Effect of Memory Training Program on Memory Performance among Residents in Elderly Homes in Lattakia, Syria

Abstract

One of the common issues facing older adults today is the fear of declining memory performance. Objective: Study the effect of memory training program on memory performance among residents in elderly homes in Lattakia, Syria. Setting: The study was carried out in the three available homes for elderly people. Subjects: The study subjects comprised 40 elderly persons. They were divided randomly into two groups: study and control. Each group comprised 20 elders. Elders in the control group were left to their routine while those in the study group were subjected to memory training for four months. Tools: Two tools were used for data collection: the socio-demographic and clinical data structured interview schedule, and the Blessed Information-Memory-Concentration (BIMC) Test. Results: The implemented memory training had a positive effect in improving memory performance among elders' in the study group where one fifth of them had no memory impairment while one fifth showed improvement in their status. Among the control group, the condition became worse for about a quarter of the subjects. Conclusion: The program succeeded in improving memory performance. Recommendations: Elderly homes should enforce the application of memory training to their residents into their daily routine to improve memory performance.