Monmouth County's Ask The Doctor July/August 2018

Remembering to Remember By Susan Heckler Your memory shapes your identity as well as holds a record of your entire life. Your ability to formmemories does not occur until around the age of five. Supposedly anyone can become a memory master by training their brain. Essentially, what you’re doing is improving and expanding the connectivity between different centers in your brain. Memory training involves improving the connectivity in the brain. Other devices to help you remember words, information or concepts include using: • Acronyms - (such as ATD for "Ask The Doctor") • Visualizations - (such as imagining a comb to remember you have an appointment for a haircut) • Rhymes - (remembering to tunes like “Thirty days haveth September”) • Chunking - breaking up information into smaller "chunks" (such as organizing groups) • Visualize - pay attention to photographs, charts, and other graphics to have visual cues • Mediation/Bridging - a bridge is built in between the items given to be memorized • Stop Multitasking it - it may actually slow you down, make you prone to errors as well as make you forgetful • REST If you’re not quite ready to take up a foreign language, piano lessons or knitting, you may still be able to bolster the growth of new brain cells and neural connections by challenging your mind with various games and puzzles. There is vast evidence that exercise produces large cognitive gains and helps fight dementia. Those who exercise have a greater volume of gray matter in the hippocampal region, which is important for memory and exercise also prevents age- related shrinkage of your brain. Research also shows that exercising four hours after learning something new helps you retain what you’ve just learned long-term. The human brain has remarkable flexibility, and has the ability to regenerate and form new connections throughout your life. You lose certain memories but can make new ones and form new connections. Engaging in stimulating social activities, artistic pursuits and crafts keep your mind sharper with age and prevent cognitive decline, thus the importance of socialization versus social isolation for the elderly. Leisure activities that challenge the brain like chess and card games help maintain cognition.

A S W E A G E

Monmouth Crossing Award-Winning Assisted Living The comforts of home. An active social life. Around-the- clock care and support. It’s the best of all worlds. A great life for your loved one. Peace of mind for you. That’s the magic of Monmouth Crossing—a charming community, filled with friends and laughter, countless activities, and a staff that considers every resident a part of their extended family. Yes, you can breathe a sigh of relief. This is assisted living at its best! Life’s Good Here!

Get informed: monmouthcrossing.com

Get in touch: 732.303.8600

ADVANCED STANDING

560 Iron Bridge Rd. • Freehold, NJ

Visit centrastate.com/Monmouth-Crossing to view our video tour.

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ASK THE DOCTOR

JULY/AUGUST 2018