Being forgetful? If you are looking for ways to preserve your mental abilities as you grow older, here are some suggestions from Safe @ Home Senior Care, a reliable provider of senior care in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Not only are these brain boosters fun but are also good ways to exercise your cognitive abilities.
- Arts and Crafts
One study shows that engaging in creative activities like arts and crafts may protect against cognitive impairment. The study showed that people who engaged in artistic activities were 73% less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment, than those who didn’t. Additionally, participants who engaged in crafts like quilting and woodworking were shown to be 45% less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment. (link to https://www.aan.com/PressRoom/Home/PressRelease/1363)
- Regular Exercise
Studies show that engaging in regular exercise can help aging adults improve their physical fitness, brain health, and memory. One of the most concrete links is between aerobic fitness and cognitive preservation. This study shows that 30-45 minutes of brisk walking (at least three times a week) can help delay the onset of dementia. (link to http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/25/1015950108)
- Reading
There are numerous reading materials available out there, from newspapers, magazines, and books. According to research, mental stimulation like reading can help protect one’s thinking skills and memories. Studies suggest that reading every day can slow down the late-life cognitive decline and that it can help keep the brain to retain higher functioning for long periods of time. Studies also show that reading results in a slower rate of memory deterioration and decline for other mental capacities. (link to https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3772831/)
- Online games
If you have a computer, you should consider playing online games. For instance, the AARP website (link to https://www.aarp.org/) offers countless of senior brain games! Not only are these games fun, but they can help stimulate your cognitive functions as well. For instance, a study (link to https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-09/uoc–tto082913.php) shows that through the use of a specially designed 3-D video games, the cognitive performance in older adults improved. Other studies also show that strategy video games show promise in improving brain function in older adults and may provide protection against dementia.( link to https://www.aaas.org/news/strategy-based-video-games-may-improve-older-adults-brain-function)
As your friendly home care agency in Wisconsin, these are just 4 of the many brain-stimulating activities available out there for seniors that we can suggest. Remember, not every technique will work for everyone so make sure to choose an activity that you can enjoy and can do consistently.