Keep mentally active…

Our brains, like our bodies, require exercise to keep them going at 100%. For individuals who suffer from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, the Alzheimer’s Association recommends that people stay mentally active.

Keeping your brain mentally stimulated helps to fight off Alzheimer’s, giving your brain more vitality and making the connections stronger. Mosaic Home Care Services hosts the First Link Memory Café on the last Tuesday of every month in association with the Alzheimer’s Society of York Region, providing a place for people who are suffering from Alzheimer’s/Dementia and their caregivers to ask questions, and be themselves. While the First Link Memory Café is a great opportunity for individuals to socialize, and play mind games to improve brain health, there are activities, programs and websites that offer people a chance to stimulate and give their brains a mental exercise. Here are a few useful websites and apps that people can use to help stimulate their brains:

1. Lumosity

Lumosity is an online brain training website. On the website you can find a brain training program with more than 40 games based on memory, attention, and flexibility. Lumosity provides users with a great structure to train their brains in a variety of different challenges.

2. Fit Brains

Another online brain training website, similar to Lumosity. Fit Brains provides personalized tools and charts to provide users with feedback on their brain fitness. Similar to Lumosity in many ways, Fit Brains also provides articles and blog posts on brain health as well.

3. Sharp Brains

This website provides 50 different brain exercises to get your brain moving. Exercises include attention and memory, visual works, language and logic and among others. The website also includes articles and blog posts on providing updates on health and wellness.

Using these websites to help exercise your brain could help in preventing or helping to stop Alzheimer’s and dementias. While the websites that have been provided are for a PC, I would recommend using a tablet for seniors. Tablets are much more user-friendly than a PC, as seniors can use their fingers on the touch screen instead of manoeuvring with a mouse and keyboard. Being a more natural feeling using the touch screen makes it easier for seniors to get into the groove of exercising their brains. Using these online resources as well as local ones, like Mosaic’s First Link Memory Café, provides those individuals who suffer from Alzheimer’s/dementia with ways to exercise their brain, as well as providing social interaction. Exercise and social interaction are the best way to fight Alzheimer’s and other form of dementia!