075. How brain fitness slows down dementia and Alzheimer's disease

Prevention is key when it comes to health - and the same goes for dementia. Just as you’d exercise to help your physical fitness, you can train your brain to help ward off mental decline.Mental fitness is a passion for Ron Nevelow, licensed clinical social worker and certified dementia practitioner. With his practice, called Enlighten Senior Care, he and a team of mental health practitioners work in senior living communities to provide onsite mental and brain health services.He joins Senior Services Expert Lori Williams to discuss:- The difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s- The 5 proven ways to work toward (and keep) a healthier brain- Activities that challenge cognitive decline- And moreDementia is a progressive, incurable disease, but Enlighten’s program can slow down its progression and help prevent it in the first place.Takeaways from this episode:- Enlighten supports adjustment issues and life transitions, mental health, and brain fitness programs to help with mild-to-moderate cognitive impairment or those with dementia.- The most important proven method to keep your brain healthy is aerobic exercise, ideally 30 minutes, 5 days a week.- Challenging cognitive activities should push your brain to work short-term memory. The best way to do this? Learn something new. This also helps foster a sense of purpose.Resources mentioned in this episode:Reach out about Enlighten Senior Care:Ron Nevelow, LCSW, CDPExecutive Vice President of Business [email protected] app (learn a new language through your smartphone):https://www.duolingo.com/To suggest a topic, be a guest or to support the podcast please email [email protected] more senior resources and to sign up to the newsletter please visit:https://www.facebook.com/LoriWilliamsSeniorServices/https://www.instagram.com/theloriwilliams/https://www.linkedin.com/in/theloriwilliams/https://loriwilliams-seniorservices.com/aging-in-style-podcast/Topics discussed:Dementia vs. Alzheimer’sMental healthAerobic exerciseFoods preventing dementiaSenior living communitiesThe importance of staying social