August 2004
Dementia Is Not a Natural Outcome of Aging
Declining mental alertness, confusion, and dementia should not be on the list of expectations a person makes for senior years. As one ages, several systems do tend to slow or alter. Circulation needs a little encouragement as age advances, as does metabolism and joint mobility . Exercise is a choice treatment and preventative measure for these functions. Just as physical exercise tones and strengthens bodies, mental exercise tones and strengthens minds and thinking processes.
As people are living longer, Geriatric specialists have opportunity for studies that give us a more realistic view of “normal” aging. Recently, a Harvard study concluded that dementia is a disease, a medical condition and not an outcome of aging brains. Our brains have tremendous capability—a large portion of which lies untapped. Brain cells do not regenerate, in fact our brains actually shrink in size with age, but synapse (the connections between nerve cells) increase. So you may lose brain size, but you have new nerve cell connections to support full brain activity.
Gone then is the excuse for poor memory and slow mental activity. To remain alert and astute one must use the brain cells he or she possesses. "Use it or lose it" is a very real choice whenever mental capacity is concerned. Avoid being too much in solitude. One reason retirement communities are an excellent environment for senior adults is the opportunity afforded for socialization. Keeping the brain cells active can be a chore if one is alone or restricted to just one other individual for conversation and mental challenge. Enjoying a lively debate, a game of cards or dominos, completing a puzzle, or solving crosswords are excellent ways to exercise brain cells. Practicing memory verses of Scripture helps to test and strengthen recall. A simple mental exercise that helps one socialize is remembering names and personal items about people you see regularly. People like to be remembered. Remembering is good mental exercise, so one can become popular and brain-healthy with this little exercise.
A good point to bear in mind about mental function is that the brain, like all vital organs, needs a good supply of oxygen, best assured by regular physical exercise. Balanced nutrition also supports good mental function. Sometimes a nutritional imbalance, especially a shortage of vitamin B complex and antioxidants, causes dementia and mental confusion. These conditions can be reversed with proper nutritional correction. Dehydration also produces mental deficiency so water consumption is important.
Should an older adult experience memory impairment or a feeling of mental dullness, it is wise to first examine lifestyle, nutrition, and environment before concluding that “old age” is the culprit.