Langley Times

Jan 03 2007

January is mind month

By 2040, 84 million people are expected to be affected by age-related mental decline, according to an editorial published with a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. 

With Canada’s rapidly aging population, age-related mental decline is an increasingly critical issue and ways to help slow the process of mental decline are becoming increasingly important. 
With January being National Alzheimer Awareness Month, Nurse Next Door Home Healthcare Services has launched the Cognitive Retention Therapy Program and has made January “Mind Month.” 

This program focuses on exercising the client’s brain while still having fun. The program has four separate modules: Brain Game, Lifestory, Fine Art, and Exercise & Social Outings. 

 “Our brains, just like our bodies, need exercise on a regular basis to stay in shape,” says Kristan Ash, director of operations for Nurse Next Door. 

“The Cognitive Retention Therapy Program is an individualized and interactive program that helps exercise seniors’ brains while still having fun.” 

While the structured program involves one-on-one work between the client and a Nurse Next Door caregiver trained on the Cognitive Retention Therapy Program, there are a number of ways families can help their aging loved ones keep their minds sharp. 

These tips, based on the four modules of the Recreation Therapy Program, are especially important for elderly individuals particularly at risk for Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia: 

Word searches 

Puzzles and word searches are a great way to get your mind working. Word search books make for great gifts for aging family members as they can get into the habit of completing one per day.
 
Life history questions
A great way to keep the mind sharp is to think back to years gone by. Ask aging family members to tell stories about their childhood. In a conversational manner, ask some specific questions about the story.
Scrapbooking
Creating a scrapbook of memories can help aging individuals think back and remember. This is a particularly useful tool in exercising the brain.
 
Art galleries 

Visiting a local art gallery or museum can be a great brain stimulator. The thinking involved when learning about an exhibit can help exercise the brain while the exercise from walking is great too. 
To celebrate “Mind Month,” Nurse Next Door is offering free cognitive retention assessment packages for Langley seniors throughout January. 

A Nurse Next Door team member, trained in this program, will visit an individual’s home to assess the level of cognitive exercise necessary, will offer some suggestions as to what families can do to help their aging loved ones keep their brains sharp and will leave behind a package of brain stimulating exercises. 
For info on Nurse Next Door or the program call 604-228-4357. Nurse Next Door, is B.C.’s largest home healthcare company and its services range from a two-hour a week concierge service to a 24-hour-a-day, live-in registered nurse.


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