Today, we are going to be discussing everyday activities that boost memory in older adults. First, we’ll talk about cognitive health, what it is, and things that affect it. Then, we will differentiate between normal age-related memory and cognitive issues that most individuals experience and the cognitive decline that happens with cognitive issues, such as Alzheimer’s or dementia.

 

After which we will see why cognitive function decreases with age. Then, we’ll talk about how older adults without cognitive issues can boost their memory and what everyday activities they can start trying now. We’ll then move on to some daily things seniors with cognitive issues can do to help improve or delay the cognitive decline they are experiencing. Finally, we’ll talk about the importance of exercising your brain now and how it can help you later. Now let’s move on to the rest of the show.

 

 

The National Institute on Aging states that Cognitive health, which is the ability to clearly think, learn, and remember, is an important component of performing everyday activities and is just one aspect of overall brain health. Our brain health is determined by how well we are able to function across several areas which include: cognitive health, motor function, emotional function, and tactile function.

 

 

Several studies have shown that taking care of your physical health, managing high blood pressure, eating healthy foods, engaging in physical activity, keeping your mind active, staying connected with social activities, managing stress are all linked to cognitive health and can help improve brain function and a combination of all of these as lifestyle changes can actually help reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Now, I know that was a big list of things I just gave you, but most of them are things you are probably already doing and things we are constantly recommending on this podcast.

 

 

Taking care of your physical health means that you make sure you are going to your scheduled doctors’ appointments and keeping up with treatments and any care plans you may have. You should also reduce your risk of falling at home to prevent possible brain-related injuries that may come from a fall. If you are interested in ways to make sure your home is safe as you continue to age, check out our Quick Tips episode on Safely Aging in Place.

 

 

Many observational studies have come to the consensus that having high blood pressure between the ages of forty and sixty is a risk factor for cognitive decline as an older adult. The National Institute on Aging suggests that preventing or controlling your high blood pressure can help protect your brain and heart. Since high blood pressure can happen without any symptoms, it is important to go to your doctor for regular health screenings. If you have high blood pressure, you’re not alone. One-third of Americans have high blood pressure, and nearly two-thirds of older adults have high blood pressure. Your doctor may suggest exercise, changes in your diet, or medication to help control your high blood pressure.

 

 

A healthy diet has yet to be scientifically proven to reduce the risks of cognitive decline, but researchers are currently working on it. For instance, some people on the Mediterranean diet have been shown to have a lower risk of developing dementia. Even if scientists are unable to find a connection between eating healthy and lowering your risk of cognitive decline as an older adult, eating healthy is helpful for your overall brain health. If you’re interested in nutrition tips for seniors, we’ve done a few episodes covering the subject in the past.

 

Make sure you drink plenty of water and are getting the nutrients your body needs. Talk to your doctor for help developing a nutrition plan specifically for you. As we age, our body changes and we need different things to fuel our bodies than we used to. Your doctor or a registered dietician can help determine the right plan for you.

 

 

Being physically active has many benefits. The National Institute on aging says that being physically active can keep and improve your strength, allow you to have more energy, improve your balance, which can help reduce your fall risk, prevent or delay heart disease, diabetes, and other concerns, and can help improve your mood and reduce depression. Studies have found that ongoing physical activity benefits your brain health and cognitive function. Aerobic exercise, which we commonly think of as cardio, seems to be more effective than nonaerobic exercise when it comes to cognitive function.

 

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln suggests that activities such as walking, dancing, swimming, water aerobics, jogging, aerobic exercise classes, bike riding (either stationary or on a path), gardening activities, such as raking and pushing a lawnmower, tennis, and golf (without a golf cart) are all beneficial for your health. Older adults should aim to participate in some form of aerobic activity for a total of two and a half hours a week. If you are just starting out or have chronic pain or other health conditions, don’t overdo it. Make sure you talk to your doctor before starting any new exercise programs.

 

 

While keeping your body active is important, so is keeping your mind active. Being intellectually stimulated has been connected to cognitive health, but it hasn’t been proven. An ample amount of studies are being conducted on what types of mental activities help with cognitive function, but they are all ongoing. At the very least, no studies have shown any harmful effects of keeping your mind active. Learning a new skill, volunteering, and hobbies are all things you can participate in that may benefit your brain health by keeping your mind active. Most of these activities will also help ensure you have much-needed social interaction as you get older, as well.

 

 

Stress is a normal part of life, but over time, chronic stress can change the brain, affect memory, and increase the risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Learning to manage stress now can help your body bounce back from stressful situations and reduce your risk of affecting your cognitive function. For some helpful tips and a list of ways to help manage stress, listen to our episodes on caring for the caregiver and self-care.

 

 

Now that you know about cognitive health and some things you can start doing now to protect and improve it, let’s move on to the difference between normal age-related memory and cognitive issues that most older adults will experience and the cognitive decline that happens with cognitive issues, such as Alzheimer’s or dementia.

 

 

The Alzheimer’s Society states that many of us get a little more forgetful as we get older. Most people will need a bit longer to remember things, get distracted more easily, or struggle to multi-task as well as they once did. This may become noticeable particularly from middle-age - usually taken as during our 40s, 50s, and early 60s - onwards. These changes are normal, but they can be a nuisance and at times frustrating. However, you may worry that these things are an early sign of dementia. It's important not to worry too much about this. For most people, these changes will be the result of normal aging and won't be down to dementia.

 

 

The Alzheimer’s Society also has a helpful chart you can look at to compare the signs of normal aging versus dementia. However, it should not be used to self-diagnose anything. If you or your loved one are experiencing any sort of cognitive decline, see your doctor. They can determine whether it is because of the normal aging process or not. You can find a link to the Alzheimer’s Society’s website and their chart in our show notes.

 

 

An article written for Harvard Health Publishing states that scientists used to think that brain connections developed at a rapid pace in the first few years of life until you reached your mental peak in your early 20s. Your cognitive abilities would level off at around middle age, and then start to gradually decline. We now know this is not true. Instead, scientists now see the brain as continuously changing and developing across the entire life span. There is no period in life when the brain and its functions just hold steady. Some cognitive functions become weaker with age, while others actually improve.

 

 

Some brain areas, including the hippocampus, shrink in size. The myelin sheath that surrounds and protects nerve fibers wears down, which can slow the speed of communication between neurons. Some of the receptors on the surface of neurons that enable them to communicate with one another may not function as well as they once did. These changes can affect your ability to encode new information into your memory and retrieve information that's already in storage, affecting both your long- and short-term memory.

 

 

The brain is continuously changing and growing as we age and it’s important to make sure we are keeping it active and healthy. Symphony Senior Living explains that when your brain is healthy, you can help delay cognitive issues such as Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. They also have a few suggestions for older adults with normal aging to do daily that can boost their memory.

 

 

Card and board games that encourage thinking and calculation such as gin rummy, mahjong or Scrabble, or chess are excellent activities to add to your regular schedule to exercise memory muscles. If you are social distancing, many of these games can be played online with your loved ones, as well.

 

 

It’s important to stimulate your brain with new information and events. If you don’t, your ability to process new information will decrease over time. Brain games like Sudoku, word searches, and crosswords are great ways to stimulate your brain with new information. Reading also helps your brain retain its ability to process new information and has even been linked to longevity.

 

 

As we stated earlier, learning a new skill is also beneficial for your brain health and a great way to keep your mind active. You are never too old to learn. Whatever is it you want to learn, a musical instrument, creative writing, or maybe knitting, you should just start. Look for local classes in your area or you can take a virtual class. No matter what you choose, learning something new is a great way to stimulate cognitive function for a healthy, engaged brain.

 

Keeping active, both physically and mentally, is important for everyone, but it is especially important for people with dementia or other memory conditions. Saran Craig, the Clinical Program Innovation Manager at Senior Link says that providing structure and routine for a person living with dementia helps to maintain their cognitive function, sense of security, and can calm anxious or aggressive behaviors. Games, exercise and outdoor activities, music, art, and maintaining a day-to-day routine have proven to be particularly helpful and beneficial for both physical and cognitive health.

 

 

Games are a great way to help someone with dementia practice their mental skills, which can help prevent or slow their memory decline and give them the self-confidence they may be lacking. Simple math can become a problem for many with dementia, but card and board games, like chutes and ladders and go fish, can help them gain confidence in themselves and allow them to practice some math.

 

Playing trivia can also be a fun way to help stimulate their brain and help prevent their memory from declining further. Playing matching games routinely can help improve memory, concentration, stimulate problem-solving skills and hand-eye coordination.

 

In an article for the New York Times, Gretchen Reynolds tells us that findings suggest that walking a few times per week might alter the trajectory of the disease and improve the physical well-being of people who develop a common form of age-related memory loss, dementia, that otherwise has few treatments. If you or your loved one are able to go for a walk, you may find this to be true. However, going for a walk most likely will not improve memory, but it may help in preventing any further decline.

 

Journaling may also be something that someone with dementia may find helpful. Journaling can help manage stress, which we know from earlier can help boost memory, and writing about how we feel or what we did that day stimulates the brain.

 

If you or your loved one has been diagnosed with dementia or if you would just like to learn more, you can find our Dementia and Alzheimer’s playlist on our YouTube channel to watch some or all of the episodes we currently have released on dementia.

 

Make sure you are exercising your brain now instead of beginning when you notice any cognitive decline. There are tons of ways you can engage your brain. I’m sure you will be able to find a few ways to stimulate your brain and help improve your cognitive function. Starting earlier in life can help you prevent or slow any cognitive decline or issues you may face as you age and having the tools to help now can help ease your mind, and stress levels, if you experience memory issues later in life.

 

 

We want to thank you for joining us here at All Home Care Matters, All Home Care Matters is here for you and to help families as they navigate long-term care issues. Please visit us at allhomecarematters.com there is a private secure fillable form there where you can give us feedback, show ideas, or if you have questions. Every form is read and responded to. If you know someone is who could benefit from this episode, please share it with them.

 

Remember, you can listen to the show on any of your favorite podcast streaming platforms and watch the show on our YouTube channel and make sure to hit that subscribe button, so you'll never miss an episode. Join us next time on All Home Care Matters where we will be welcoming a very special guest, Alexis Baker. Alexis is a Board Certified and Licensed Music Therapist and will be sharing the many benefits and tools of music therapy. This is an interview that you won’t want to miss!

 

Sources:

https://www.symphonyseniorliving.com/blog/activities-that-help-memory-in-seniors/

 

https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/01/the-preschool-inside-a-nursing-home/424827/

 

https://www.senioradvisor.com/blog/2017/02/5-benefits-of-putting-a-preschool-in-a-nursing-home/

 

https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/cognitive-health-and-older-adults

 

https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/high-blood-pressure-linked-cognitive-decline

 

https://food.unl.edu/physical-activity-older-adults

 

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/symptoms-and-diagnosis/how-dementia-progresses/normal-ageing-vs-dementia

 

https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/how-memory-and-thinking-ability-change-with-age

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/24/well/move/a-1-hour-walk-3-times-a-week-has-benefits-for-dementia.html

 

https://www.seniorlink.com/blog/helpful-daily-activities-for-dementia-patients-50-expert-tips-and-suggestions-to-keep-your-loved-one-engaged