MENTAL WELLNESS

 

Research shows that keeping the brain active can have all sorts of benefits.  A well person keeps their brain healthy with stimulating mental activities, and continues to expand their knowledge and skills throughout his or her life.

Article Summaries

When you address an elderly friend or relative suffering from Alzheimer’s as “dear” or “sweetie,” you might think you're conveying warmth and caring. But according to a study presented at the 2008 Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease, in Chicago, you may actually be doing just the opposite.

Good cognitive health, like good physical health, doesn’t just happen. It takes some effort. Many older adults mistakenly believe that becoming “senile” or forgetful is a normal part of aging. That’s not necessarily so. Recent scientific research suggests that there are many things you can do to maintain your cognitive health as you age.

No one wants to talk about planning for long-term care, but the simple fact is, the more you have in place ahead of time, the easier it will be if the need to make those decisions arises. You want your family involved, of course, and as families gather for the holidays, now is a great time to bring up the topic.

Okay, so you’re not 30 anymore. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a healthy sex life as you age. In fact, new research finds that a satisfying sex life is quite possible no matter what your age. And sexual fulfillment plays an important role in both physical and mental health.

We are currently in the midst of a worldwide economic crisis that has put stress on just about everyone’s financial situation. And that has also meant a surge in mental health issues, says the American Psychiatric Association. A sudden, catastrophic event such as a home foreclosure, job layoff, or severe economic loss can leave people feeling desperate, profoundly depressed, and unable to see a way out. During these tough times, we all need to be on guard for signs of serious mental health problems, the APA warns.

Research over the past few years has increasingly shown the importance of B vitamins in maintaining a host of physical functions. A September 2008 study in the journal Neurology adds to the evidence. It finds that older individuals with low levels of vitamin B12 seem to be at increased risk of having brain atrophy or shrinkage, which is associated with Alzheimer's disease and impaired cognitive function.

Trout is a rich source of vitamin B12, which plays a key role in maintaining brain health. This recipe, from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, creates a spicy fried flavor with only 2 grams of fat.

Past research has linked the consumption of omega-3-rich fish with lower stroke and dementia risk. And new research may show why. Eating fish may lower your risk of developing brain infarcts. Those are tiny areas of brain tissue that have died from lack of blood supply. Many infarcts are “silent”—they don’t produce symptoms of their own—but they add up over the long term to the kind of brain damage that contributes to stroke and dementia.

Baby boomers often must shoulder some of the responsibilities of health care for their elderly parents. Nowhere is this truer than with mental health. Growing older presents mental health problems that are unique to seniors. For these specific elder-related issues, it may help seniors or their adult children to consult a geriatric psychiatrist.

This fall, more than 200,000 men and women across the nation will be on the move. They will be taking part in a Memory Walk®, the Alzheimer’s Association’s signature event to raise awareness and funds. Genworth Financial is pleased and proud to be the presenting national sponsor for these important events. And we encourage all Momentum Wellness Program participants to strap on their sneakers, get some exercise and help raise money for Alzheimer care, support and research.

Diabetes throws insulin levels out of whack, which can then lead to a host of serious health problems throughout your body. New evidence finds that it may even increase your risk for Alzheimer’s disease. A study in the journal Neurology found that men with low insulin levels at age 50 were nearly one-and-a-half times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than men with normal insulin levels.

An active social life may give you more than good friends. It could help you hold onto your memory. A study in the American Journal of Public Health found that American adults age 50 and older who were the most socially active also maintained their memory function about twice as well as those who were socially isolated.

Memory preservation is one of the fastest growing hobbies in America, and Creative Memories, one of the worldwide leaders in memory preservation, is joining with Genworth Financial to provide its Momentum Wellness Program participants free information on album-making activities.

Perhaps baby boomers can worry just a little bit less about suffering cognitive decline in the coming years. A study in Alzheimer's & Dementia has found that memory loss and thinking problems are becoming less common among older Americans. The reasons for this suggest that you can protect your brain health and prevent cognitive problems as you age.

Modern technology has a great amount to offer. SeniorNet knows this and wants to make sure you have all of the tools you need to get the most out of the Internet, online learning, and e-mail newsletters.

Some loss of memory is to be expected as you age. Much of it is caused by the normal wear-and-tear on the brain. But some of it may be caused by your medicine. Several classes of medications are already known to impair memory. New research confirms one of the suspects. Anticholinergic medications –commonly prescribed drugs used to treat ulcers, stomach cramps, motion sickness, Parkinson's disease, and urinary incontinence—may cause older people to lose their cognitive skills more quickly than seniors who don't take the medicines.

Growing older may bring with it some unhappy physical developments, but when it comes to happiness, age seems to beat youth by a substantial margin. Generally speaking, the older you are, the happier you are, says a new study published in the April 2008 issue of American Sociological Review.

The research is in: exercising your mind is just as important as exercising your body. A number of brain fitness programs have come onto the market to help individuals stay sharp. Genworth Financial brings you Vigorous Mind, one of the leading organizations in this rapidly-evolving category, to save you 10 percent on My Vigorous Mind, a web-based brain wellness suite.

Each May, the organization Mental Health America, formerly the National Mental Health Association, sponsors Mental Health Month. The goal is to present specific, proven actions you can take to protect and improve your mental health. The theme for this year's observance, “Get Connected,” emphasizes how social support can offset the effects of prolonged stress. And it focuses on the importance of seeking help when feelings of stress become so overwhelming that they interfere with daily living.

You’ve probably seen articles recommending tai chi as a great exercise to help older adults maintain balance and muscle strength. But this ancient Chinese practice is a type of mind-body medicine that also exercises the ways in which emotional, mental, social, spiritual, and behavioral factors can directly affect health, says the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM).

In the nursing home industry, it's long been known that caring for a pet can improve residents' quality of life. A recent article in the online edition of Newsweek reinforced this, reporting, "Research shows that caring for an animal can improve your mental and physical well-being." This can increase longevity in those who've had heart attacks, and even relax and improve the appetites of Alzheimer's patients, the article states. But are there benefits for those in healthier middle age?

When you were young, you never forgot your best friend’s name or where you put your glasses. Now, it seems to happen every day. What causes these “senior moments”? And do they signal the beginnings of a more serious brain illness, such as Alzheimer’s disease? New research may have the answer.

B vitamins come in eight varieties. You may know them by numbers, such as B1, B2, and so on, or by names, such as niacin, thiamin, and folic acid (or folate). However you refer to them, they all add up to support many of the body’s functions, including metabolism, cell growth, and immunity. A new study finds that one of the B’s may affect mental performance.

Alzheimer’s disease often starts out as a condition called mild cognitive impairment, or MCI. About 10 percent of adults with MCI progress to Alzheimer’s, compared to about 1 percent of the general population. Preventing MCI may be an important step in preventing Alzheimer’s. New research shows that a good way to prevent MCI is to control blood pressure.

So you’re not a spring chicken anymore. That doesn’t mean you have to slow down. “We can teach older adults to get rid of those old beliefs that becoming sedentary is just a normal part of growing older,” said Dr. Catherine Sarkisian, an assistant professor of geriatrics at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine. A pilot program she recently created proves it.

Winter’s cold, dry weather isn’t the only thing that can take a toll on skin and hair. Stress also can lead to dermatologic problems such as acne, eczema, brittle nails or even hair loss. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) has some tips to help soothe stress-related symptoms. 

Science may have finally answered an age-old question: Why we are grumpy after a bad night’s sleep. It appears that a lack of ZZZZ’s causes our brains to overreact to negative emotional experiences.

 

Top of page