Cognitive Aging and Everyday Remembering

The purpose of this investigation is to describe the influence of cognitive ability, specifically executive function, on medication adherence among older adults (70 years and older) who are community dwelling, but often too frail or lacking in resources, to travel to a university setting to participate in a research project. Therefore, this investigation targets the less mobile members of the older community by using home visits thereby making it possible for individuals who are not as high functioning to participate. This investigation also examines the loading of two easy to administer cognitive tests that have been reported to reflect executive function and examines if these tests load on the same factor as the established neuropsychological tests for executive function. It is further hypothesized that symptoms will influence medication adherence and interact with performance on the cognitive battery to predict medication adherence. Medication adherence is an important selfcare activity impacting on health and well being, yet adherence may be particularly problematic for older adults who have been shown elsewhere to experience cognitive decline associated with normal aging.