How Goals Help Older Adults Remember Important Things

Goals and Motivation to Remember Important Information in Old Age

['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · NIH-11109712

This project looks at how setting goals can help older adults remember important information, especially when they feel rushed or stressed.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES (nih funded)
Locations1 site (LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11109712 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

Many older adults worry about changes in their memory, and this project explores how focusing on what's important can help. We want to see if older adults can learn to selectively remember crucial details, even when feeling stressed or needing to quickly process a lot of information. The research also examines if older adults can effectively forget outdated information to make their memory more efficient. This includes looking at how they remember important details like a child's allergies or changes in financial plans. The goal is to understand how motivation and practice can help manage memory challenges in daily life.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this type of research would be older adults interested in understanding and improving their memory, particularly in situations involving stress or a need to prioritize information.

Not a fit: Patients not experiencing age-related memory concerns or those with severe cognitive impairments may not directly benefit from this specific focus on selective memory strategies.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new strategies and training programs to help older adults improve their ability to remember essential information and manage memory in stressful situations.

How similar studies have performed: Research into memory and aging has shown that cognitive training and strategic approaches can sometimes improve specific memory functions, suggesting a foundation for this work.

Where this research is happening

LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Conditions: Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.