3 ways today's senior citizen can improve memory.
Posted by Kyle Taylor on Fri, Feb 18, 2011 @ 05:08 PM
I read online today that the hippocampus - the part of our brain that stores memories starts to deteriorate on us around the age of 60. Now, some researchers have found that walking can help restore the hippocampus and in turn, improve memory!
I thought that was great. I was waiting to read the part where it talked about the new drug that is super expensive and has all kinds of side effects. How wonderful that there is a that has no side effects that almost every single person can take and it's FREE!!!
So that got me thinking... why don't more senior citizens take this wonder drug? In my years of working with senior citizens, I have gathered some theories on that topic.
Reason #1 - Knowledge
Simply stated, many senior citizens don't know that the simple act of walking is a wonder drug. This is not to say they are stupid by any means. This research and more like it is relatively new. When today's senior citizen was younger they walked out of necessity and this helped keep them healthy. Now they are older, there typically isn't the same necessity, so they don't walk as much.
Reason #2 - Accessibility
Most senior citizens I have met simply don't have proper access to a safe area to walk. Factors that contribute to this include:
- Climate. If a senior lives in Arizona, they aren't going to be walking outside too much during the summer. Same if they live in North Dakota during the winter.
- Clutter. Many seniors have a difficult time with clutter and as such their home becomes difficult to navigate and the interior space is held at a premium.
- Obstacles. Most of the seniors I have met live in older homes. I have yet to find an older home that doesn't have at least a few stairs leading into and out of the home. Even a few stairs can be enough to keep many seniors inside. Other obstacles include curbs on sidewalks, cracks in asphalt and cement etc.
- Fall Hazards. This list could go on for ever, but the some of the more common fall hazards that I have witnessed include: snow and ice; wet, slippery leaves in autumn; throw rugs and many more.
Reason #3 - Encouragement
When seniors are living at home alone, they may get a visit or a phone call from a neighbor or loved one here and there, but what encouragement are they receiving to exercise? Maybe family mentions it on a call, but are they there to follow-up? Maybe a neighbor talks to them about it when they visit, but they go home and no one checks to see if it is happening. In short, a senior may know it is good exercise to walk and they may have a great place to walk, but without proper encouragement, they are not likely to actually do it.
Is there a solution to help educate & encourage seniors while providing a safe environment to walk?
For many people it is discouraging and frustrating that their loved one won't or isn't able to walk and receive the memory benefits. But there are a number of people who don't experience this frustration. These are people that have chosen assisted living or independent living for their loved ones. Most retirement communities focus on these three areas:
- They provide educational classes for their residents to inform them of new trends and discoveries to have a healthier life.
- They provide a safe environment, free of fall hazards for their residents to get their exercise.
- They provide motivation from both staff and resident friends. I don't have any research to back this up, but I would wager that residents living in retirement communities exercise much more than seniors living alone in their own homes.
So next time you are talking with an aging loved one and they complain about their memory, encourage them to walk more. And if they have some of the listed obstacles, you may want to consider assisted living.
What do you think? I'd love to hear from you, especially if you have personal experience in this area. Please leave a comment.
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