Episodic Memory in Later Life: Benefits of Prayer and Meditation

Abstract

<b>Purpose:</b> To examine the effects of prayer and meditation on the episodic memory of older adults. <b>Design:</b> Secondary analysis of Health and Retirement Study (HRS). <b>Method:</b> Drawing from a subsample of HRS (<i>n</i> = 1,135), this study utilized generalized estimating equation regression models to examine the effects of meditation and prayer on changes in episodic memory of older adults over time. <b>Findings:</b> Findings show a statistically significant positive effect of the use of prayer (0.50, <i>p</i> < .05) on episodic memory score at baseline. We also observed a slight gain in episodic memory over time for older adults who used prayer (0.04, <i>p</i> = .05). Meditation was not found to have a statistically significant effect on changes in memory in later life. <b>Conclusion:</b> This study illustrates the benefits of prayer in preserving memory and provides much needed empirical basis for community-level interventions to enhance memory in later life.