Brain Science:
This text is on the last pillar of brain health, which is “maintain connections”. The following is directly from Sanjay Gupta’s book “Keep Sharp”. Losing a spouse or close family member or friend presents a tremendous strain on a healthy brain, not to mention an older one.
“After Helen’s husband died suddenly from heart failure after more than forty years of marriage, her health and cognition declined precipitously in just a few months. Her husband had been her main social companion, and without his presence, she lacked opportunities to interact with others and had very few friends. It had been a long time since Helen had socialized outside of home. She became increasingly isolated and depressed, living alone in a large, cluttered house with nothing much to do other than sit on the couch and watch TV. If her children had not insisted that she move to a retirement community to experience a social network of people and share joint activities, Helen might have continued to deteriorate mentally and met an early death…” In the first six months after the loss of a spouse, widows and widowers are at a 41% increase in the risk of mortality…
“A meaningful relationship with another person brings love, happiness, and comfort to an individual’s life. There’s plenty of science to back up the fact we need social connection to thrive, especially when it comes to brain health…” A look at the data shows that enjoying close ties to friends and family, as well as participating in meaningful social activities, may help keep your mind sharp and your memories strong… “It’s not just the number of social connections you have... [it’s the] type, quality, and purpose of your relationship [that] can affect your brain functions as well.”
Staying social and interacting with others in conversation, problem solving and empathizing provides a buffer against the harmful effects of stress on the brain.
Brain Facts:
· Even your marital status can affect your brain functions. Researchers at Michigan State University found married people are less likely to experience dementia as they age., and divorcees are about twice as likely as married people to develop dementia ( widowed and never-married people have risk profiles in between the married and divorced groups).
· One third of Americans older than 65 ½ and half of those over 85 now live alone.
· The Global Council on Brain Health indicates that in people over 40, 37% lacked companionship, 35% found it hard to engage socially, and nearly 30%said they felt isolated.
· Adults in the GCBH surveys, who said they were happy with their friends and social activities were more likely to report an increase in their memory and thinking skills in the previous 5 years, while those who were unsatisfied with their social lives reported the opposite- their cognitive abilities had declined!
· Loneliness in particular has been shown to accelerate cognitive decline in older adults… Apparently, high quality socialization is akin to a vital sign… Gupta
· The idea that social connections might buffer our brain health is within the concept of “cognitive reserve”. This suggests that we develop a reserve of thinking abilities during their lives, and that this protects them against brain losses and harms in later life. ( a more complex and higher quality of social interaction throughout life can build cognitive reserve)… “Age UK” a government health publication published in England.
So What:
In our society today the absence of real connection is epidemic, particularly with older people. Gupta and most health professionals agree. Families are spread apart or so busy they no longer have that quality connection. In addition, the older we get the more friends we lose. With an older person remorse over loss extends longer because there is nothing to take its place. For many older people out of boredom, alcohol takes over.
We are hyper connected through digital media yet increasingly drifting apart. (Gupta) The data increasingly says people (especially older) need to pay more attention to nurturing relationships.
Suggesting and food for thought:
· Stay connected with friends and family as this may help maintain thinking skills as we age.
It’s not unusual for social networks to shrink as we age, but there are things we can do to improve the quality of relationships.
Join a club, class or social group to meet new people. Focus on relationships or activities that you enjoy.
If you have lost connections, take small steps to start rebuilding
Computer-based communication can be useful to help expand your social world.--- Age UK
· Rekindle old friendships
Go for quality, not quantity
Consider a range of ways to connect. Where can you meet people or connect online --- Harvard Health Publishing
· Put together a coffee group… ours is great. If we could just remember anything. Very seldom do we get a memory right, but it makes a good story. Don’t worry about the accuracy, just make it a good story.
Consider going to church. Online is ok but seeing and meeting smiling faces is a therapy in itself.
Call your kids even though they don’t call you. Talk to the grandkids you may learn something….Sam
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