Can Seniors Reduce Their Risk of Dementia?

For many of us, the thought of developing dementia as we age, or worse, contracting Alzheimer’s disease, is one of the most frightening aspects of growing older. More of our aging population is diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s every year, and the cure may be several years, if not decades, in the future.

Researchers have identified several things that people can do, however, even in their senior years, to prevent or to stave off the onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s. Many of these will seem, especially at first glance, like common sense or the same panacea that doctors and researchers prescribe or recommend for just about any health condition that impacts a person’s quality of life. But that’s not necessarily the case.

While it may be true that getting enough exercise and eating a healthy diet are good for just about anything, there are some exercises and techniques that you can implement now, specific to dementia, as well as some things to avoid doing in order to keep yourself healthy well into the last chapters of your life. It also helps to understand how other conditions, like hearing loss, can affect a dementia diagnosis.

Fight Dementia With Diet and Exercise

It seems like it should go without saying, but getting enough exercise (roughly 150 minutes per week of resistance training and aerobic activity), together with eating well, are two of the best things you can do for your aging body.

A diet rich in essential fatty acids, those available from vegetable sources as well as from fish, can help with brain health. And exercise helps to stimulate the mind as it works the muscles, reducing stress while improving alertness.

Fend Off Dementia by Reducing Stress

Along with improving your diet and getting enough exercise, reducing your stress level while making sure to engage socially with your peers and other groups can have a demonstrable effect on reducing your risk of contracting Alzheimer’s.

Social isolation and high stress are two of the biggest risk factors for developing dementia. However, if you are an introvert by nature, make sure that you aren’t increasing your stress level by forcing yourself to socialize with people who aren’t comfortable for you. Remember that balance is important as well.

Reduce Dementia Risk by Taking Good Care of Your Brain

Taking care to maintain the health of your brain by stimulating it on a regular basis and making certain to get enough rest are major components of keeping dementia at bay.

As we age, it naturally gets harder for us to sleep as long as we once did when we were younger. But our bodies and our minds need a certain amount of regular restive sleep in order to repair and maintain good function.

Likewise, a brain that isn’t used or one that isn’t stimulated regularly is also in danger of developing problems. Look for hobbies and activities that require critical thinking, creativity, or analytical skills to keep your mind young.

How Hearing Loss Affects a Dementia Diagnosis

During the past 30 years, audiology researchers have wondered about the correlation between hearing loss and dementia tests. One of these tests is the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). This is the most popular and commonly used test among over three quarters of psychiatrists and primary care physicians; it is used to determine cognitive function.

Studies show that reduced audibility significantly reduces scores on the MMSE, resulting in greater apparent cognitive deficits and possible misdiagnosis of dementia. Though the MMSE is so widely used, there are still no standard national or international guidelines for testing a person with dementia. Dementia presents in varying degrees, sometimes two steps forward toward dementia and one step back to normalcy. This means that there are still some weaknesses in our understanding of the auditory language, which results in misdiagnosis.

Eliminating Confounding Factors When Diagnosing Dementia

It was found that hearing loss is twice as likely in people with dementia. Trials and studies have shown that hearing loss is linked to lower results on verbally administered tests for dementia. Hearing loss and dementia are tied together in ongoing research, and other studies found that vision can also influence the results of these tests.

Researchers noted that it is very important to reduce or eliminate these confounding factors, hearing or vision loss, since they can affect the results of the MMSE. Some may even critique its usefulness in diagnosing dementia. When a family is considering having their loved one tested for hearing loss and dementia, it is wise to speak with your physician or health care professional. A full auditory evaluation can avoid misdiagnosis.

Dealing With Dementia

There is no cure for Alzheimer’s at this time and dementia can strike any of us as we get older. But with adequate mental and physical exercise, a good diet of foods rich in essential fatty acids, engaging conversation with our peers, and enough rest and relaxation, we can all stall the onset of these terrible conditions.

Key Takeaways

Caring for our senior loved ones can be easier with healthy aging, and it is for everyone. Talk to your doctor about a comprehensive approach that addresses both environmental and physical factors. By taking proactive steps toward healthy aging and seeking professional assistance when needed, families can significantly improve the lives of their senior loved ones.

Finding the Right Care for Mom or Dad

Golden Placements helps you manage resources and takes care of the leg work for finding your best living situation so you can enjoy your best golden years. Our specialists have ideas gathered over years of experience as senior life specialists. Community living and finding the right living choice for you or your loved one is important, and we help you navigate the details. Here are more resources to help you learn more:

• Long term care planning with our friends at ACL
• Oregon defines and describes ADLs here: Long Term Care
• Golden Placements resources to find care services
• Senior Living Near Me: Adult Home Placement
• Explore residential care homes for elderly loved ones

Portland senior living help from Golden Placement Services is at no cost to families. Call us today at 503-723-7145 or contact Golden Placements for free help finding the right care.