Maintenance of Technology-Based Functional Skills Training Gains in Older Participants With and Without Mild...

Prior research has demonstrated that the technology-based Functional Skills Assessment and Training program (FUNSAT™) improves functional skills among older adults with and without Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). The current study examined maintenance of training gains and the role of booster sessions on sustaining training gains.

Randomized clinical trial with post-training follow-ups.

14 Community centers in New York City and Miami.

Older adults with normal cognition (n = 74) or MCI (n = 90), ranging in age from 60 to 90 years.

Computerized cognitive and skills trainings delivered at home 2x weekly for 12 weeks or until mastery.

The FUNSAT™ program includes financial, medication management, and transportation skills. Completion time and errors were assessed pretraining (T1), post-training (T2), one-month post-training (T3) and 3-months post-training (T4). Participants whose T2 training gains were not sustained at T3 (according to predetermined criteria) received booster training.

The percentage of participants needing a booster was low (13% to 34% across tasks); need for booster training was greater for more complex tasks (e.g., internet banking). Participants who did not need a booster improved in performance from T2 to T3. Booster training was efficacious as those receiving booster training subsequently regained training gains and their performance did not differ from the no-booster group at T4.

The findings further support the efficacy of the FUNSAT™ training program; most participants maintained or increased their training gains over time. Booster training was beneficial in terms of sustaining gains, indicating that booster sessions play a critical role in skills training.