0 Item(s)
Rehabilitating Cognition in Older Adults to Prevent Cognitive Decline and Dementia
Presented by:
George W. Rebok, PhD, MA
Professor
Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health
Credit
CE:1.5
Description
Older adults are more likely to fear losing their mental abilities than their physical abilities. Fortunately, a growing body of research suggests that mental decline isn’t inevitable for most people as they age, and may even be reversible through cognitive rehabilitation. However, controversy and confusion still surround the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation efforts with older adults and the impact of these interventions on everyday life function and psychological well-being. The goal of this workshop is to review the current state of cognitive aging and intervention research with older adults and its implications for practice in diverse community and clinical settings. The workshop will cover what the current research says about the effectiveness of various cognitive interventions and recommend specific ways in which older adults can maintain mental vitality with age. Particular attention will be paid to skill-based intervention approaches that target single or multiple cognitive abilities that are known to show significant age-related decline. We will also explore the use of multimodal interventions that combine different intervention approaches such as skill-based cognitive training with cognitive engagement or stimulation approaches as a way of promoting greater transfer. Because the needs of older adults differ, we will discuss how interventions can be adapted for older people presenting with different cognitive profiles, educational and cultural backgrounds, and motivational levels. The use of dementia risk reduction strategies along with cognitive intervention will be included in the discussion. We will also discuss how to increase the access, affordability, usability, and sustainability of cognitive interventions with older adults.
Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
After the session, participants will be able to:
1. Identify the major modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia.
2. Explain the nature and scope of non-pharmacological intervention approaches that are most effective in slowing cognitive decline and reducing dementia risk in middle-aged and older adults.
3. Define cognitive training and explain how cognitive training interventions are applied to improve cognitive performance and everyday function.
4. Identify major challenges and opportunities for the development of non-pharmacological interventions for preventing or delaying cognitive decline and dementia.
Target Audience: Neuropsychologists and trainees
Instructional Level: Intermediate
Dr. Rebok is a Professor at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, and holds joint faculty appointments in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, the Johns Hopkins Center on Aging and Health, and the Center on Innovative Care in Aging at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. He received his MA and PhD degrees in life-span developmental psychology at Syracuse University with a specialization in gerontology, and he completed postdoctoral training in cognitive neuropsychology, epidemiology, and biostatistics at Johns Hopkins. His research focuses on cognitive aging, prevention science, and public mental health, and has included studies on cognitive interventions with older adults, and the effects of aging and dementia on driving and other everyday functional tasks. Dr. Rebok currently serves as Co-Director of the NIA-funded Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (JHAD-RCMAR). He has been the site Principal Investigator of the NIA/NINR-funded ACTIVE (Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly) study where one of his roles has been to chair the national Steering Committee for this multi-site, randomized intervention trial. He also served as Principal Investigator for the NIA-funded randomized, controlled trial of a social engagement intervention called the Baltimore Experience Corps®. He has published numerous peer-reviewed articles, books, and book chapters on identification of early risk and protective factors on later life cognitive health and daily function; prevention of age-related cognitive decline, memory loss, depression, and disability; and the short- and long-term outcomes of cognitive intervention trials with normal and cognitively impaired older adults. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, Association for Psychological Science, Gerontological Society of America, and the American Institutes for Research. In 2017 he received the American Psychological Association Division 20 award for Mentorship in Aging.