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. Beginning August 14, 2024, the meetings will take place 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.

 

Wednesday, May 06, 2025,  2:30 p.m

Annual General Assembly Update 2025

Join us for an informative session on the legislative accomplishments and future initiatives that Delegate Katrina Callsen, Senator Creigh Deeds, and Delegate Amy Laufer have been working on in Richmond.

They will review the Budget, discuss the impact of potential Federal funding level changes and share the important issues at hand. Delegates Callsen and Laufer and Senator Deeds are eager to answer questions and listen to concerns/comments from the audience.

 

 

Senator Creigh Deeds (S) 11 th Senate District

Senator Creigh Deeds represents the counties of Albemarle, Nelson, Amherst, part of Louisa and the City of Charlottesville. He is the Chair of the Commerce and Labor Committee and Chairs the Behavioral Health Commission and the Health and Human Resources Subcommittee. Sen. Deeds also serves on the following standing committees: Courts of Justice, Finance and Appropriations, Privileges and Elections, and Rules. He was recently appointed to serve on the Special Subcommittee on Federal Impacts to Resources. The issues of mental health/healthcare access and educational funding remain among his top priorities.

 

Delegate Katrina Callsen (D) 54 th House District

Delegate Katrina Callsen represents all of City and small part of Albemarle County in urban ring) serves on Courts, Finance, and Local Government Committees; introduced 14 bills. She is very proud of the Kinship For Foster Care legislation she authored. Katrina was named the “Freshman Delegate of the Year,” by the 34 first-time delegates. She continues to work on probation reform, residual marijuana possession reform (from felony to misdemeanor), guns violence reform, along with women’s healthcare and reproductive choice, affordable housing, support of working Families, voting rights and the rights of LGBTQ+ people.
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Delegate Amy Laufer (D) 55 th House District

Delegate Amy Laufer represents Albemarle County (part) Louisa (part) Fluvanna (part) and Nelson(part). Amy serves on Finance, Education and  Agriculture/Chesapeake/Natural Resources Committees. She is most proud of her work on women’s health issues and agriculture and continues to work on gun safety and controls, agriculture issues, as well as investing in all children including those with special needs, and the belief that every Virginian should have access to healthcare.

 

The program will be moderated by SSV Board President, Sue Liberman

 

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