Background: Memory enhancement programs that can significantly improve actual memory performance and subjective perceptions of everyday memory in elderly people are rare. This study was designed to evaluate a new memory enhancement program incorporating principles of successful aging, designed to enhance subjective and objective everyday memory in community-dwelling old people.

Methods: Two matched groups of 20 healthy community-dwelling elderly adults were assessed on measures of objective and subjective memory performance before and after participating in a memory enhancement or active control condition.

Results: Planned multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) on change scores showed that participants in the memory enhancement program improved significantly on both objective and subjective measures. Specifically, greater improvement was demonstrated on a verbal paired associates task, story recall, face recognition, contentment with memory, and use of memory strategies.

Conclusions: Although a fully randomized design was not used, the results are promising, suggesting that memory training incorporating principles of successful aging can enhance memory performance in healthy old people, objectively and subjectively.