Yes it is possible, even as we grow older, to increase our memory or, at the very least, to preserve what memory we have.

Our memory is affected by certain types of decline as we age such as a slower processing speed, a decrease in our ability to multi-task and a growing annoyance with tip of the tongue issues. However, there is hope.  Through challenging our brain and learning new things, we can actually generate new brain cells and create new pathways between them.  This can result in a phenomenon called cognitive reserve – a type of extra “tank of gas” in our brains which can help us stave off memory decline.

Beginning on Wednesday, September 10th from 12:30 to 2PM Lauren Heinatz from ComForcare Home Care will be teaching people how to maximize the memory they have and even improve it in a series of 7 classes. The cost is $35.00 per person or $60.00 per couple.  For residents of Jason Lee or Willson House the fee is $15.00 per person.  Fee includes the instruction as well as over 200 activity sheets.

To register for the class or to get more information call Shari at 503.585.6511.  Willson House is located at 1625 Center St. NE in Salem. 

What does Ellen DeGeneres do every day that helps her avoid memory loss by up to 75%??  She dances!  Neurologist Majid Fothui, says in a new study, “dancing involves your whole brain, from the ‘sequencing’ of steps in your left hemisphere to the spatial memory in your right hemisphere.”

Learning this fact about staying active by dancing is one of the many things you can learn in Dr. Winningham’s Certified Cognitive Stimulation Workshop to be held on May 16-17th at Willson House. This workshop, taught by Robert G. Winningham, Ph.D., is open to professionals of all disciplines who care for persons with varying levels of cognitive impairment. The course is ideal for those who work in assisted living, skilled nursing or home health care settings. In addition, the course is the best available for those who are interested in starting their own cognitive stimulation program. 



Upon successful completion of the course, participants will be given the opportunity to take an examination to become a Certified Cognitive Stimulation Instructor. 10.5 CEUs will be given at the completion of the course. Click here to register for this workshop sponsored by ComForcare Senior Services, Christy Turner at Dementia Care Management and Propac, or call Mary Reitan at 503.502.45096 for more information.  

“If older adults can maintain their cognitive ability, they will require less care and possibly delay or even eliminate the need to go to a nursing home. Cognitively stimulating activities may also postpone symptoms of dementia, which could also delay the need for more intensive care.”  This is an excerpt from an article Dr. Rob Winningham wrote in the Journal of Mental Health and Aging. 

Sudoku is just one of the many things you can do to improve your memory. In last week's blog post, you received a couple 6 square puzzles (read it here if you missed it). Now you can download the answers here to make sure you were correct.

What are some other cognitively stimulating things you can do to help improve your memory?  Following is a list of 20 things according to Dr. Winningham in his book, “Train Your Brain: How to Maximize Memory Ability in Older Adulthood"

    •    Read a book
    •    Order a subscription to a newspaper
    •    Do crossword puzzles
    •    Join a club or other organization
    •    Visit with friends
    •    Take a class at a local community college
    •    Go to a sporting event
    •    Try to develop a new hobby
    •    Take different routes to frequent destinations
    •    Go to a different grocery store
    •    Take a trip to a new place
    •    Go dancing or take a dancing class
    •    Volunteer
    •    Join a book club
    •    Try learning a foreign language
    •    Get a part time job
    •    Gardening— consider becoming a master gardener
    •    Read new magazines
    •    Listen to music
    •    Play new board games

Studies have shown that the more stimulating mental activities people are involved in each day, the slower the rate of decline in their memory. So make it a habit to increase your mental fitness by taking your brain for a 20 minute workout each day! 

Scientists have discovered that mental puzzles and exercises can stimulate the dendrites (memory storage compartments) of your brain cells. Severe mental decline is usually caused by disease, whereas most age-related losses in memory simply result from inactivity and a lack of mental exercise and stimulation. Just like physical exercise, when it comes to your brain, you have to "use it or lose it."  Your brain gets very efficient about pruning off the brain pathways to your brain cells that you aren’t using. 

Do crossword puzzles, word searches and especially Sudoku puzzles.  Dr. Rob Winningham, founder of the “Use it or Lose it” brain training program, says that if you only do one thing for your brain do Sudoku because it's problem solving and affects an entirely different part of your brain. 

Download the 6 square Sudoku puzzles (3-page .pdf) by clicking on the image to the left.  The answer will be posted next week.  Your brain will thank you for taking the time on a daily basis to strengthen it with puzzles and other mental exercises!

Last week’s blog post was the first part of Dr. Winningham’s article, Train Your Brain: Maximize Memory Ability By Staying Cognitively and Physically Active.  In that article he talked about the need to stay active by doing things that challenges your brain in order to maintain cognitive function. The second part of the article explains the holistic lifestyle approach that helps minimize the risk of dementia as we age.  We can all start right NOW to do things that will keep our brain strong for as long as we need it!

A Holistic Lifestyle Approach. Many researchers interested in helping older adults maintain their cognitive abilities and quality of life have looked for and found risk factors associated with memory decline and dementia. Many of these risk factors are under our control. Here is a partial list of risk factors associated with an increased chance of developing memory problems or dementia:

• Smoking
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Obesity
• Poor diet
• High blood pressure
• Chronic alcoholism
• Anemia or low iron levels
• Atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries)
• Pre-diabetes or insulin resistance
• Diabetes
• Visual and auditory impairments
• Depression
• Poor social support networks

           
Maximizing memory ability and decreasing the chance of developing dementia requires eliminating or reducing the above risk factors whenever possible. The sum effect of making the type of lifestyle changes discussed in this article is far greater than the effect of any drug that has been or probably will ever be developed for memory. It takes hard work, dedication, and motivation to truly maximize memory ability in older adulthood, but ever-increasing numbers of people are doing it.

If you are interested in learning more about improving memory and decreasing the chance of developing dementia, then read Dr. Winningham’s book Train Your Brain: How to Maximize Memory Ability in Older Adulthood, which was published by Baywood Publishing earlier this year. For questions, email Dr. Winningham.