Great question. I remember my 90 year old grandmother doing tough crossword puzzles and other word games to "stay sharp". It seem to work in her case. She died peacefully without major illness or disability in the end.
Of course I don't think anything stops a disease like Alzheimer's, or at least they don't know enough to tell us how to prevent it.
You're quite right, PeaPod. I do all manner of things to try to stay sharp, as does my wife, but the memory is slippin away. It's not Alzheimers' or dementia, it's what's called "benign forgetfulness". It can be comical but it's also frustrating.
Our dog is growing old along with us. She'll be 17 next week which is pretty old in human terms, and she often stands, staring into space wondering what the hell she'd been intending to do. We understand her completelyu.
But the question isn't just about seniors. There are all kinds of memory techniques that can benefit anybody. Thanks for a nice answer.
You are welcome. I too have an older pet that suffers all the same things we do as we age. I have a cat that is around 20 years old and she is stone deaf. She howls a lot to orient herself and she sometimes needs help finding her food bowl. Amazingly, she never forgets her litter box, being the little lady she is. Watching and caring for her doesn't feel all that different that looking out for any older person.
I hope we all can find out how we can prevent a disease like Alzheimer's. In the meantime, I will be like my grandmother...keeping the wheels in my head well oiled if I can help it.
I read that there is some research being done with ultra sound on peoples heads. Seems it helped some people with dementia and possibly Alzheimer`s. Only saw it once however, and heard nothing new about it.
Allegedly things like... crosswords, soduku, taking a nap after dinner.. all sorts of things but remaining mentally active as possible is the best bet I'd think .. never stop learning
Reframe it.. it's *good* that your opponents in chess have upped their game.. this is now more of a challenge to you.. which will be a positive step in helping keep those brain cells active...
This whole concept fascinates me, perhaps even more since my mom's stroke. The things other people mentioned, like health and sleeping habits matter. Keeping your brain active matters as well. I also read a study a while back that said people who lift weights have fewer brain lesions as they age. So, it seems it comes down to overall healthy habits and stimulating your brain.
PeaPod is just popping by 