Archive for August, 2024

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Brain Health…What Is It and How to Maintain It

Wednesday, August 21st, 2024

 

To open our “Optimizing Brain Health” program, Dr Kathleen Fuchs of the UVA Memory and Aging Care Clinic (MACC) shared definitions, including cognitive changes in normal aging: slowed information processing, reduced mental flexibility, slowed learning, mild inefficiency in retrieval and words/names. Plasticity offers hope for older brains…it is new brain connections in response to life experiences.  New thoughts and skills carve out new memory pathways.  Repetition and practice strengthen these pathways. Animal studies show improved cognitive performance with:  1) enriched environment; 2) exercise; and 3) increased social interaction.

Cognitive reserve provides persons with higher lifetime intellectual enrichment the ability to withstand neurological disease progression without suffering cognitive impairment or dementia. Education (early and lifelong learning), cognitively challenging work, cognitive leisure activities, social activities and aerobic exercise are contributors to Cognitive Reserve.

#1 brain health activity:  exercise. Exercise 3-4 times per week.  Build up to 30 minutes. Increase your heart rate.  Be sure to check with your doctor before starting, if you don’t currently exercise.  Walking and talking double benefit.

Follow a Mediterranean diet.  Watch sleep quantity/quality.  Check hearing.  Monitor your mood.  Seek socialization.

IF interested in participating in research, contact Colleen Webber, UVA Memory Disorders Division, 243-5898 phone.

The Center’s Executive Director Melanie Benjamin shared literally hundreds of ways to improve plasticity and cognitive reserve at The Center, including exercise/fitness, painting/art, Spanish/Italian/French,  crocheting,  gardening, cooking, quilting, dancing, support groups (Parkinson’s, Womens, Cancer, Mental Health, ADHD, Grief, Retirement, Aging in Place, etc.), education (Pride Series, DEI Series, Brain Health, Cell Phone tutorial, Architecture, Good Life series, Funerals, Medicare, Vietnam, WWII, Money, Navigating Senior Living Options and more), luncheons, music performances, movies, documentaries, beer and bingo, book clubs, health services (flu clinic) AND MORE !!

Maintain your brain….you have the power.

*****

Following the program, the SSV held a reception welcoming everyone back to The Center at Belvedere:

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SSV Future Programs

Friday, August 2nd, 2024

The public is welcome to our meetings. The meetings are held at The Center at Belvedere, 540 Belvedere Boulevard, Charlottesville, VA 22901, the second Wednesday of the month from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. There is no charge, although we suggest you join our group which has been in existence for 25 years. The membership dues are only $25 per year and can be paid online on the ‘Join SSV’ page. Your dues will help us continue to deliver top-quality presentations. If you have questions, please email info@seniorstatesmen.org. Click the tab above to see samples of our newsletter.

 

Next Meeting of the SSV is August  13th, 2025 

 

SSV IS ASKING ALL ATTENDEES TO REGISTER IN ADVANCE AT THE FOLLOWING LINK:
Senior Statesmen of Virginia | The Center Charlottesville (thecentercville.org)

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

 

Past Programs

Past programs are arranged in inverse chronological order.  Speaker bios and links to videos and podcasts are given, with a program summary written by SSV board members