The Benefits of Fruit

There are numerous ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Fruit is a major factor of good health that strengthens the quality of life. Fruit contains antioxidants that help avoid harm to our bodies such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancers. Eating fruits that are high in fiber is a great way to reduce the chance of strokes, heart attacks and obesity. There are certain nutrients that our body craves because it doesn’t receive enough. Potassium is one; it fights high blood pressure, kidney stones and protects bone loss. Vitamin C is another which improves the growth of body tissues and strengthens teeth and gums. Folate (a folic acid) reduces the chance of birth defects and are a factor in creating red blood cells. Foods that are grown naturally on plants are called phytonutrients. Consuming these nutrients provide a pool of health benefits essentially enhancing life overall.

Safe Return Program

Tips to reduce wandering:

1. Place deadbolts either high or low on exterior doors.

2. Move around and exercise to reduce anxiety, agitation and restlessness.

3. Ensure all basic needs are met (toileting, nutrition, thirst).

4, Carry out daily activities, such as folding laundry or preparing dinner.

5. Reassure the person if he or she feels lost, abandoned or disoriented.

6. Control access to car keys (a person with dementia may not just wander by foot).

7. Avoid busy places that are confusing and can cause disorientation, such as shopping malls.

8. Do not leave someone with dementia unsupervised in new surroundings.

More than 60% of those with dementia will wander.

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Please join us for an evening of appetizers, cocktails, and prizes to celebrate the opening of our new office in Burlington. The ceremony will take place on Wednesday, September 25 from 5:30pm-7:00pm. Our new office can be located at 83 Cambridge Street, suite 3A in Burlington, MA.

Please RSVP by calling 885-226-8696

Also don’t forget that the Alzheimer’s Disease Support Group meeting, held the first Thursday of every month. The next meeting will be held on October 3, from 1-2:30 pm at the Lexington Senior Center, located at 1475 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington, Ma.

Keeping our mind sharp, with games!

Just like we need to exercise to keep our muscles strong, our brain needs exercise to stay in shape. Thankfully you don’t have to go to your local gym for these workouts. Along with a healthy diet, “brain games” are a great way to keep you brain strong and ward off some of the risks that can lead to Alzheimer’s. Brain exercises or “brain games” can be broken down into 4 categories.

The first category being, memory & recall. Playing card games such as solitare, bridge, and even blackjack, can help with stimulate memory. Chess is another great game that helps boost short-term memory. Chess requires the player to constantly devise new strategies, this helps stimulate the players short term memory. Even a simple crossword puzzle or word jumbles are a great way to boost your ability to memorize and recall.

The second category is, attention & focus. Reading is a great way to relax at the end of the day, but it also helps your brain stay attentive and focused. If reading isn’t your thing you can also play memory games. These type of games force the brain to pay close attention to details. Not only do memory games help with attention span, but also with memory because these two are strognly linked.

The third categoty is cognition and problem solving. Playing games that involve numbers help the brain with problem solving.

Finally, the fourth category is, speed & reaction time. Surprisingly a great way to improve brain speed and reaction time is by playing video games. These games require the brain to be alert and ready for what may come next.

Keeping a sharp mind is a great step in preventing Alzheimers. You can use these fun games to exercise your mind or you can come up with your own, just like your muscles our brain stays strong the more we work it out.

For more information on this subject take a look at this article by Michael A. Smith, MD

http://blog.lef.org/search?q=train+your+brain+for+better+memory+and+cognition&submit=Go