Dementia Clinical Trials

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the leading causes of disability in older adults. Because pharmacological approaches do not seem to prevent or slow the disease, clinicians need non-pharmacological interventions that might help people with AD remain independent for as long as possible. This study aims to evaluate the effects of a new behavioral treatment, the Structured External Memory Aid Treatment (SEMAT), for adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) designed to promote independent living skills by explicitly teaching the use of strategies and tools to compensate for cognitive weaknesses. Aim 1: Evaluate the efficacy of the SEMAT for improving functional performance in a pilot randomized trial. Aim 2: Evaluate demographic, clinical, and neuropsychological predictors of treatment adherence. Aim 3: Develop and refine the SEMAT manual and other materials for training future interventionists.