Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 12, 2025

The Immersive Cleveland Clinic Virtual Reality Shopping Platform for the Assessment of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living
Published on: July 28, 2022
Engagement in Favorite Activity and Implications for Cognition, Mental Health, and Function in Persons Living With
Natalie G Regier1,2, Jeanine M Parisi2,3, Nancy Perrin1
1Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Abstract:
Little is known about the impact of engagement in personally meaningful activities for older adults. Thus, this study examines the impact of engagement in one's favorite activity on cognitive, emotional, functional, and health-related outcomes in older adults with and without cognitive impairment. Data were obtained from 1,397 persons living with dementia (PLWD) and 4,719 cognitively healthy persons (CHP) who participated in wave 2 of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). Sociodemographic characteristics were examined by cognitive status. A multivariate analysis of variance indicated that, for PLWD, engagement in favorite activity was associated with greater functional independence and decreased depression. For CHP, engagement in favorite activity was associated with greater functional independence, decreased depression and anxiety, and better performance on memory measures. Findings suggest that engagement in valued activities that are considered personally meaningful may have significant and distinct benefits for persons with and without dementia.
Related Concept Videos
Cognitive Development During Adulthood
Dementia
The progression of dementia is generally gradual....
Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists
Alzheimer's Disease: Overview
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ...
Intellectual Disability
High-Level and Low-Level Awareness

