Different types of memory in late adulthood

Different types of memory in late adulthood

Different types of memory in late adulthood

Identify and Describe different types of memory in late adulthood

Part I. Identify and Describe different types of memory in late adulthood

Fill in the boxes to complete the chart below, and indicate in the rightmost column whether these cognitive skills are relatively intact or declining in late adulthood

Type of memory Description Relatively intact or declining?
Recall of everyday experiences
Implicit memory
Creating and retrieving links between pieces of information
Remote memory
Prospective memory:
time-based

Remembering to engage in planned actions in the future after a certain time interval has elapsed
Prospective memory:
event-based

Part II. Application of Concepts: The Adventures of “Professor Yanos the Gray”

1. Prof. Y. has just celebrated her 70th birthday and has settled into her comfortable life of retirement with her 20 cats. She still reads articles about psychology research but finds that she has to read the same material over twice or three times in order for the concepts to really “stick” in her mind. Nevertheless, she publishes her commentary on an academic blog that she started when she was 40 (and still unfortunately uses terribly outdated psychology memes). How might selective optimization with compensation help her to maintain her ability to comprehend and communicate information relating to psychology? Explain your answer.

2. Prof. Y. meets her new neighbor Callie, who has moved in across the street. They exchange friendly conversation; Callie has also made some extra cupcakes and insists on giving a few to her elderly counterpart. The next day, Callie bumps into Prof. Y. at the grocery store while she is trying to make a choice between two brands of applesauce. She recognizes Callie’s face from the day before but has difficulty recalling her name (associative memory impairment). What might be a strategy that poor Prof. Y. could use to help her recall?

3. Prof. Y. successfully remembers Callie’s name. After their brief conversation, they say goodbye; she then marches triumphantly to the next aisle. But she still has to resolve one more cognitive problem! What is it?

4. Prof. Y. received a goldfish from her grandniece for her 70th birthday. Prof. Y. is very touched by the gesture and names the fish Wilson, and places Wilson’s bowl on a deep shelf safe from the cats. If she were to rely on her own raw cognitive skills to take care of Wilson without any type of help, what are his realistic chances for survival? Explain your answer. (Hint: refer to different types of memory in late life from part I)

5. What are cognitive “tricks” that Prof. Y. can use to make sure Wilson lives a long, happy life?