By Sara Martin
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE
“Where do you want to go for dinner tonight?”
“Let’s try the new Mexican restaurant down the road. What’s the name of it?”
“I can’t remember, but what’s-her-name next door said the food is delicious.”
“Okay, let’s go. Have you seen my keys?”
If this sounds familiar, take comfort. You are not alone.
Forgetfulness is the top concern of baby boomers, according to Martha Weinman Lear, author of Where Did I Leave My Glasses? (Wellness Central, 2008).
What’s on your mind
Studies suggest people’s brains shrink by one-half of one percent each year beginning in their thirties.
For those who worry about declining memory function, Lear offers some reassurance. “With normal aging, what we lose is not memory in general but a particular kind,” she says, referring to our episodic memory, or the part of our brains that relates to the details of our experiences. If we remembered everything, our brains would be so full of trivia it would be hard to locate any particular memory.
Think of it as “nature’s filing system,” says Lear. “It comes with the territory of healthy longevity.”
Still, there are certain factors that have the potential to increase brain activity.
The Memory Prescription
Gary Small, M.D., director of the UCLA Center on Aging, takes a look at four of the most effective strategies for a healthy brain in his book, The Memory Prescription (Hyperion, 2004). He examines mental activity, physical conditioning, stress reduction, and healthy diet.
After attending a workshop by one of Smith’s associates, Resident Life Director Shirley Boothe and Social Work Coordinator Kristin Litt put together a 12-week course on memory fitness at Eagle’s Trace. Eighteen residents participated, immersing themselves in a regimen of mental aerobics, physical activity, and a specialized eating plan.