Brain Health: Keeping your brain active

Posted by John, Volunteer Mentor @johnbishop, Jul 30, 2020

One of the things I really admired about my wife's mother was her humor and her really sharp wit even at the age of 90+. She lived with us for the last 7 or 8 years while she was alive. It was no secret how she kept her mental sharpness – she loved crossword puzzles and worked on various puzzles during the day. Crossword puzzles could be found laying around the house that she had started but not finished. Woe be to you if you penciled in any answers in one of her crossword puzzles. I occasionally like doing puzzles but they are not on my regular diet. My wife, much like her mother, loves doing crossword puzzles.

I recently ran across a free online lesson on How to Promote Brain Health from McMaster Optimal Aging Portal – How to Promote Brain Health: https://www.mcmasteroptimalaging.org/e-learning/how-to-promote-brain-health — Discover six ways you can promote brain health and reduce your risk of developing dementia.

What do you do to keep your brain healthy and active?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Aging Well Support Group.

I play chess. Luckily.I still have my husband and we are a good match. Sometimes I win and sometimes he does but every game is a challenge
My father taught my brother and I to play when we were young. A nice gift from him to us.

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@queenmother56

Thank you!
My interest in brain health has always been active and I do a lot of reading on the subject.
But my youngest daughter (who lived with me age 58) passed away April 6th from a Glioblastoma Multiforme
brain tumor stage 4. It was too late when it was discovered even though she had surgery, radiation and chemo. So I am in deep grief but will keep following up on the research and comments so maybe I can help someone else discover it in time to save a life.

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@queenmother56

I am so sorry to hear of your daughter's death. I admire you in your desire to help others who have this type of brain cancer. Helping others is one effective way of dealing with this kind of grief.

On Mayo Connect, there are discussion groups on Grief & Loss. You might find it helpful to join this group as well. Here is the link,
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/loss-grief/
I look forward to reading your posts in the future as you deal with grief and the aging process.

Will you share how you cope with loss on a day-to-day basis?

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@willows

I play chess. Luckily.I still have my husband and we are a good match. Sometimes I win and sometimes he does but every game is a challenge
My father taught my brother and I to play when we were young. A nice gift from him to us.

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I like to do some strength training exercise to help with, train your brain, and work in other physical exercises to help. Water aerobics, and water walking, are me favorites.
Helps me. Hopes this helps, Pat

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@littleoaksc52

We think alike, Bets38. You don't have to wait for a Scrabble partner, just do Scrabble Solitaire on your phone with GooglePlay. I read one fiction and one non-fiction at the same time to help keep characters straight. If possible, try that exercise outdoors for fresh air to your brain. Hats off to you!

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I like the idea of reading a fiction and non-fiction at the same time. Keeping the dates and characters, etc. straight is challenging. I try to do the same thing as I in the last 4 or 5 years, I have included history, biographies, etc into my reading pattern.
Agree about getting the fresh air. I worked outside in garden for about 1 1/2 hours and with that fresh air and exercise I slept very well and had last night. Has off to fresh air!

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@pml

Hi bets38,
I'm so sorry to hear that your husband passed away 20 months ago. It sounds like you are handling your life very well; albeit alone. I'm glad I could inspire you to read Speigel again! It's also interesting to look up grocery stores in different countries online. They are sometimes hard to find. You have to remember that they are often called Markets not grocery stores.

Reading two books is challenging but good for your mind. Actually I'm reading three because my husband and I are also reading the Bible cover to cover for the third time. We read a little each morning before we get up and pray at that time too. I had forgotten how the Philistines had put gold necklaces on their camels! It's in the book of Judges.
PML

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Thanks for your suggestions PML! I read a fiction and a non-fiction book simultaneously and that's good for memory. I also read the Bible each morning. I am reading the Chronological Bible in a year. This is my second year for reading that particular version and it helps to put lives, wars, countries etc in the historical sense and it is also good for the brain. In regards to the camels and necklaces, one finds that there are a number of strange happenings recorded, especially to us in 2023, but also we see a similar pattern of behavior in folks in Scripture and the present e.g. jealousy, hate, covetousness, lust, unfaithfulness, etc.

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@0616

Thank you so much for the information on brain health. However, keeping socially active these days is quite difficult. I am thankful though for this kind of connect we have through the Mayo Clinic. Having said that, I do feel that personal face-to-face contact with people is of paramount importance to us as human beings. What I have done to remedy that situation is to invite friends over for an afternoon of conversation (weather permitting). This is done in my yard respecting the socially distant directives. Everyone brings their own snack or sandwich and I provide bottled water. This experience really lifts our spirits and helps us to look forward to "an outing."

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Thank you for your response.

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Yes, you are so right about social contact. I too try to invite people to my home for “coffee and “ however some of my friends live at a distance and our driving these days is limited. You are correct in believing that friends are so important to us.

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I write. I published my first fiction book last year at age 74 and I also ghostwrite books for others. I thought it was time to retire so I tried that and spent most of my time reading. I realized I was bored and went back to writing and am much more content now. Not that reading isn't also good for your brain, but writing seems to be the key to happiness for me.

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i DO BELIEVE SOCIAL CONECTIONS ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND CALLING AND CHECKING ON FRIENDS AND ELDERLY ALSO WLAKING AND BEING IN NATURES WORLD AND OUTSIDE READING AND WRITING IS ALWAYS GOOD FOR THE MIND ANY THING BUT SOCIAL MEDIA AND ALL THE ADS FOR NEW DRUGS AND ETC Have a pet if you can also for compantionship and walks and comfort

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@lakeside1999

I write. I published my first fiction book last year at age 74 and I also ghostwrite books for others. I thought it was time to retire so I tried that and spent most of my time reading. I realized I was bored and went back to writing and am much more content now. Not that reading isn't also good for your brain, but writing seems to be the key to happiness for me.

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@lakeside1999 I salute for your writing skills. I’m a terrible writer, and have had a reading problem since childhood.
Three years ago I started to paint with acrylic paints on canvas. I had never tried that before I believe, because I was too busy taking care of my family. Now I’m single, live alone, and can do whatever I want.
Art has become my happy spot. It keeps me alive!
I’ve also just started doing jigsaw puzzles. I’m 73 years old and I am excited to sit in front of the puzzle each morning for a few minutes. I even bought a puzzle table that is portable, and tilts so you can see the puzzle better.
A 1000 piece puzzle is a challenge for me, but I don’t give up.
I borrow the puzzles from my library. Free is good!

The biggest brain builder for me though is building my family tree on Ancestry! If you want to combine your talents into one activity a family tree is the way to go!

Two years ago I was diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment. I’m doing well…

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