Before you assume you’re developing a serious health problem, such as dementia, be aware that your brain changes with age, both in terms of its size and structure . Changes can include slower thinking and reaction times. Many older adults assume that if they feel and act like they’ve slowed down cognitively it’s normal brain aging — when really it could be an undiagnosed medical condition that slows down thinking abilities, this goes to show how important it is for the elderly to be assisted in a daily basis, whether that’s by a family member or a senior living community, medical conditions go unnoticed if there is no proper assistance.
There are steps you can take to help preserve functions such as memory, even as your brain shrinks in volume and its nerve cells decline in size and ability to communicate with one another.
Boost cognition by staying physically active and cognitively and physically challenged every day; daily exercise improves your cognitive ability as well as your memory and increases blood flow to the different regions of your body and brain – including key memory and limbic regions involved in mood regulation and emotional balance that may be affected as people age.
Control Your Cholesterol and Blood Pressure Levels – High cholesterol and high blood pressure increase your risk of heart disease and stroke, which are thought to contribute to the development of certain types of dementia, or severe memory loss (especially in the early stages) and other cognitive problems as well. Follow your doctor’s recommendations for controlling cholesterol levels to reduce your risk for both high cholesterol itself and severe cognitive decline in the future.
Maintain a Healthy Diet- What you eat can make a big difference in how well you think and remember things. Certain types of foods and drinks can interfere with your ability to concentrate and cause changes in mood and behaviors if consumed regularly over time. In addition to eating a diet that’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids and low in total fat and sugar content to help keep you mentally sharp as you get older try to keep to a regular meal schedule so your blood sugar doesn’t get too low at any one time of the day which can cause dizziness and memory issues even if it doesn’t last for very long periods of time.
Stimulate Your Brain- Having a mentally stimulating job and doing other activities that engage your brain may help build cognitive reserve that can compensate for shrinkage of the brain that may take place naturally as you get toward retirement age and beyond and may even delay the development of Alzheimer disease for some period of time for most people who are not diagnosed with the genes associated with early onset Alzheimer’s before the age of eighty or so based on current studies of people who develop the disease even earlier in life. If you know someone who has the disease, then visit sites like https://www.chelseatbaldeagle.com/residences/floor-plans/ and check out memory care and senior living options such as Summerfield of Stockton memory care. There are many options for senior memory care such as Terraza of Cheviot Hills senior living that can help them in day-to-day activities (learn more about assisted living for seniors here).
Recent Comments