5 Ways Brain and Memory Games Benefit Seniors

The integration of purposeful physical activities in brain injury rehabilitation plays a pivotal role in fostering recovery and enhancing cognitive functions. This article looks at the evidence-based techniques and scientific principles underpinning brain injury rehabilitation, shedding light on the specific physical activities that have shown efficacy in aiding brain injury recovery.By exploring the intersection of physical activities and brain injury rehabilitation, we aim to highlight the innovative approaches that contribute to effective recovery and empower individuals undergoing rehabilitation.TAILORED PHYSICAL REHABILITATION EXERCISES FOR EFFECTIVE RECOVERYIn brain injury rehabilitation, the incorporation of tailored physical exercises stands as a cornerstone in empowering individuals and facilitating effective recovery. By focusing on personalized physical activities, rehabilitation programs can address the specific needs of each individual, promoting targeted progress and overall well-being. This tailored approach not only enhances physical strength and mobility but also plays a crucial role in cognitive and emotional rehabilitation.Importance of Individualized Physical ActivitiesTailored physical exercises cater to the unique challenges and goals of each individual undergoing brain injury rehabilitation. These activities are designed to address specific cognitive and physical impairments, promoting targeted recovery and functional independence. By customizing physical exercises, rehabilitation programs can adapt to the evolving needs of individuals, ensuring a dynamic and responsive approach to recovery.Empowerment Through Purposeful EngagementTailored physical activities empower individuals by providing a sense of agency and control over their rehabilitation journey. Engaging in personalized exercises fosters a positive and proactive mindset, contributing to a holistic approach to recovery. The individualized nature of these activities promotes a sense of ownership and motivation, driving individuals to actively participate in their rehabilitation process.In essence, the role of physical activities in brain injury rehabilitation extends beyond mere physical rehabilitation; it encompasses a personalized and purposeful approach that empowers individuals to navigate their recovery journey with resilience and determination.HARNESSING NEUROPLASTICITY FOR RECOVERYNeuroplasticity, the brain's remarkable ability to reorganize and form new neural connections, plays a pivotal role in brain injury rehabilitation. Specific physical activities can leverage neuroplasticity to promote recovery and enhance cognitive functions in individuals with brain injuries, offering a pathway to regain lost abilities and adapt to new challenges.Adapting to Neural Changes Through Physical ActivitiesNeuroplasticity allows the brain to adapt and rewire itself in response to learning, experience, and injury. Tailored physical exercises capitalize on neuroplasticity, facilitating the formation of new neural pathways to compensate for damaged areas of the brain. By engaging in purposeful physical activities, individuals can harness neuroplasticity to enhance cognitive functions, such as memory, attention, and problem-solving skills.Promoting Functional Recovery and AdaptationThe plastic nature of the brain enables individuals to regain lost functions and develop compensatory strategies through targeted physical activities. Physical exercises that challenge and stimulate the brain contribute to functional recovery and adaptation, fostering resilience in the face of cognitive impairments. Harnessing neuroplasticity through purposeful physical activities offers a pathway for individuals to adapt to their evolving cognition, promoting independence and quality of life.Understanding and leveraging neuroplasticity through tailored physical activities provides a foundation for promoting recovery and enhancing cognitive functions in individuals undergoing brain injury rehabilitation. By embracing the adaptive potential of the brain, rehabilitation programs can offer a proactive and empowering approach to recovery.PERSONALIZED AND ENGAGING PHYSICAL REHABILITATION ACTIVITIESThe practical implementation of purposeful physical activities is paramount to fostering independence and enhancing the quality of life for individuals undergoing rehabilitation. By incorporating personalized and engaging physical exercises into rehabilitation programs, a supportive and empowering environment can be cultivated, promoting holistic well-being and functional progress.Tailoring Activities to Individual NeedsRehabilitation programs customize physical activities to address the unique cognitive and physical challenges faced by each individual. Personalized exercises are designed to align with the specific goals and capabilities of the individual, ensuring targeted and meaningful engagement. By tailoring activities to individual needs, rehabilitation programs can create a supportive and inclusive environment that nurtures progress and independence.Fostering Independence and Well-beingEngaging in purposeful physical activities empowers individuals to actively participate in their rehabilitation journey, fostering a sense of autonomy and accomplishment. Personalized and engaging exercises contribute to a positive and fulfilling rehabilitation experience, promoting emotional well-being and a sense of purpose.The incorporation of purposeful physical activities into rehabilitation programs fosters a supportive and inclusive environment, where individuals can thrive and make meaningful strides in their recovery journey.The integration of personalized and engaging physical exercises within rehabilitation programs serves as a catalyst for promoting independence, resilience, and overall well-being for individuals undergoing brain injury rehabilitation. By embracing a tailored and purposeful approach, rehabilitation programs can create an environment where individuals feel empowered and supported in their journey toward recovery.TAILORED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PLANS FOR HOLISTIC RECOVERYThe development of personalized physical activity plans tailored to individuals undergoing brain injury rehabilitation is instrumental in promoting recovery and enhancing overall well-being. These personalized plans are designed to address the specific needs and goals of each individual, fostering a proactive and targeted approach to rehabilitation.Customizing Plans for Targeted ProgressPersonalized physical activity plans are tailored to align with the unique cognitive and physical requirements of individuals undergoing brain injury rehabilitation. These plans are developed in collaboration with healthcare professionals, ensuring that they cater to the specific goals and capabilities of each individual. By customizing activity plans, rehabilitation programs can promote targeted progress, functional independence, and overall well-being for individuals on their recovery journey.Enhancing Overall Well-being and Quality of LifePersonalized physical activity plans contribute to a holistic approach to recovery, addressing not only physical rehabilitation but also emotional well-being and cognitive enhancement. These plans are designed to engage individuals in purposeful and meaningful activities, fostering a sense of fulfillment and purpose during the rehabilitation process. By enhancing overall well-being and quality of life, personalized physical activity plans play a pivotal role in empowering individuals to navigate their recovery journey with resilience and determination.The development of personalized activity plans within brain injury rehabilitation programs offers a proactive and targeted approach to recovery, promoting holistic well-being and functional progress for individuals undergoing rehabilitation. By embracing a tailored and purposeful strategy, these plans empower individuals to actively participate in their recovery journey and make meaningful strides toward independence and overall well-being.The integration of purposeful activities within brain injury rehabilitation programs stands as a cornerstone in fostering recovery, promoting independence, and enhancing overall well-being for individuals undergoing rehabilitation. By leveraging tailored physical exercises and personalized activity plans, rehabilitation programs can create a supportive and empowering environment that nurtures progress and resilience.

Growing older comes with outward signs of aging that you might find difficult to accept. Spotty skin, graying hair, and an achy body arent exactly perks of aging. But changes are unavoidable, even when it comes to your brain.Did you realize that your brain shrinks with age? This process begins as early as your 30s and 40s. This shrinkage also affects your learning and memory center, known as the hippocampus. Age-related decline also decreases blood flow to your brain while increasing inflammation. Communication between nerve cells (neurons) becomes less effective as you age.While you might not look or feel as well as you once did, your brain is also experiencing changes. While this might all seem bleakits just a normal part of aging most of the time. Age-related cognitive decline happens gradually for most people.Sometimes neurodegenerative changes arent arent so normal in older adults. Cognitive screens at the right time can help you catch declines early and even address underlying causes to slow or reverse these negative changes.What Is Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)?MCI is an early stage of declining cognitive (thinking) function. It usually involves some degree of memory or language loss that is greater than expected at someone's age or health. When you have MCI, you can function in daily life without help, but symptoms can progress until theyre no longer mild. You may eventually require assistance with daily tasks.Although MCIs exact cause isnt known, its apparent that certain processes in the brain trigger toxic clumps of proteins to collect, allowing other toxic proteins to damage and kill neurons. For some, this decline is connected to the early stages of dementia or Alzheimers, which are considered more advanced cognitive impairment that includes functional impairment (or loss of abilities).Of course, age increases your risk of MCI but so does a genetic predisposition to Alzheimers. Other medical conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression are also MCI risk factors.The Benefits of Cognitive ScreeningEarly detection can be key to stopping or reversing neurodegeneration. Cognitive screening can help you catch negative changes before they cause serious problems. Often, abnormal cognitive decline has underlying causes that can be addressed, such as medication side effects or nutritional deficiencies. And both lifestyle changes and new medications can slow the progression of dementia if detected in the early stages.What Is Cognitive Screening?Cognitive screening includes testing assesses different aspects of your mental functions with the purpose of detecting any problems with thinking, memory, problem solving, language, and other cognitive abilities.This type of screening is usually brief, like a questionnaire. But its not used to diagnose a condition and is instead a means of determining if you need further evaluation to make a diagnosis. It's evaluating whether youre experiencing difficulty with mental functions before you or those close to you notice there is a problem. Think of it as a pre-assessment or preliminary step.When Is the Best Time for Cognitive ScreeningBest rule of thumb: dont wait. Once youre noticing memory problems that are disrupting your life, youre already past the screening stage. At that point, its time for diagnostic testing to determine the specific cause and treatment. You should get a screening to make you aware of what is not yet noticeable, something that might be lurking but correctable, something to be addressed to prevent further decline.You might wonder when to get your first assessment. Its reasonable and worthwhile to get one at age 65 when you enroll in Medicare. It should be included in your annual wellness checkup, but be sure to confirm this or ask your doctor. This is especially if you havent had any symptoms prior to age 65. But if youre in tune with your body and feel like something is off, even without obvious symptoms, its reasonable to get screened prior to 65.Your primary care physician can perform a cognitive screening if there is no reason why you should see a specialist.What Is the Cognitive Screening Process?Its typically about 10 minutes or less and covers three assessments:Montreal Cognitive AssessmentMini-Mental State ExamSaint Louis University Mental State ExamYou can expect to be asked brief questions without any prior preparation. For example, during the Mini-Mental State Exam, you will be given three words and are asked to repeat them after a few minutes. You will also need to draw a circular clock and position the hands at a specified time. Other tests assess your orientation to ensure you know the date, your name, and where you are. These tests include questions to evaluate your:Attention spanShort-term learning abilitiesBoth short- and long-term memoryConcentrationLanguage abilitiesThese screenings are designed to assess different areas of brain function.Can You Do Online Screenings at Home?The most reputable, do-it-yourself, online cognitive screening is the Self-Administered Gerocognitive Exam (SAGE). Its a short, written exam that can be taken at home and doesnt require a trained professional to administer. It takes about 10-15 minutes to complete. It measures a range of abilities like reasoning, memory, language, and orientation.However, you dont get immediate results, because you dont determine the results yourself. There is no answer key or way to score it on your own. Its designed to be completed and given to your primary care physician who will score it and interpret the results. It will be up to your doctor to determine if you need further examination.What Happens After Cognitive Testing?For many people, cognitive testing yields positive results and requires no further evaluation. But you may need further testing if the screening indicates a degree of cognitive impairment. If this is you, dont panic. Not everyone with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has or will develop dementia.According to the Mayo clinic, only about 10-15% of people with MCI later develop dementia. Many underlying causes can be addressed, like thyroid problems, sleep issues, and vitamin deficiencies like B12. When you treat these causes, your brain impairment is likely to improve.Sometimes a brain scan is necessary to determine if you have inflammation, tumors, or small strokes. It can also detect infection and structural problems in the brain.What Does an MCI Diagnosis Mean?If you get an MCI diagnosis, you can think of it as the stage between normal cognitive decline (due to aging) and more concerning decline like dementia. But remember, MCI doesnt mean that dementia is inevitable. As mentioned previously, most people with MCI dont move into the more serious state of cognitive decline, known as dementia.But its not easy to distinguish between MCI and the typical effects of aging on the brain. Its not uncommon for doctors to completely miss an MCI diagnosis. While having MCI is a risk factor for dementia or Alzheimers disease, these conditions arent inevitable. Its possible for your MCI symptoms to remain the same or improve.Talk to your doctor about lifestyle changes that can help slow declining mental function.Recommended Lifestyle Changes for Improved Brain HealthBoosting brain health means taking steps that improve your health in general. In fact, youve probably heard most of these recommendations before.Quality and sufficient sleepExerciseNutritious dietSocializationThis is not headline news, but adopting these healthy habits can have a notable impact on your cognitive health. For instance, sleep is crucial, because during this time your body removes toxins from your brain, which is key to preventing dementia and Alzheimers.Concerning diet, experts recommend a Mediterranean-style diet for brain function. This would include diets like the original Mediterranean Diet, the MIND Diet, and the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay). These eating plans involve less red meat and more produce. People who eat according to these plans have fewer signs of Alzheimers according to a study sponsored by the National Institute on Aging.Despite the importance of all these lifestyle factors, the addition of exercise has the strongest evidence for improving various cognitive functions. This is according to a review of 65 research studies.What If You Need Medication for MCI?Sometimes, it takes more than lifestyle changes to effectively battle MCI and stave off early on-set Alzheimers disease. Medications can help slow both MCI and Alzheimers, but this is a decision for you to make with your doctor.Medication to consider include:aducanumab (Aduhelm)lecanemab (Leqembi)donanemab (likely to be approved soon)You and your doctor can weigh the benefits of medication against the side effects.Cognitive Screening Is a Tool Worth UsingWhen you turn 65 and are enrolled in Medicare you can take advantage of cognitive screening during your annual wellness visit. The cost should be included in the annual exam. But not all seniors get their annual physical and miss this free cognitive screening. And some who do get an annual physical through Medicare claim they never got the screening. Be sure to ask about cognitive screening when you schedule your annual physical with your Medicare plan.You can be proactive in preventing mild cognitive impairment and the onset of dementia but there are no guarantees. Cognitive conditions like dementia and Alzheimers have a genetic component that you cannot change. But you may be able to delay the onset with good lifestyle habits like regular exercise, good sleep, socialization, and a Mediterranean-style diet.TYE Medical offers premium incontinence products in a variety of sizes and absorbency levels. Shop our online store for free and discreet shipping on all orders!

THE ALONG THE JOURNEY PROGRAM WAS CREATED BY PRIORITY LIFE CARE WITH RESIDENTS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND CAREGIVERS IN MIND.The services provided are adjusted to fit each individuals abilities and specific needs. The program has been designed to benefit all stages of memory loss while remaining flexible enough to be adapted daily.The overarching goal is to ensure that each resident, as well as their families, feel connected, respected, and comfortable during periods of difficult transition. The program primarily targets those suffering from memory impairments, whether it be early-stage dementia or late-stage Alzheimers.WHAT IS THE ALONG THE JOURNEY PROGRAM?Along the Journey (ATJ) is a memory care program that launched in 2019 in Priority Life Cares memory care neighborhoods. Fundamentally, it prioritizes strengths over limitations. Activities are purpose-driven and not based on achievement, thus allowing those with memory loss to participate without feeling lost, confused, and agitated.This innovative program begins with a holistic assessment of the residents abilities, both cognitive and physical. Based on the assessment, a care plan is formulated and includes input from the resident and their family, as well as their physicians and caregivers.The plan includes information on the likes, dislikes, and cultural preferences of the resident. To keep the seniors as comfortable as possible, the staff makes every effort to provide a largely predictable routine.FOSTERING A SENSE OF BELONGING WITHIN THE COMMUNITYThose suffering from diseases that affect memory may feel left behind or forgotten. At Priority Life Care, caregivers work in conjunction with the ATJ program to encourage physical motion, stimulate mental engagement, and offer opportunities for spiritual and social connection.Life stations provide a sense of familiarity for the resident through tasks such as folding clothes and operating a computer. This allows the senior to focus on a specific, low-stress task with an attainable outcome.Social engagements such as trivia games and ice cream parties are scheduled, which allow residents the opportunity to become acquainted with other residents. The program celebrates small wins as significant achievements, allowing everyone the chance to be represented.Activities are thoughtfully designed around reducing any agitation and improving the mood of the residents. Social interaction is encouraged to ward off isolation, which can further impair a residents wellness journey.SUPPORTING THOSE WITH MEMORY IMPAIRMENTSMemory loss comes in stages and Priority Life Care recognizes the importance of providing a program suitable for each stage of this difficult journey. Through the integration of senior-friendly tech, residents across a spectrum of cognitive abilities are encouraged to participate in their care by engaging daily.To ensure a successful transition into the residential community, our staff invites residents to bring familiar furnishings of home such as furniture, cherished items, and other domestic objects. This creates an inviting environment for the resident, which eases the initial discomfort of being in a new place.Residents will enjoy a structured daily plan that focuses on wellness and supporting independence, all while ensuring dignity and respect. This environment allows those with memory impairments to maintain functional abilities for as long as possible while remaining comfortable along their journey.Staff with specific dementia-centered training and experience support our residents with memory loss, including accommodations such as dietary oversight, assistance with medication, and general hygiene.