When one reaches the later years of one’s life, systems will slow down and bones will weaken. This is the time when you will not be able to do the things that you used to do before or if you were still able to do it, you would not be able to do it with the same speed and strength as you used to before.
That is the sad fact about aging. Things will slow down and eventually, little by little, disappear.
But that is not always the case. For some people, the aging process can speed up especially in the area of the brain.
This is what scientists call Alzheimer’s.
It is a degenerative and progressive disease that targets the brain, particularly the areas that deal with learning and memory. Although it often affects people over the age of 80, there are some who are diagnosed with the problem as early as their 40s and 50s. There are also rare cases when Alzheimer’s attacks in the late 20s.
Alzheimer’s Disease is characterized by a progressive memory loss and inability to focus attention on one thing. People with this disease will forget their names, their addresses and will cease to recognize their husbands, children, and people who are close to them.
When it is in its later stages, language problems may also happen because of the inability of the person to recall words that are appropriate for what they are going to say. The disease may also result in behavioral changes because of progressive memory loss. There are some patients who don’t remember how to go about their normal functions such as eating, sleeping, or brushing their teeth. Some may even forget how to breathe.
This is the reason why most old people dread this disease. It can really be debilitating, robbing you of your life and often times your loved one.
Although nothing has been proven yet, some studies show that doing mental tasks can actually slow down the progression of the disease. For instance, patients who love to answer puzzles and play mental games like chess are slower in their progression compared to other patients with the same degree and case of Alzheimer. Because of this, some scientists believe that Alzheimer’s can be prevented through the use of the mental process.
Below are some ways to prevent Alzheimer’s from settling in.
Learn something new
Old age is not a reason to stop learning new things. You can learn a variety of things, dancing, cooking, singing, a new language, crafts, the arts. There are so many things to choose from. Don the things that you have not done before, things that you never thought, you’ll be doing. Your age should not be a hindrance to the things that you want to do.
In addition to enriching your life, learning something new affords a fresh challenge for your brains. This way, your mental processes will be used once again. This keeps the brain cells in shape and sharp.
Play mind games
This is not to say that you should be scheming and plotting, stirring the boat for the members of your family. Mind games here refer to the tamer kind, crossword puzzles, sudoku. These are ways to sharpen those mental skills and memory. This also allows you to practice or be familiar with words and things once again, lessening the chance of you forgetting them.
