By Sunny McKinnon
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

A December issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that exercising one’s brain, and one’s body, should help stave off dementia in older adults.

As well, Dr. Paul Nussbaum, a clinical neurophysiologist and professor at the Pittsburgh School of Medicine, says new brain research indicates that we can continue to help our brains develop well into later life.

At a meeting of the National Council on Aging and the American Society on Aging, he challenged the audience with this question: “If you don’t eat, what happens? If you don’t learn new things, what happens? When you don’t eat, you see the results on your body. When you don’t learn, you can’t see the damaging results, but trust me, it’s the same.”

Everyone’s invited
At Highland Springs, individuals don’t have to worry about mental challenge. Here, everyone’s ahead of the brain game. Nightly groups gather to play everything from dominoes to duplicate bridge. On an individual basis,  crossword puzzles are the order of the day. And, a variety of classes challenge individuals to be lifelong learners.

Shirley Crawford, who with her husband moved in the first day Highland Springs was open, got the bridge playing contingent at Highland Springs  organized. Now, groups meet to play both duplicate and party bridge at assigned times during the week.”

“I play bridge and lots of other card games,” says Shirley. “I love it. Every game is a challenge, and it definitely keeps your mind active. Every game is different. You are constantly trying to decide between options. Bridge keeps you thinking and that’s good.”

From a game-playing family, Shirley says her morning routine starts with brain games, as she does the online crossword puzzle from the Dallas Morning News and the puzzles from the New York Times. “Monday, Tuesday,  Wednesday, and Thursday, I do the puzzles. Sometimes I can do Thursday easily, sometimes not at all. Fridays, I don’t even look at the puzzle — that’s the hardest day of the week.”