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Maintaining and Enhancing Mental Function As We Age

Be Mindful of Your Brain
Forgetfulness is often considered a sign of aging. While it’s true our brains change as we age, aging doesn’t always have to equal cognitive decline. There are many ways to exercise your brain and improve cognitive function. Begin by incorporating these five tips into your daily routine to enhance mental function and curb the effects of aging:

Learn Something New

One of the best ways to keep our minds in high function is to continuously involve ourselves in learning. Challenge your mind through learning a new activity, or spending time listening and talking with others who have differing opinions from yours. The curious mind never stops growing.

Exercise

Exercise not only helps physical fitness, but it also helps our brains, too. Exercising increases the number of tiny blood vessels that send oxygen-rich blood to our brains. Exercise can also improve our cholesterol levels, lowers blood pressure and can improve mental health and blood sugar levels,  all of which play a role in cognitive health.

Stay Social

Staying socially active helps to keep us moving and encourages mental stimulation through conversation with others. Our emotional health is also tied to brain health, so these positive interactions with friends and family keep our hearts full and our brains healthy.

If you’re having trouble staying socially active, try joining a local club that interests you, or taking a class at a local community center. These are great places to meet new friends and build relationships.

Eat Healthily

Our diets have a lot to do with the way our bodies function, including the way in which our brains work. Studies have shown that those who stick to eating a more Mediterranean diet, including plant-based foods, fish, whole grains and nuts, have a lesser chance of developing brain debilitating diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Meditate

Meditation is a great way to increase focus and strengthen our brains. Training our brains through mediation involves two important memory centers, the hippocampus, and the frontal lobe. When we work on our “memory muscles” through intense focus, we increase our ability to retain and retrieve memories. Encouraging this muscle growth through mediation can help slow the progression of diseases that affect our memories. The effects of mediation are increasingly more apparent as we age. A study from UCLA found that those who had practiced meditation for the long-term had better-preserved brains than those who did not.

Spend time each day intentionally engaging in activities that encourage mental growth and function. Doing so will help your brain curb the effects that aging may have on it. By training your brain through the above-mentioned activities, you may also enjoy the following side effects: better focus, a healthier outlook, and increased happiness.

At Surpass, our holistic approach to care encourages our community to engage in many of the activities listed above. We focus on seven dimensions of health that round out our commitment to caring for the whole person.

If you’d like to learn more about living well at a Surpass Senior Living community, contact us for your private tour today!

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Choosing a Senior Assisted Living Community

Make the Right Decision

Making the decision to move yourself or family member to a senior assisted living community can be emotional. On the one hand, there’s the security of knowing they’ll be taken care of as they age, but on the other, they may still be feeling young at heart and enjoying living an independent life.

Although moving to a senior assisted living community can feel far off, there are many great reasons to research early and make a decision to move sooner rather than later. Here are a few reasons to begin your search now:

Senior Living Communities Are Designed Around Wellness

Are you or your loved one still enjoying an active lifestyle? Senior assisted living communities are designed to keep seniors healthy and active for as long as possible. Not just a place to live, senior assisted living communities have been created with a holistic approach to care, caring for the mind, body, and spirit. With many different activities, from golfing to swimming, and other activities designed to keep seniors socially engaged and active, there’s always something to do, keeping those living in a senior assisted living community healthy and happy.

Relationship Building In Your Community

New friendships are some of the best reasons to move to a senior assisted living community. When you or a loved one move into a community, there will be a whole new group of neighbors and friends to enjoy life with. By making the decision to move in sooner, there will be time to get to know the people in the community and form lasting friendships.

Staying social is important to our health, especially as we age. By maintaining social activities, seniors show a less cognitive decline and are more often than not in better emotional health due to the companionship and comfort they find in these relationships.

Amenities Offered

Senior assisted living communities are built for independent living, as much as they are for assisted living. These communities offer active social and event calendars and new, friendly neighbors to enjoy them with. Once you and your loved one learn about all these communities have to offer, from trips to social clubs, you’ll want to join in on the fun sooner than you may have thought.

These communities also offer another important amenity: access to dining and a balanced nutrition plan. In-house culinary teams provide creative, nutrient-rich options to promote a healthy diet. You can be sure you or your loved one will get the vital nutrients needed to maintain their health.

Senior assisted living communities not only offer amenities to keep you or your loved one happy and healthy, but they also offer peace of mind. Senior assisted living communities are equipped with safety and security in mind. From expert care to round the clock security, you’ll feel at ease knowing you or your loved ones are in good hands.

Surpass Senior Living Makes It Easy

We know making the decision to move to a senior assisted living community can be emotional. When you’re ready, we’re here. Contact us for a private tour and learn how your loved one can live a vibrant, active life at Surpass Senior Living communities!

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VA Benefits and Senior Care

You’ve served our country, and now it’s time to live out your golden years. When looking into different options for your retirement, whether it be living independently or in a senior living community, knowing your options can help you make the best decision for you and your spouse. The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) offers veterans benefits for those seeking to provide comfort and stability for themselves and their spouses as they age.

Honoring Your Service at Surpass Living

At Surpass Living, we want to make it easy for veterans to feel honored and right at home in our senior living communities. At some Surpass communities, veterans and their spouses who choose to make a Surpass Living community their home can benefit from 5% off their room and board for life. It’s our way of saying, “Thank you for all you’ve done for our great country.” We know will never be able to truly repay veterans enough for their sacrifices, but it’s our way of recognizing their part in making sure we can freely do what we love every day.

Surpass Senior Living communities are beautifully designed with a neighborhood feel. With many living options and multiple social spaces, you’ll create lasting friendships with those who lived through similar experiences. It’s our goal to provide spaces that encourage positivity and are easy to enjoy life’s present moments while honoring your past.

With a holistic approach to wellness, a personalized approach to care, and a welcoming atmosphere, you’ll have all you need to enjoy and live your most vibrant life.

VA Benefits for Senior Living

Veterans who served in wartime and are at least 65 years old may be eligible for certain financial assistance through the VA during their retirement years. Some of these benefits include life insurance, disability compensation, pension, healthcare, memorial benefits, benefits for spouses/dependents, and home loans and housing-related assistance. Financial support for you and your spouse, provided by the VA, can help make the decision of whether or not you can afford to move to a senior living community an easier one by providing you with options for you and your spouse to live comfortably together.

Knowing what benefits are out there and what you may be eligible for can be hard to navigate. With the different benefits offered to veterans changing almost yearly, it can be hard to keep up. At Surpass Senior Living, we work with veterans and their families to navigate these benefits and make sure they don’t miss out on the financial support they deserve.

To get the most up to date information on the benefits offered to veterans and to estimate your eligibility, visit the assisted living page on the VA’s website.

Click the flyer below to download and learn more about the VA Aid and Attendance benefit as well as other VA Benefits!

VA Senior Resources

The VA is there for you before you even enter a senior or independent living community. Particularly, if you’re acting on behalf of yourself or both you and your spouse, it would be beneficial to answer some pertinent questions so you know what you’re looking for in a community. When evaluating, consider going through the VA’s Shared Decision Making Worksheet to help figure out what services are most important to you and your spouse. This narrows down the field in a seemingly endless pool of options, because not all senior care communities offer the same services. You and your PCP (Primary Care Physician) can complete this checklist together.

Support for Caregivers

In addition to financial support, the VA offers support for caregivers. An important role, caregivers often feel pressure and stress when tending to their loved one. With caregiver support groups, connection points, and tips to help those in need, caregivers can get the help they need to take care of a spouse in need. The Caregiver Support Program offers the emotional support and guidance needed for those in a caregiver role that goes far beyond move-in day.

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How Food Can Heal

Our bodies change as we age, not just in how they look, but in how they move and work. One key to staying healthy and increasing our chances of prosperous, long lives is to choose healthy, nutrient-filled foods that combat common aging issues. Our staff at each of the Surpass Senior Living communities understands the importance of nourishing our bodies with nutrient-rich foods.

Nutrition for Seniors

Each of us has been advised on the basics of a healthy diet: eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, choose healthy fats, stay away from salts and sweets. Yet, as we age and encounter different healthcare needs, the way we consume and relate to food can shift.

We may find it difficult to chew or swallow, or we could lose some of our sense of taste over time. With a change in lifestyle, we may not feel like cooking, or we may get tired of eating alone. Each of these scenarios could lead to a lessened desire to eat, turning what was once a smooth-running machine into a slower, clunkier one.   

That is why nutrition and dining at Surpass Senior Living communities are personalized for each resident based upon their individual needs.

Foods That Heal

Common issues arise as we age, which can prevent us from living our best lives. While altering our diet is just one piece of the puzzle, it’s important to acknowledge the role food and nutrition play in our overall health. Choosing food options with our health needs in mind can significantly impact our daily lives and the toll aging has on our bodies. Some foods are especially helpful in combating these common aging ailments:

Arthritis

When choosing foods to combat arthritis, look for those with anti-inflammatory properties, which are known to help relieve pain in the joints. These foods include green, leafy vegetables, such as spinach, blueberries, salmon, and spices and oils such as turmeric and coconut oil.

Heart Disease

A heart-healthy diet is key to the prevention of heart disease and other heart issues. For a healthy heart, choose foods such as whole-grain breads, lean meats, and salt-free seasonings. Low-fat dairy products such as 1% milk and low-fat yogurt, are also good sources of lean protein, a staple in a heart-healthy diet.  

Diabetes

Like most health-centered diet plans, the best food choices for diabetes prevention and intervention are whole foods. Asparagus and cranberries provide phytonutrients known to be beneficial in the diet plan of those with diabetes. There is also increasing evidence that certain nuts, when eaten in moderation, help improve blood sugar in those with type 2 diabetes.

Memory Loss

Age-related memory loss may be helped by eating foods that are known to boost your memory. Leafy greens, cold water fish, berries and dark-skinned fruit all work to lower levels of cognitive decline in aging adults. Healthy fats, like extra virgin olive oil and cold-pressed coconut oil help fight memory loss. And, although this list can seem ultra-healthy, we can’t leave out those foods high in antioxidants and moderate caffeine levels, like coffee and chocolate, that have also been shown to help to boost memory.

Depression

Our moods can be determined by many factors: our sleep, our daily interactions, and what we put in our bodies. Foods rich in vitamin B6 such as avocados and chicken help fight depression. Tomatoes and walnuts are also known for the mood-boosting properties they offer.

A Final Tip

As you can see, there are many benefits to eating nutrient-filled foods aimed at healing the body. In addition to the above, seniors should not forget the importance of drinking water. Water can help in many ways, from relieving headaches and reducing fatigue, to aiding in digestion.  

After reading and learning about the many benefits of eating for your health, you may choose to meet with a nutritionist that specializes in your specific health needs and goals.  Surpass Senior Living offers nutritional support to meet your specific health and diet needs. Our in-house culinary teams are always mindful of providing well-balanced meals while keeping with residents’ favorites that they’ve enjoyed their entire lives. From assisted living options to memory care, Surpass Senior Living is there for every step of your health journey.

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Alzheimer’s and the Science Behind Meditation

Over the past decade, the research behind meditation and its link to improvements in those with Alzheimer’s has increased, allowing us a better look into the benefits of this age-old practice.

Meditation can slow the aging rate of the brain. In fact, studies have shown that the brains of people who have practiced meditation throughout their lives are, on average, seven years younger than those who have not. Similar research has shown meditation can reduce atrophy in the brain, increase brain connectivity, and lead to the growth of new brain cells.

Meditation and the research behind it gives hopes to those who have or are at risk for Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other forms of memory loss as they age.

Exercising the Brain

Like the rest of our body, our brain can benefit from a regular exercise routine. Many people relate meditation to sitting and doing nothing, but in fact, meditation is a form of exercise and training for our brains. Meditation helps us increase our awareness and decrease mind-wandering, which is linked to unhappiness and worrying. As we age, the effects of meditation are even more pronounced. In a study from UCLA, researchers found that long-term meditators had better-preserved brains than non-meditators as they aged.

Improve Memory

Meditation involves two key memory centers in the brain: the hippocampus and the frontal lobe. Strengthening these key memory areas through meditation increases our ability to delve into our subconscious, where our memories reside. The focus required for practicing meditation exercises our memory “muscles” and improves our ability to retain and retrieve information. By exercising the brain through meditation, we can improve our memory and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s and other memory-affecting diseases.

Reduce Stress & Increase Happiness

Meditation is a known stress-reducer. By taking time to be present and calm, we reduce agitation in the brain. This additional benefit can help those with, or at risk for Alzheimer’s focus on the positive while exercising their brain and improving their memory. Those who engage in a regular meditation practice also experience increased happiness and an overall more positive outlook on life.

Caregivers can also benefit from practicing meditation. The weight of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s can add its own level of stress to one’s life, so engaging in a meditation practice along with those suffering from memory loss can decrease stress and increase peace and focus.

How to Start Practicing Meditation

With the benefits of meditation clear, beginning a regular practice is an easy decision. There are many meditation guides and programs to choose from, and it may be hard to know where to start. For those interested in a meditation practice specifically useful for Alzheimer’s patients, the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation has put together a step-by-step guide for beginning a meditation practice.

Memory Care at Surpass Senior Living Communities

As you age, your needs may change, but at Surpass Senior Living, we’re with you every step of the way. With memory care services and a holistic approach to serve your needs, you’ll be taken care of mind, body, and soul at a Surpass Living community. By having a care plan in place, you’ll have peace of mind knowing you’ll get the care you need.

Ready to learn more? Contact us to schedule your personal tour.