New Jersey Senior Care Activities
Lifting weights can make you stronger. Now, there is every reason to believe that giving your brain a workout can also help seniors block distractions and improve concentration.
As we age, our brains change. Older adults experience changes in how they perceive information their eyes and ears gather from the environment. This is called sensory integration – a tendency to combine information from different senses – which older adults experience it more readily than younger ones. Sensory integration can make it harder to block out distracting sights and sounds when you are trying to focus on a task.
A recent study was designed to determine if eight hours of brain exercise can improve healthy older adults’ (65 – 75 years old) ability to filter out unwanted sights and sounds. Using MRI technology, visualizing blood flow and brain activity, researchers found that a growing number of activities, from crossword puzzles to Sudoku, reduced these subjects’ susceptibility to distracting stimuli and improved concentration. The training involved either a structured one-on-one mental work-out program or a group brain exercise program.
How can you improve your concentration and block out distractions? Just as you exercise your body, make time to exercise your brain. The recommendation is to set aside 15 – 20 minutes every day to complete a crossword puzzle or other brain game. ~
By Frank Esposito, of Expert Home Care, which provides professional, dependable home health care and companion care for NJ elderly, helping them with their daily living activities since 1984. Call toll free at 1-800-848-2336 to have your questions answered or if you are in need help for a loved one. Free NJ Home Care Assessment (a $375 value!) when you mention this post.
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