TEXT SIZE

SHARE

Brain Health

I was asked yesterday the question “Are there studies that show keeping a person with Alzheimer’s mentally and physically active is beneficial?” Of course I believe this to be true for many reasons but I set out to find the studies.

In an article on WedMD I found a great snippet that states: “When people keep their minds active, their thinking skills are less likely to decline, medical research shows. So games, puzzles, and other types of brain training may help slow memory loss and other mental problems.”

And another from an Alzheimer's Project article: “Physical exercise and mental stimulation is one of the greatest gifts you can give your loved one throughout this process. Picking a simple task or hobby specific to your loved one’s needs and interests is very important to an Alzheimer’s patient.”

I hope sharing this with that caregiver helped her feel positive about her (sometimes tough) efforts to keep her mother with Alzheimer’s as active as possible both mentally and physically.

Here are a few other articles about the benefits of physical and mental health in older adults from the Alz.org website: 

 We can help stay mentally active
 Stay physically active