McKnight Awards Research Scholarship in Cognitive Aging to Sarah Getz, PhD
MCKNIGHT CLINICAL TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIP IN COGNITIVE AGING AND AGE-RELATED MEMORY LOSS
Scammers target people of all ages, but individuals 50 years and older are the most vulnerable to scams. Individuals with age-related diminished sensory abilities and cognitive decline are especially vulnerable targets. Hearing loss has been associated with cognitive decline and dementia and has negative impacts on depression, socialization, and isolation. Older adults with impaired hearing may be at a particularly high risk for scamming due to difficulty with fully processing complex demands under some circumstances.
Dr. Getz’s project will study the association between hearing loss and deception, and identify what leads older adults to be more susceptible to scams in order to develop an intervention to reduce the risk of scamming among those most vulnerable.
This research is funded by the McKnight Brain Research Foundation through the American Brain Foundation and the American Academy of Neurology. Dr. Getz is an Instructor of Neuropsychology at the University of Miami Department of Neurology.
