Using reminders and simple tools to help older adults remember future tasks
Official title: Using Cognitive Offloading to Mitigate Age-Related Declines in Prospective Memory
Funded at University of Texas Arlington · NIH-11163336 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will see whether teaching older adults to use alarms, notes, and other reminders, while measuring attention with pupil responses, helps them remember to do things like take medications.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Arlington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Arlington, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $192,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM146705-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11163336 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are older adults experiencing age-related memory decline or mild cognitive impairment, including people in early stages of Alzheimer's-related dementia who can follow training.
✕Less likely to help
People with advanced dementia who cannot engage with training or follow study procedures, or those whose problems are unrelated to prospective memory, are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project looks at how older adults remember to do planned tasks, such as taking medications or keeping appointments. Researchers will have participants complete memory tasks while measuring behavior and pupil size to pinpoint when remembering breaks down during learning, storage, or retrieval. The team will provide training in offloading strategies (alarms, notes, phone reminders) and practice using those tools to see if training changes real-world remembering. The goal is to create practical, easy-to-use guidance that can reduce missed medications and support independence.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reduce missed medications and everyday memory failures by teaching effective reminder strategies that help older adults stay independent.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research shows external reminders like alarms often help older adults remember, but combining physiological measures with targeted strategy training for lasting real-world benefit is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas Arlington
Arlington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ball, Brett Hunter — University of Texas Arlington
- Study coordinator: Ball, Brett Hunter
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
New microfluidic platform to study aging and reproduction in C. elegans
Aims to make studying aging and reproductive biology in C. elegans easier and faster by using a new microfluidic chip that automates how worms are loaded, housed, and imaged.
-
Unlocking how transcriptional regulators influence eye health and disease
A patient-friendly overview of a research project that aims to map how genes control eye health using scalable, advanced data methods.
-
Data-driven look at walkability and safety for older adults
A small, patient-friendly study aims to understand what makes neighborhoods easier or harder to walk for adults aged 21 and older, focusing especially on older adults.
-
How changes to public spaces affect hypertension risk in older adults
changes in everyday public spaces like parks and sidewalks may influence blood pressure in adults 21 and older over time.
-
Improving Teenage Driver Safety through Better Training and Safer Roadways
A teen-focused program tests how strengthening driver training and smarter road design can reduce risky driving and crashes for 15–18-year-olds.
-
Light-activated metal tools to image and treat disease
A researcher team at a university is developing tiny osmium metal compounds that light up and can be activated inside the body to help visualize and control disease.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.