My
SourcePoint | MySourcePoint.org
Set your own course to thrive after 55
COMMUNICATOR Vol. 25, No. 5
September/October 2017
When was the last time that a decision to pursue a "healthier lifestyle" was followed by sitting down and doing a jigsaw puzzle? Or completing a game of Sudoku? More likely, such a decision was complemented by a trip to the gym or a change in diet. For many, being healthy is associated with our physical state and doing those things that will ward off such illnesses as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. But equally important in the picture of overall health— particularly as we age—is keeping our brain stimulated, exercised, and thriving. Sure, the mental lapses that we all seem to experience as we get older become fodder for jokes. Look no further than the greeting card section of any store where cards refer to that period of getting older as the "wonder years" (as in, I wonder where my keys are, I wonder why I came in here, etc.) and poke fun at those older adults who walk a few miles a day (and who now have no idea where they are). But battling those conditions and disorders that affect the brain is no laughing matter for patients or their loved ones. So taking steps to keep our brains as healthy as our bodies will pay dividends in the long run.
Jeff Robinson, Editor, My Communicator
Our changing brain If you're at or beyond a certain age, you probably have had that experience where you forget a name or misplace your cell phone and think, "That's it. It's happening to me." But according to "Successful Aging and Your Brain" from the Dana Foundation, such slips of the mind happen all the time. The publication states that subtle deficits in memory of dates and events begin to show up at the age of 20 and continue "in a relatively linear fashion" into old age. The gradual decline parallels changes in other body systems, from muscle coordination to lung capacity to cardiovascular strength. Advanced research techniques and brainimaging technology are showing scientists that memory changes associated with normal aging could result... CONTINUED ON PAGE 20... Find us at MySourcePoint.org and follow us on