Marc Agronin, MD
Chief Medical Officer,
Frank C. and Lynn Scaduto MIND Institute at Miami Jewish Health
Most people assume that memory loss and other forms of cognitive impairment are an inevitable part of aging and Alzheimer’s disease is the ultimate fear. But what if I told you that you could actually prevent these changes in the first place, or at least delay their onset and blunt their course? The formula is actually quite simple – and living in a dynamic senior community is one way to access all the fruits of a brain health lifestyle.
Several studies in the past few years have revealed that certain brain healthy habits can improve cognition in aging individuals who are at risk for developing brain impairment. The most notable studies have been the Finnish FINGER study and the American US POINTER study, which both revealed that regular physical exercise, a healthy diet, attention to common medical issues like high blood pressure and glucose levels, and social and mental stimulation can boost cognitive abilities. Any attention to these pillars of brain health is good, but it’s best when done in a structured way as part of one’s daily life.
Imagine walking out your door and finding each element a few steps away – exercise classes and a wellness center, a state-of-the-art medical clinic, a beautiful dining room with numerous brain-healthy options on the menu, and lots of stimulating activities and classes. All of these components will be an integral part of FiftyTwoNorth.
In addition, a growing body of research has identified key risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease that can actually be modified in middle and later life to either prevent it in the first place or blunt its symptoms. Preventive strategies include keeping your blood pressure, LDL cholesterol and glucose in normal ranges, maintaining a healthy weight, getting regular physical exercise, adhering to a Mediterranean-like diet, treating depression, identifying and correcting hearing loss, staying socially and mentally active and having a good attitude towards aging, reducing alcohol intake and avoiding smoking, and getting sufficient sleep. The good thing about these strategies is that they are accessible to everyone and don’t have to cost a lot of money.
The Frank C. and Lynn Scaduto MIND Institute on the campus of Miami Jewish Health has pioneered ways to help people identify their own level of risk and then provide individualized education and coaching on how to optimize their brain health. MIND Institute will be working together with FiftyTwoNorth to enroll all residents in our brain health program, making it a regular and enjoyable part of daily life.
Despite the best brain healthy approaches, there are normal age-related changes in cognition that occur, including slowed mental processing and increasing short-term memory lapses. It can be difficult to know what’s normal and what’s not, but that is where memory disorder centers like the MIND Institute can play a key role through comprehensive evaluation and treatment, cognitive rehabilitation, patient and caregiver education and support, and state-of-the-art clinical trials. With time and dramatic developments in new diagnostics and treatments, Alzheimer’s disease is becoming a more manageable condition, bringing a greater span of normality and increased hope for many individuals.
Regardless of a person’s cognitive status, FiftyTwoNorth will be a unique setting in which brain health takes center stage, providing all the important lifestyle elements along with the best in care — right at one’s doorstep.
