We all need to sleep. Yet sometimes it can seem impossible to get a good night’s rest. A lack of zzz’s takes a toll on our thinking and wellbeing, especially as we grow older. The good news? There are evidence-backed, practical ways we can improve our sleep at every age.

We all need to sleep. Yet sometimes it can seem impossible to get a good night’s rest. A lack of zzz’s takes a toll on our thinking and wellbeing, especially as we grow older. The good news? There are evidence-backed, practical ways we can improve our sleep at every age.

A colleague recently shared their concern over Miss K., a vibrant woman who seemed to experience a real dip in her memory over the past few months. “She is forgetting details she ordinarily would get,” she said, “and I can tell that it’s keeping her from engaging and getting together with her pals.” As we age, our risk for changes in memory ability increases significantly, especially for those over age 85. While such changes are not inevitable, and do not necessarily progress, they can be frustrating and even frightening for folks experiencing them. As professionals and caregivers, our desire to find solutions to meet the changing needs of our community members in a way that can help to stave off further decline can be challenging. This is particularly true when we consider the need to do so on a scalable basis.

Following an extensive review of the data, the Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care challenged the medical community and society with the following conclusion: “...(G)iving people information about how to prevent or treat dementia is an essential first step but is not enough. There is a responsibility, not just as professionals but as a society, to implement this evidence into interventions that are widely and effectively used… Interventions have to be accessible, sustainable, and, if possible, enjoyable or they will be unused.”

For many in the active aging space, August is a time of budgets and decision making. While dollars are tight, the pandemic’s impact has proven that the real value of wellness engagement to resident health, connection, and satisfaction is, in fact, priceless. As you consider how to stretch your allocation for maximum impact, you should know that there are multiple, unexpected ways investing in brain health is a wise move for your wellness impact – and your bottom line. There really are countless ways making cognitive fitness a priority for your wellness spend brings surprising benefits, but let’s start with my top 3...

You know what doesn’t slow down for the summer? Our brains! We continue to need stimulation, challenge, and connection to keep our thinking sharp, stay social, and help our minds thrive - no matter the date on the calendar. And while no one wants summer assignments (always dreaded in my household!), simply downgrading the chances everyone has to engage can lead to brain drain.

Total Brain Health has been selected as the brain health partner for Honor’s new call center program called Honor Expert. Honor Expert – which currently has 14 national partners, including Amazon Business, Best Buy, SelectRX, and Freshly – allows older adults and their families to call a dedicated toll-free number for quick access to information they need on caregiving.

thing everyone could do to rev up their recall, especially after so many months (ok, even years) of feeling so distracted and scattered. Fortunately, I had an easy answer – it’s all about attention. If we focused more effectively on the things we want to retain, we would remember them better.

Adults 65+ often experience changes in cognition, including memory. Longstanding evidence shows interventions such as lifestyle changes and memory training can improve thinking and cognitive vitality. The recently concluded ACAR Brain Health Intervention Study shows the robust, significant benefits of brain health training for adults in congregant living.

This past Tuesday, over 200 communities registered from across the US and Canada joined Dr. Green and some special guests for our 2nd annual Brain Awareness Week livestream event. The interactive webinar, streamed over Zoom and through Touchtown’s Live! service, covered the many ways play is such a boost for our brain.