sumary of my phd thesis presented at gerontechnology 2012
TRANSCRIPT
Older adults are at a disadvantage in dealing with
computer technology…
… but computer technology might also provide benefits
for older adults…
… such as cognitive training.
Picture source: Dagblad De Limburger
This idea is backed-up theoretically by the notion of
Cognitive Reserve and the Use it or Lose it Principle…
Picture source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/neuralwizardry/2378024664/
… but evidence is not clear.
Picture source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/epsos/4913877848/
Need for multifactorial intervention!
4-months follow-up
Randomization 2
Baseline screening (236)
Not interested (45)Randomization 1 (191)
No training (68)Training (123)
No intervention (62)Intervention (62)
12-months follow-up
Our intervention targeted (amongst others) cognitive
functioning.
We found no effect of the intervention on most measures
of cognitive functioning:
Picture source: http://www.alzheimercentrum.nl
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Training/Intervention Training/No intervention No training/No intervention
No interest
baseline
4 months
12 months
Verbal memory (VVLT)
Speed of information processing (LDST)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Training/Intervention Training/No intervention
No training/No intervention
No interest
baseline
4 months
12 months
Stroop test (inhibition scores)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Training/Intervention Training/No intervention
No training/No intervention
No interest
baseline
4 months
12 months
Subjective cognitive functioning (CFQ)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Training/Intervention Training/No intervention
No training/No intervention
No interest
baseline
4 months
12 months
That is, we did not find beneficial effects of using
computers and the internet for older adults…
… nor did we find evidence of risks of using computers.
However, we didn’t study subjective experience…
… and our sample was very healthy and autonomous to
begin with.
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