Sharpen Your Mind

Boost Cognitive Health and Stay Sharp

Photo by Arya Tulsyan on Unsplash

I lived with and cared for my husband, Dan, as he struggled with dementia - it’s a horrible disease and one to be concerned about. The Fact Sheet: U.S. Dementia Trends says that as the baby boomer population ages, the total number of people with dementia in the U. S. will rise.

Estimates vary, but experts report more than 7 million people ages 65 or older had dementia in 2020. If current demographic and health trends continue, more than 9 million Americans could have it by 2030 and nearly 12 million by 2040.

That’s staggering!

Dan’s father and sister died from complications of Alzheimer’s disease. We couldn’t change his genetics, but we did have control of his behavior and habits and knew that they played a role in brain health. So we worked on them - I want to think it made a difference.

I also knew about neuroplasticity—the ability of the nervous system to change its structure and function in response to internal or external stimuli. I wanted to teach Dan the skills he’d lost, but that didn’t work. Brain exercises and relearning were a waste of time in his mind.

He did exercise daily, ate reasonably well, had a full-time job for ten years after retirement, managed our finances, and was active until emergency surgery changed his life - but signs of dementia were probably there for years.

Some say that just as they’ve found ways to reduce heart disease risk, researchers are increasingly finding evidence that there may be steps to take that can reduce the risk of Alzheimer‘s disease and dementia. They also say the brain is like a muscle that needs to be exercised regularly, and brain games can help improve memory and keep it sharper.

The Alzheimer's Association says there is very little evidence that brain training prevents dementia.

I don’t know the answer, but if the brain is a muscle, regular exercise makes sense and could keep a person’s mind sharper and longer.

Since childhood, I’ve read books, done crossword and jigsaw puzzles, and played word games. After watching Dan struggle, I’ve increased my reading and writing, and I play online games like Words with Friends, Candy Crush, and Wordscape. I’m also learning another language and making healthy choices - hoping to slow down any decline in cognition and memory that people may experience as they age.

Brain exercises don’t always work, and they aren't for everyone, but they seem worth the effort. Just in case the brain is a muscle needing daily exercise, I’m making every effort to help it live long and function well.

P.S. Exciting things are happening! Starting next week, I’ll post one article a week on Friday. See you then. Details to come!

Thank you for being part of the Aging Well community.

If you want to contribute to my work, consider donating to the Alzheimer's Association. This link takes you to their website. The choice is yours.

Janice Walton is a psychologist, a widow, a mother, a grandmother, a great-grandmother, and a writer. Her book Aging Well: 30 Lessons for Making the Most of Your Later Years is available on Amazon, and she has written articles for Substack for four years.

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