The Role of Prospective Memory in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living and the Use of Compensatory Aids in Mild Cognitive Impairment

Prospective memory (PM), which involves remembering to execute a future action, is impacted by Alzheimer's disease. This study examined the role of PM in instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) and the use of compensatory aids in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and healthy aging.Participants included 44 healthy older controls and 49 persons with MCI. Simple PM was measured by asking participants to remember to execute a single action- to request a pill after completing each of a series of neuropsychological tests. Complex PM was then measured by asking participants to request a specific number of pills depending on whether a memory test was just completed or a non-memory test was completed. The Instrumental Activities of Daily Living- Compensation (IADL-C) scale was used to assess IADLs and the use of compensatory aids for completing these activities.Regression analyses revealed that both types of PM together predicted the IADLs of money/self-management skills and home/daily living skills in healthy older controls. Both types of PM also predicted total IADLs in controls. PM did not predict IADLs in MCI or the use of compensatory aids in either group.Results indicated that PM was predictive of IADLs in healthy older adults. When PM skills are poorer, as in MCI, they are not predictive of IADLs.