Adjusting To An Aging Mind

 As our brains age, we're less likely to think as quickly or remember things also as we want to. Research is now showing how the brain changes and adapts with age. You can use what we've learned and follow a couple of simple tips to assist remember things and avoid scams.

Dr. Denise C. Park, director of the Roybal Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Illinois, explains that the knowledge we gain from life experience can sometimes catch up with other changes in our brains as we age. Older professionals can often be better at their jobs than younger ones. "Your memory could also be less efficient," Park says, "but your knowledge about the way to roll in the hay could also be better."

Researchers can design tests that expose problems within the aging mind by creating tasks during which older adults can't use their experience. These tests reflect real-life situations like getting upsetting medical news or having a crafty scam artist pressure you for a solution.

One key to handling situations like these, Park says, isn't to form rash decisions. Ask for further information and longer to think about. Discuss it with friends or relatives.

Perhaps the foremost common trouble people face as they age is remembering things. Park says it is vital to acknowledge that your memory is fallible. "For medicines, driving directions, or other things with specific details, don't believe your memory," she says. "That's good advice for everyone, but especially for older adults." If you would like to recollect something important, write it down on a pad or use a device like a personal digital assistant (PDA) that allows you to store notes and reminders.

Another way to remember things is through routines. Take your medicine with a snack or a specific meal, for instance. Always keep your keys and wallet within the same place.

You can also use your imagination. If you imagine doing something beforehand, Park says, you're far more likely to try to do it. So, for instance, imagine taking your medicine in the maximum amount of detail as you will, listening to where, when, and the way.

Practice can help, too. Rehearse talking to a salesperson. Visit somewhere new in advance.

Keeping your brain active with activities that need mental effort, like reading, may help keep your mind sharp. Staying physically active may help, too.