As we age, physicians and specialty doctors will talk to you about exercise and eating a well-balanced diet. We sometimes forget that brain health is just as important. Concentration on moving or getting 30 minutes of exercise per day, and strength training 2-3x a week, but is there any emphasis on brain exercises? If so, what does it look like? Are your residents participating in an craft or art? Are they doing word or cross word puzzles, easy math, or reading aloud? Are they resting their mind, or meditating?
We all fear losing some of our memory and cognitive function. As we age, it is normal to feel a sense of insecurity when we misplace our phone or keys, or even forgetting a step in a craft that you’ve done for many years. There are a lot of brain health exercises that the residents can participate in, it is just finding the ones they love to do where it is easy, slightly complex, but enjoyable.
There are many simple activities that we can do to engage our brain. Here are a few easy ways to engage the brain, and possibly decrease risk of memory loss. An easy way to help brain health is engaging with your neighbor, a friend, or a family member and discussing current life events, attending a church service, or maybe a music/ theater event. Another simple exercise is handwriting notes or sending handwritten cards. Handwriting engages the brain more than sending a text or an emoji.
And of course, there are “brain” games that we can play on our phones or iPads. Look at your phone and check out the word games, or the simple math problems. Simple math problems can engage the prefrontal cortex of the brain. Doing simple math is an easy way to exercise your mind. Keep in mind, when it becomes too stressful, you need to decrease the complexity of math problems. Stress is not beneficial for your mind and body.
Another awesome thing you can do for your brain health is to learn a new craft or perfecting your current craft. Is there another advance step you can put into your current craft or skill to make it more challenging, such as learning a new stitch or a new painting style? These ideas can give you a sense of control and purpose. Lastly, meditate and rest your mind, if you love sleep, SLEEP, it is good for your body and mind.
So how are you engaging with the residents in brain health or brain classes? What sorts of activities or classes are you hosting to entice the residents?