Sleep deprivation may result in memory loss

Our memory skills decline as we age; it’s an inevitable result of growing older. But a recent study suggests that aging adults' failure to recall a thought or two, may be caused by the one place we think we should find rest: sleep.

Clearly, a good night's sleep will never be overrated. The study, completed by University of California, Berkeley scientists found that it all comes down to the quality of sleep we have as we get older, not the quantity.

"When we are young, we have deep sleep that helps the brain store and retain new facts and information," Matthew Walker said in a statement. "But as we get older, the quality of our sleep deteriorates and prevents those memories from being saved by the brain at night."

The Huffington Post summarizes the effects the study found:

During the time spent in deep sleep, the brain generates slow brain waves that carry our memories of the day from the hippocampus, where memories are stored temporarily, to the prefrontal cortex for long-term storage. As we get age, this type of sleep gets harder to come by, as older adults have a harder time falling and staying asleep than they did when they were younger. This lack of deep sleep causes "medial prefrontal cortex gray-matter atrophy" and compromised pathways between the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex, leaving memories "stuck" in the short-term memory part of the brain, only to be rewritten by new ones.

It’s important to make sure you get your beauty rest, and if you are having trouble fading off to dreamland then be sure to speak with your family doctor. Raise your concerns - your memory may thank you for it later.

How many hours of sleep did you get last night?

Lights, Camera, Action!

When it comes to aging, we are all eager to be in the know of just about everything that can affect our daily living. From healthcare to eating right, to ensuring we are exercising our bodies, minds and social activity. The days of keeping issues hush-hush are gone, and we recognize that it is important to share information so that we are able to tackle the problem, rather than pretend it isn’t there.

Times have changed so much, that many companies and industries are trying to make their products more age-friendly. One of the biggest changes we’ve seen in the news lately is the launch of Ontario’s new ActionPlan for Seniors. According to a recent article published by the OttawaCitizen, the plan is “meant to provide better senior access to health care and to try and respond to growing and changing needs of an aging population in Ontario.”

The plan has been developed on the concept of new and existing programs and initiatives to ensure that seniors and their caregivers have access to the services they need, when and where they need them. According to the Ontario website, the initiative has been organized under “three pillars:”

• Healthy Seniors: Help seniors find and access services they need to be healthier and stay at home longer

• Senior-Friendly Communities: Promote services and policies that enhance seniors' well-being and participation

• Safety and Security: Improve programs, services and supports that help seniors live safely, independently, and with dignity

It’s an exciting start to the New Year as more and more, corporations and the government alike are starting to recognize the need for change in the business of aging.

SERC invites you to their Business of Aging: Information Exchange Network (BA:IEN) quarterly meeting this month on Wednesday, January 30th, 2013. BA:IEN members are welcome to bring a guest for free! This month our focus is  on networking so bring your business cards and promotional materials and learn how you are changing the aging industry. We look forward to seeing you!

For more information please click the flyer below.

Surround Yourself with Stimulation

Dementia is an unfair disease. It shows up when you least expect it. It’s scary, it’s confusing, and a cure, as of right now, is unknown. We try different techniques to engage our brains to help delay the onset. Eating the right foods and taking part in a physical activity at least once a day for 30 minutes are two techniques that doctors say will help stimulate your brain and delay the chance of the onset of a dementia-related disease.

A recent study conducted by Utah State University discovered that the progression of decline in brain functioning among Alzheimer’s patients (one of the many names of dementia related diseases) could be dramatically slowed if caregivers simply change the environment, writes Huff/Post50's reporter Shelley Emling. 

The study found that:

“Caregivers who utilize higher levels of ‘positive’ coping strategies -- problem-focused coping, seeking greater social support, counting blessings -- were able to slow down dementia's progress as measured by a variety of global standards. Historically, patients whose caregivers rely more on "negative" coping strategies -- avoidance, blaming themselves or others, wishful thinking -- resulted in a faster decline on cognitive and functional measures, researchers said.”

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia and one without a cure. Researchers and scientists are working hard to find it, but for now, we’re encouraged to ensure that we maintain an active lifestyle – be it socially, physically or mentally. Go for a walk, play a brain game, schedule a regular meet-up with friends throughout the week, it doesn’t have to be strenuous. Get out there, have fun, and engage your brain!

New Year, New You

Happy New Year! We are ringing in 2013 and all the memories of 2012 are now behind us. As always, the New Year is a traditional time for “starting fresh.” Making changes or improving on what we already have changed; setting goals and planning on how you will see those goals through. One of the most popular life changes has to do with health and fitness.

It’s not an exact statistic, but it seems like more than half of North America makes a resolution to start living healthier. Whether it is a diet adjustment or more exercise, many of us strive to make these changes that will help us lead happier and healthier lives. It isn’t always easy, but what we have to remember is to set realistic goals.

Want to know how I think you can do it?

First thing’s first: start small. Set a goal that you feel will be easier to achieve, and with time you will be able to set bigger resolutions. For example: If you want to lose weight, and are trying to go from one extreme to the other, it can be fairly detrimental to your point of view if you expect to see results right away. The fact is that losing weight takes time, but when you do it right, it gives you results. Like I said, start small, aim for a five-pound weight loss and track your progression. How long did it take you to do it? What activities did you participate in? What did you eat? These are all factors that you can monitor that will help you achieve your overall goal!

What’s more important to note is that implementing an activity into your day doesn’t have to be strenuous, and you don’t have to go at it alone. Ask a friend to join you on a walk. Participate in swim classes or take up beginners Yoga. Get your brain working and start playing challenging brainteasers. There is an abundance of activities out there for aging adults to take up!

Shelley Scott, the executive director of Flamborough Information and Community Services, suggests five resolutions that are recommended to older adults each year:

• Participate in cognitive health activities. Mental health is an important aspect of health that we tend to overlook as we extol the benefits of staying physically fit. Keep your mind engaged and stimulated through a language class, book club or by playing brain games and trivia on the computer. 
• Exercise or start a new physical activity. Exercise doesn’t have to be exhausting, and it certainly doesn’t have to feel like work. Older adults are increasingly looking to classes such as Yoga and Tai Chi to increase physical health, meet people and widen their social circles.
• Eat more fresh foods. Processed foods are easy to throw together for a meal, but they come with a host of health issues and concerns, and frankly, they’re not worth the hassle. Make a promise to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and you’ll see a noticeable difference in the way you look and feel – and it takes very little work on your end.
• Make your home safer. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in three adults over the age of 65 falls each year. Many of these falls are preventable, especially if home safety tips are implemented, including moving cords out of walkways, having good lighting near beds and taping down edges of carpets and rugs.
• Go for checkups regularly. Unfortunately, with age, comes an increased risk of illness and other complications such as high blood pressure and osteoporosis. Making sure that you schedule an annual checkup can help in early detection and prevention.

Whatever resolution you choose to tackle, it’s important to ensure that it benefits you in the long run, and that it brings you a happy and healthy new year!

This year is also SERC’s 10 year anniversary- stay tuned for exciting things to come throughout 2013!