As a person gets older, usually into their 60s, they may notice that their memory is not what it once was. This is not uncommon and is a part of the normal cognitive decline that almost everybody in the population will experience.
If you have concerns about your memory or the memory of a loved one in this age category, it is important to help get them assessed by a doctor. They will be able to make a diagnosis of the condition that they are showing signs of, which could be something like Alzheimer’s dementia.
Even if your loved one has this diagnosis, or another kind of neurocognitive issue associated with older age, many things can be done to help them boost their memory in daily life. So, without further ado, here are some of the options that can help to slow the signs of Alzheimer’s and other degenerative neurological disorders.
Physical Activity
It may seem odd to recommend to an older person to exercise more. However, studies have found that more physical activity in older people is beneficial for blood flow to the brain and for boosting feel-good chemicals like endorphins. Indeed, if you are looking to place your elderly loved one into a facility, and Google assisted living with memory care near me, you will undoubtedly come across facilities that offer physical treatment as part of their management of memory issues.
Puzzles
Staying active mentally is also important and can help boost memory, and there was a fad some years ago relating to training your brain.
Of course, you don’t have to shell out money on a laptop or tablet to engage in puzzles. Simply getting your elderly loved one a puzzle book or even a jigsaw puzzle can be helpful to boost their memory, help with cognition, and keep their mind active.
Making Friends
There is a lot to be said about socialization and the development of memory issues. If your loved one is isolated at home, one of the core benefits of having them move into an assisted living facility is that they will be surrounded by other people within their age group who may have similar issues to them. They can then socialize, and this will prevent them from feeling lonely and will reduce depression and stress, both of which contribute to the acceleration of neurocognitive diseases.
Diets
Diet should never be overlooked when it comes to boosting memory. If your loved one who has memory loss is eating unhealthy food, this is going to have a negative role in any disorder that they have. Try to encourage them to eat more vegetables and oily fish and to reduce their intake of salt and sugar, as well as refined carbohydrates.
Sleep
If your loved one is having issues with their sleep, this is going to have an obvious impact on their cognitive abilities. So, if they report that they are having problems with sleeping, or you notice it, you should aim to have the underlying cause assessed by a doctor.
