We’ve all forgotten a name or forgot where we left our keys, but for older adults memory loss can be a real problem. Seniors over 80 years old are at the highest risk for memory loss, but a new UCLA study shows a specific fitness program may help seniors retrieve information tucked in their brains.
The study
Over the course of six weeks, seniors took part in two fitness classes each day. The lessons offered memory training techniques and education about lifestyle changes that impact memory loss.
The results
“It was exciting to see how much older adults participate in a memory fitness program and improve,” said study author Dr. Karen Miller, an associate clinical professor at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA. “The study demonstrates that it’s never too late to learn new skills to enhance one’s life.”
Miller also stressed the importance of lifestyle changes to keep the mind sharp.
“Lifestyle and environmental factors may play a role in cognitive decline, so our program included education about healthy living in addition to memory-training techniques,” said Dr. Gary Small, who is also a professor at the Semel Institute.
More on the classes
These classes were offered right on site at senior living facilities which helped attendance, since no travel as needed. The study involved 115 seniors at two full-service retirement communities in Maryland that are part of Erickson Living, a leading continuing-care community developer and manager. Participants lived in the “independent” level of care in these communities and had memory complaints, but they had not been diagnosed with alzheimer’s and were not taking any medications for memory loss.
“We found that the memory fitness program was readily accepted by residents in our senior living communities and that it directly benefited many of them,” said John Parrish, Ph.D., executive director of the Erickson Foundation. “In fact, we are now offering the program in nearly all of our 16 communities across the nation.”
Other studies have shown similar results when it comes to seniors working out.
