Keeping active in old age: Maintaining our cognitive abilities in the later years

Ageing is a natural and inevitable part of human life. As we age, our deteriorating body and mind affect our functional independence and also the quality of life.

Our deterioration of the cognitive ability asides leading to commonalities such as poorer memory and slower cognitive processing speeds can also result in age-related neurodegenerative dementia. By understanding how keeping active as we age can help to prevent or delay adverse changes to our cognitive health, we can make the necessary changes in order to live a fulfilled and dignified later life.

[VIDEO] Healthy Aging: Promoting Well-being in Older Adults. "What is good for you heart is good for your brain" The Biopsychosocial Model. [WEB] The cognitive and emotional benefits of physical activity for the elderly. Did you know there are cognitive and emotional benefits to physical activity for the elderly?

Although it is true that we often hear exercise has numerous benefits for the human body. However, what we hear less is the benefits of physical activity on the way we think and feel. Here, at Gold Age Australia, we find physical activity to be one of the most important lifestyle factors. Through our research and experience of working with the elderly, we discovered those benefits. [WEB] Physical activity. What is physical activity?

WHO defines physical activity as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure – including activities undertaken while working, playing, carrying out household chores, travelling, and engaging in recreational pursuits. The term "physical activity" should not be confused with "exercise", which is a subcategory of physical activity that is planned, structured, repetitive, and aims to improve or maintain one or more components of physical fitness. Beyond exercise, any other physical activity that is done during leisure time, for transport to get to and from places, or as part of a person’s work, has a health benefit. Further, both moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity improve health. [Journal] Effects of Physical Exercise on Cognitive Functioning and Wellbeing: Biological and Psychological Benefits.

Activities that older people should do to promote overall well-being. The benefits of physical activity. [WEB] 7 Mind Stimulating Activities & Cognitive Games for Seniors. Just as physical exercise strengthens and trains our bodies, cognitive training and exercise stimulates the brain, helping it grow and develop new connections as we age. The more we challenge the mind (through various forms of mental exercise), the better it is at processing information. As family caregivers, we want to be sure our loved ones remain healthy in every aspect – including their mental health. 7 Mind Stimulating Activities & Cognitive Games for Seniors There are a lot of different reasons that your elderly loved one might have cognitive issues, but keeping their brain active and engaged can help to make sure that you slow down that deterioration.

Some of these activities might help and they allow you and your loved one to have fun together. The following mind stimulating activities provide ways to keep seniors sharp, helping to improve memory, problem-solving, creativity, and other cognitive functions. 1. Word games serve as effective and fun ways to engage the mind. 2. 3. 4. [WEB] 10 Brain Exercises That Boost Memory.

A Whole-Body Approach to a Healthy Brain So what types of exercises benefit your brain?

Research shows that when it comes to keeping your mind sharp, exercising your body as well as your mind and sticking to healthy habits is the ideal formula. A study published in July 2019 in The Journal of the American Medical Association followed 196,383 participants age 60 and older who did not have cognitive impairment or dementia when they joined the study and tracked data for eight years on factors such as current smoking status, regular physical activity, healthy diet, and moderate alcohol consumption. They found that a healthy lifestyle was associated with a lower dementia risk among participants, regardless of genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Another study on the connection between lifestyle and dementia risk published in December 2013 in PLoS One, found that people who participate in multiple healthy behaviors significantly reduce their risk for dementia. [Journal] Effects of Cognitive Training Interventions With Older Adults.

The benefits of cognitive exercise. [WEB] The Top 5 Reasons Seniors Should Stay Socially Active. Creating social relationships and connecting with other people is a huge part of what shapes us throughout our lives.

Whether you are introverted or extroverted, maintaining a socially active lifestyle can impact your mental, physical and emotional well-being. [WEB] The Importance of Staying Socially Active as We Age. July 20, 2017 As we grow older, keeping connected with family and friends continues to be critically important to our overall well-being.

Several studies have shown that people who are more social get sick less and have healthier minds. The benefits of social activity. [WEB] National Steps Challenge™ Season 5 is here! Health is wealth. [NEWS] No more prizes to win? Many kept walking, Health News. Monetary rewards can be the nudge to get people moving, judging by the good response to a scheme to get people to take more steps.

But what is more encouraging to the Health Promotion Board (HPB), which organises the National Steps Challenge, is that many people kept going even after winning all the prizes available to them. Those who take part in the challenge get a pedometer to monitor how many steps they take in a day. They can redeem rewards such as shopping and grocery vouchers if they hit certain targets. About 156,000 people took part in its first season, which ran from November 2015 to May last year. Based on a study of 2,600 participants from the first season, more than 90 per cent of those who had won all the prizes they could still clocked an average of 8,800 steps a day for at least two months. HPB plans to start the third season of the challenge in October, and tougher challenges are on the cards, said its chief executive Zee Yoong Kang. Becoming self motivated.