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The inaugural class of the Posit Science Brain Fitness Program, at Simpson House retirement community in Fairmount Park, graduated in June.
An innovative program gaining acceptance in retirement communities, the Posit Science Brain Fitness Program challenges the commonly-held belief that the brain can’t retrain itself. A study presented at the annual conference of the Society for Neuroscience concluded that participants have gained noticeable cognitive improvement.
A Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center study, presented at the Organization for Human Brain Mapping 2007 conference in Chicago, suggests that attention training can change brain activity so older persons can block out distractions and improve concentration.
Dr. Paul Laurienti, lead scientist in the study, said that as people age, how they perceive information changes, which leads to difficulties in blocking out distracting sights and sounds while maintaining focus on important information. Attention training “is a way to reduce older adults’ susceptibility to distracting stimuli and improve concentration,” graduate student Jennifer Mozolic reported at the conference.
Simpson House administrator Gloria Boring reported that one resident enrolled in the program because her memory and focus were beginning to slip. She reported afterward that she felt more engaged when talking with others, and it has allowed her to restore important relationships.
Snacking good for you
If you live long enough, you’re bound to hear some good news about health.
For instance, a study, reported in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, indicated that snacking can be good for older people.
For younger adults, snacking can lead to an expanded waistline, but it can be a godsend for older people, who are often at risk of inadequate nutrition and unintended weight loss, because of a drop in calorie intake caused by lack of appetite, medical conditions or difficulty buying food.
The Auburn University researchers found that among older people, snackers take in more calories, proteins, carbohydrates and fat than non-snackers do, and can benefit from the nutrients.
Immediate hip surgery preferred
If you break a hip, it’s a good idea to undergo surgery as soon as possible.
A Canadian study found that seniors who have surgery within a day or two of breaking a hip tend to have better outcomes than those who wait longer.
Of the nearly 25,000 Canadian seniors hospitalized with broken hips in 2005-06, those who had to wait longer than the next day for surgery were 22 percent more likely to die in the hospital within 30 days of admission.
Several factors contribute to delays, they note: the patient may have to be taken off blood thinners before surgery or may require a cardiac assessment first; the time a patient is admitted may determine when it is done; a transfer to another hospital may be made.
Why the higher death rate? “Because you’re immobilized, lying in bed ... “ says orthopedic surgeon Michael Dunbar. “You tend to get more urinary tract infections ... more pneumonia ... pressure sores and ... blood clots.”
Exercise delays arthritis
Arthritis is not inevitable, ladies, not if you exercise.
Australian researchers have concluded that women in their 70s can delay the onset of arthritis for years by exercising as little as 75 minutes a week.
Results of the research, notes Dr. Kristi Heesch of the University of Queensland, “also suggest that at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week may be even more protective.”
The study is reported in the journal Arthritis Research & Therapy.
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