Here’s food for thought for older Americans—research shows a link between aerobic exercise such as walking and enhanced brain power. “As people age, the hippocampus, the brain’s memory center, loses 1 percent to 2 percent of its volume annually, affecting memory and possibly increasing the risk for dementia,” according to an article in The Wall Street Journal. “A growing body of evidence has pointed to aerobic exercise as a low-cost hedge against neurocognitive decline.”

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity, the Mayo Clinic staff reported. “Physical activity increases blood flow to your whole body, including your brain,” the Mayo staff writers observed. “This may help keep your memory sharp.”

“Exercise boosts brain power by stimulating formation of new brain cells (neurons),” eMedExpert explained. “Physical exercise may even help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Several studies have confirmed that regular physical activity reduces the risk of cognitive decline and dementia in old age.”

One study, which was reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, measured the effects of different exercise regimens on the memory centers of older volunteers. Half of the volunteers walked three times a week for 40 minutes, while the other half of the group did yoga and toning exercises. “One year later, the two groups were compared on their aerobic capacity, the size of their hippocampus (the brain’s short-term memory center), and spatial memory (the ability to remember patterns),” noted Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Ph.D., in an article she wrote for Psychology Today. “Only the participants in the walking group showed a connection between increasing their hippocampal volume and increasing their memory scores.”

Noting that the brain’s short-term memory center is not known for increasing at any point in later life, Krauss Whitbourne stated, “If anything, the hippocampus tends to get smaller. Alzheimer’s disease ravages the hippocampus, which is one of the main causes of memory symptoms. The ability to stop the hippocampus from shrinking in and of itself through moderate exercise is a pretty significant result.”

The Psychology Today article included these tips for keeping the brain and memory in good health:

• Use it so you don’t lose it. Your brain is a “mental muscle” that needs exercise to grow and adapt.
• Get up and start moving. Many systems of the body, from the cardiovascular to the immune system, benefit from regular workouts. It’s no wonder that the brain benefits as well.
• Don’t make excuses. Even if you can’t walk for 40 minutes at a time, walk for 10…something is better than nothing.
• Look for new ways to stimulate your mind. Creative new pursuits can build new connections to your brain. 

Right at Home, Inc. is your local and international expert for issues related to caring for your loved one and is dedicated to keeping you informed about home care. Right at Home offers in-home care and assistance so your loved one can continue living independently and enjoying a vibrant life. Our caregivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured prior to entering your home so you can trust us with the caregiving while you focus on your loved one.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), one out of three adults age 65 and older falls each year. The CDC reported that among this age group, falls are the leading cause of injury-related death and the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma. In 2009, 2.2 million nonfatal fall injuries among older adults were treated in emergency rooms and more than 581,000 of these patients were hospitalized.

More than three-quarters of the falls reported occurred inside or near the residence. The average cost of a fall injury is $19,440, which includes hospital, nursing home, emergency room and home healthcare charges, but not physician services. “It appears that for the elderly living at home, one-third to one-half tend to fall or do fall,” the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine observed. “Those who are more aged, female, single, divorced or widowed have an increased rate of falling. Among 65-year-old women, nearly 30 percent will fall; after age 85, over half of women will suffer a fall.”

In 2010, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and British Geriatrics Society (BGS) updated their published guidelines for reducing fall risk in older adults. A summary of the guidelines include the following recommendations:

• An exercise routine that includes balance, gait and strength training, such as tai chi or physical therapy.
• An environmental assessment designed to eliminate fall risk factors identified in the home and evaluations and interventions to promote safe performance of daily activities. (“At least one-third of all falls in the elderly involve environmental hazards in the home,” Colorado State University Extension reported.)
• Medication reduction or withdrawal for all older adults. “If discontinuation of a particular high-risk medication is not possible because of medical conditions, dose reduction should be considered,” the AGS/BGS Guidelines urged.
• Vitamin D (800 IU) as a daily supplement for all older adults at risk of falling.
• Treatment of vision impairment such as cataracts, macular degeneration, glaucoma and other conditions that could result in falling.
• Treatment of foot problems ranging from toe or nail deformities to severe bunions, as well as replacement of footwear that fits poorly or has worn heels or soles.

“Falling is more frequent in ambulatory residents of long-term care facilities than in older persons residing (independently) in the community,” theAGS/BGS Guidelines added. “Older people with cognitive impairment and dementia are at greater risk for falls, with an annual incidence of approximately 60 percent.”

To help reduce the risk of falling, the CDC’s Injury Center recommends that adults age 65 and older begin a regular exercise program, have their doctors review their medications, have their vision checked and make their home surroundings safer. For more information, the CDC publishes “how-to” guides on fall prevention programs for older adults.

Right at Home, Inc. is your local and international expert for issues related to caring for your loved one and is dedicated to keeping you informed about home care. Right at Home offers in-home care and assistance so your loved one can continue living independently and enjoying a vibrant life. Our caregivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured prior to entering your home so you can trust us with the caregiving while you focus on your loved one.