I Have Decided to Read Out Loud for the Rest of My Life! Cognitive Health and the StrongerMemory Program

Bibliographic Data

ID21619769
AuthorsCatherine J Tompkins (0000-0002-0476-9007, George Mason University, corresponding author), Emily S Ihara (0000-0002-3163-2380, PhD, MSW, professor and chair, Social Work, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA), Francesca Keese (MSW, social worker, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Indianapolis, IN, USA), Gergana Hardy (BS, student, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA), McKenzie Lauber (MSW, social worker, Richmond Restorative Therapy, VA, USA), Catherine Magee (MSW, LGSW, social worker, Dominion Hospital, Falls church, VA, USA), Hyun Kang (0000-0003-3804-7165, PhD, MSW, assistant professor, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, USA), Kendall Barrett (MSW, social worker, Wise Mind Psychotherapy, Kensington, MD, USA), Kendall E Barrett (0000-0002-1543-9986), Harveen Pantleay (MSW, social worker, Loudoun County Public Schools, Ashburn, VA, USA), Vianey Velazquez-Dominguez (BS, graduate student, University of Virginia, Charolottesville, USA), Madeline Holden (MSW, social worker, Wesley Housing Development Corporation, Alexandria, VA, USA)
Year2026
Volume107
Issue1
Pages157-170
Publication date2026-03-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFamilies in Society The Journal of Contemporary Social Services (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1044-3894 • E-ISSN: 1945-1350
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/10443894241276891
OpenAlexW4403848498
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited34

The StrongerMemory program aims to improve cognitive health in older adults through three daily brain exercises stimulating the prefrontal cortex: reading aloud, writing, and math activities. The brain’s prefrontal cortex governs memory retrieval, decision-making, concentration, planning, insight, and judgment. This paper reports on focus groups conducted to understand participants’ perspectives of the StrongerMemory program and their continuation of the exercises post-study. Thirty older adults, mostly female, white, married, and holding advanced degrees, participated. Rigorous data analysis involving coding, memoing, and constant comparative analysis generated 132 codes leading to the emergence of five themes: motivating , appreciating , taxing , committing , and enhancing . Social work practitioners can gain valuable insights from this study to enhance the creation and implementation of accessible and meaningful brain health interventions for older adults

Cognition · Medical education · Psychiatry · Aging and Gerontology Research · Applied Psychology · Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research · Health disparities and outcomes · Medicine · Psychology · Gerontology

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