Tag: exercise and dementia

Use It or Lose It Applies to your Memory Too

I have three clients all with Memory issues that have shown a noticeable uptick in their engagement and activity. Unfortunately, it isn’t all of them so I started to see if there was any patterns that applied to all three.

In the past one to two months, all three of them have had more social engagement. They are all widowed, and live alone. None of them had previously had much social interaction due to giving up car keys, moving into a new community, or even just because for the last year they were giving care to a loved one.

When you visit with them, initially you may not even notice they have any short-term memory issues. However, if you try to have a longer or deeper conversation with them, you quickly recognize they have some memory issues. Due to changing circumstances, all three of them have had a lot more social interaction and I think that has helped them in a variety of ways.

I have noticed it in their activity, spending, and in my direct conversations with them.

Memory loss is not a normal consequence of aging. Our brains still produce new brain cells. However, once we hit 50, there is a slowing down of brain processing which we usually equate to memory loss. Eventually, you should be able to recall information, but it just takes longer.

However, we must remind ourselves that just like muscle-strength, we need to continue using our memory skills and engage in activities that stimulate our brains. It’s why I am afraid of the traditional concept of retirement and am often day-dreaming about how best to age, enjoy life, and stay engaged in meaningful ways that will challenge my brain.

After seeing this anecdotal result, I believe that every person needs to have some form of meaningful social engagement several times a week. For many older adults who want to age in place, managing this if they live alone can be a bigger challenge. In general our friend circle may be smaller and it might be harder to visit if we are no longer driving.

The answer on how to get more social engagement will vary for everyone but most communities have senior and community centers that offer ongoing classes and exercise programs for opportunities to make new friends. However, step one is to help us all recognize that your brain is a use it or lose it muscle we all need to work on continuing to stretch. Witnessed.

If you have a loved one in this situation, can you:
– Find local classes where they might meet a new friend (senior centers, community centers, and community colleges are easy places to start)
– Connect them with a local “village” that works to connect neighbors and offer both social engagement and help around the house
– Encourage them to look at moving to an adult community be it 55+, a condominium or apartment, as well as a Life Care Community
– Look at AARP that often offers a variety of social events in your community — if you are a member you will get mail or you can also download their app that features local events that are usually free
– Have friendly visitors come to the home to take them out or have a lively discussion at home about topics they love.

Falls are Game Changers for Older Adults

FallRisk

I know you have heard or seen a lot about the risk of a fall. It seems like the smallest of worries when you are dealing with concerns over personal and financial safety.  However, it looms as one thing that changes EVERYTHING for many of the clients with which I work. It was also the pivotal event that preceded my mom’s death.

For my mom, ending up the Emergency Room after a fall in her Memory Care community resulted in another small stroke (or maybe two). While the doctor suggested surgery, I struggled with the idea that if she emerged from surgery, she would actually be cognitively worse and have to manage through the pain and recovery. She didn’t recognize me at the hospital and she was no longer swallowing her food. While the medical solution was surgery, I was advised to tell them she would prefer to “let nature take its course.” The initial tests confirmed that she was too frail to survive the surgery and she moved into hospice care. Unfortunately, my experience is more common than most realize.

According to The Washington Post, “researchers found that frail older women who broke hips were unlikely to fully recover their prefracture qualify of life, even after as many as 10 years.” Another study from the Journal of General Internal Medicine found that only 31 percent of the cohort they followed after breaking a hip recovered to their prefracture ability. They did find that many of the adults were already frail and had trouble walking, dressing, or bathing before the fall.

There are several things that can be done to minimize the fall risk and include:

  • Get exercise. A variety of types of exercise can help from strength training to aerobic activities. Getting someone who has never exercised to exercise can be a fools errand. My mother never exercised but was very active and loved to walk, so we worked to get regular walks. When she needed to move into a Memory Care community, we found one that allowed her to freely (and safely) walk the grounds.
  • Take Fall Prevention Measures. Remove trip hazards like area rugs and keep the floor tidy. This is a ‘no brainer’ that can be harder to manage if your loved one is resistant to give up the rugs they have always had in the hallway, or if they don’t value a tidy room.
  • Eat Well. From addressing any vitamin deficiencies like osteoporosis or neuropathy to maintaining a healthy weight — all are contributing factors to better well-being and fitness.
  • Stop Smoking. Apparently they have found that smoking delayed the heal of a fracture!

I figured being over-prepared is the best defense. The smallest of falls can be the one event that blows up all of your well-made plans. Maybe it’s time to consider how to incorporate ways to combat fall risks into your plans. Recommended.