many seniors. Your new program will provide the help so many of us needed and could not find before H.A.B.I.T. Congratulations on starting a new program. Lately you can find published articles and information about early memory issues for the public. Society is waking up!

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Thank you for your comment, I’m not able to attend HABIT but I will look for articles for the public. Don’t know why I didn’t think of that.

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Can you develop a portable HABIT program, that is, a program that one can enroll in on line? It is not easy nor convenient from expense and time commitment to attend one of these workshops. A distance learning program could draw in many who have need for the HABIT program. Thanks for considering this as a different approach to HABIT learning.

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@bonniep

How wonderful to start early with life-style changes that make a difference. With the tools your program uses, a big change in the progression should bring the needed results for so many seniors. Your new program will provide the help so many of us needed and could not find before H.A.B.I.T. Congratulations on starting a new program. Lately you can find published articles and information about early memory issues for the public. Society is waking up!

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Thanks so much @bonniep ! I'm really enjoying the study so far and am hoping I'll be able to turn this into a regular offering and perhaps some online webpage programming that is more accessible as suggested below!

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@victorkach

Can you develop a portable HABIT program, that is, a program that one can enroll in on line? It is not easy nor convenient from expense and time commitment to attend one of these workshops. A distance learning program could draw in many who have need for the HABIT program. Thanks for considering this as a different approach to HABIT learning.

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I love this comment @victorkach ! We certainly have discussed how to expand our reach and online or podcast type program is one possible way. There are a few challenges to figure out (such as licensing laws that can constrain what we are able to do online), but I'm so glad that one of our readers is expressing interest in these other models. Keeps us thinking and moving forward!

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As an MCI partner, I definitely got as much out of HABIT as my spouse did. I continue to use the MSS and we both are much more active and aware of our diets than before. These are lifestyle changes important for everyone! Will be anxious to hear your response to the Pilot study.

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My husband has been diagnosed with MCI and I would LOVE to have us participate in anything you have available. We live in Pennsylvania and I do plan on checking to c if we would be eligible to come to the program in Florida in the Fall and combine it with a vacation. But in case we r not covered by insurance, anything else u have available would be WONDERFUL. Thanks.

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I am from Michigan and I have mci and would like to go to mayo too I have priority health Medicare edge plan please any suggestions cost to come to Mayo

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@cathy514

I am from Michigan and I have mci and would like to go to mayo too I have priority health Medicare edge plan please any suggestions cost to come to Mayo

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@cathy514 and @mzb2u

If either of you would like an appointment at a Mayo facility here is information about calling for an appointment. When you call you can also ask about insurance coverage.

http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63
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@hopeful33250

@cathy514 and @mzb2u

If either of you would like an appointment at a Mayo facility here is information about calling for an appointment. When you call you can also ask about insurance coverage.

http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63

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You may also email us at the HABIT program ( HABITprogram@mayo.edu ). We could review your records to determine whether HABIT is likely to be of benefit and then connect you with registration and insurance teams if you'd like to proceed after that.

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