Articles about preventing memory loss are prevalent these days. For those of us caring for elderly parents, we are likely immersed in caring for a parent with dementia… or perhaps our parent recently received the diagnosis…or we are watching our parents closely for signs. I realized something last night as I was leaving a meeting. There is not a day goes by that some friend doesn’t mention dementia and how it’s impacting their family. Often the conversation goes something like this… ” My mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at age 65, and I watched her deteriorate. Now as I approach 65, I am watching for the signs. I am trying to figure out things I can do to prevent or delay its onset in me.”
That thought probably strikes a chord in most of us. What can we do to prevent or delay the illnesses related to aging? Physical aging is something that can be seen and understood, and we feel we have some control with lifestyle and healthy habits. But mental decline is a difficult thing. I know two gentlemen with Ph.d. degrees, brilliant thinkers, active and engaged in life. Yet, they are now both in the later stages of Alzheimer’s. Why???
I want to share a recent NYTimes article titled, “Can Memory Loss Be Prevented?” It helps me to hear about all the research going on out there and see the issue of dementia from different perspectives. So, here are the key points of the article. Hopefully it will provide insight for you as well.
The author, Annie Underwood, writes about a trial sponsored by the National Institute on Aging “to assess whether learning a new skill can help preserve cognitive function in old age”.
Can learning a new language or musical instrument be effective? How about quilting? Wow. That caught my eye. Quite a different approach from doing crossword puzzles for mental stimulation! Dr. Denise Park of University of Texas at Dallas, leading the trial, says “You have to picture what the pattern will look like, match fabrics, manipulate geometric forms, mentally rotate objects”. When 78 year old Bob Branham, a retired software developer, volunteered for the trial, he was randomly assigned to the quilting group. He also had to learn to use a sewing machine. He now spends 40 hours a week piecing and stitching, both at home and the social center used for the trial.
The results for Bob: he has completed 2 full-sized quilts. He’s even thinking about launching a small business selling his creations. He is encouraging his friends to sign up for such studies as well. Is this not a inspiring story? While many retirement communities offer wonderful musical and lecture programs, why not offer classes such as quilting, piano lessons, Introduction to Spanish, and get the residents actively involved….building those neural connections.
So, what do the neuroscientists and experts advise we do?
1. Realize brain fitness is not just about memory. It also includes reasoning, attention and speed of processing.
2. We should engage in physical exercise, mental challenges and follow good health habits.
3. Dr. Laura Carstensen, director of Center on Longevity at Stanford, advises that there are no supplements proven to prevent Alzheimer’s. She says GET MOVING. Several studies have shown that aerobic exercise (including walking) regularly shows improvement in working memory and attention. Why is this so important? Aerobic exercise “increases blood flow, encourages new synapses and reverses some of the decline in brain volume”.
4. Maintain healthy blood sugar and blood pressure levels.
5. A heart-healthy Mediterranean diet has been shown to lower the risk of cognitive impairment (over 4 years) by 28%
6. You’ve got to use your brain. It’s the old, “Use it or Lose it”. Crossword puzzles are good for word retrieval. But, mental cross-training is important. Engage in many diverse activites: Crosswords, Sudoku, bridge, read books, join clubs, debate, volunteer. Engage in new and interesting tasks. Proficiency does not grow new synapses like learning a new skill does.
7. Be sure to select some activities that also include social interaction.
It’s like we’ve been told all our lives. The mind, body and spirit are so connected. Hopefully these tips will get you thinking on some things you can help your aging parent and yourself incorporate into your lifestyles. That’s what it’s all about. Exercise, eat well, keep your brain stimulated (in diverse and new ways) and engage socially. I’m still thinking about quilting. It sounds very interesting. I’m just not sure I have the patience for it.
Source: “Can Memory Loss Be Prevented”, http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/11/can-dementia-be-prevented/
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Prevented? Probably not, but onset can certainly be delayed. Perhaps for some, through healthy eating, exercise, life-long learning, etc., their onset date can be pushed so far back they die before it hits, they never see it. I suppose in that sense memory loss can be prevented.
Have you read about the Aging Nun study? It is fascinating research that has recently been revived by the University of Minnesota.
In the original researcher’s work (David Snowdon), as they dissected the brains of the nuns, they found some had the physiological signs of advanced Alzheimer’s, yet before death, showed no outward signs and were functioning normally. Interesting!
On another note, you might enjoy the blog of a friend, a nursing home psychologist in NYCity. I always get a lot out of her insight.
http://mybetternursinghome.blogspot.com/
Thank you for writing this post.
Having taken care of my mom who developed dementia in her 70′s (Or was it earlier — I forget.) I can totally relate. So now I’m running each morning (actually, stumbling is more like it) and drinking gallons of green tea and chugging handfuls of blueberries, trying my best to avoid ending up demented like my mom. Somehow in my heart I feel that I might be losing the battle.
Watching someone with dementia deteriorate downward is really hard — so hard that I tried my best to deny that my mom was getting strange. I always seemed to find a way to rationalize that she was still the same person I came to for motherly advice. I should have seen it coming.
There is a form in RTF you can download from:
http:// http://www.boomer-books.com called Warning Signs of Dementia or Mental Illness. I recommend it if you have an aging parent that is acting strange, or losing their memory.
William,
Thanks for sharing your excellent resource. Also, have you read “Preventing Alzheimer’s” by Dr. William Shankle. Fascinating because he says that dementia starts up to 30 years before outward signs. He believes if we each have an annual memory screening starting at age 50, dementia can be diagnosed in the very early stage, risk factors and lifestyle changes can be addressed and early prescription of the right medications. Dementia can then be pushed off so that many could avoid the whole nursing home scenario. Seems like a huge benefit. I’m going to research why this is not part of annual exams.