What actions can you take to potentially improve functioning and reduce the risk of getting dementia?
Listed here are10 areas of your life where you can make changes:
1. DO SOME EXERCISE
Improving physical fitness contributes to cognitive ability, physical strength, balance, better mood and energy levels. If you already regularly exercise it is important to maintain this.
Some suggestions could be:
- Take up a physical activity: jogging, walking, swimming, martial art, dancing, or a competitive sport (for example, bowling, football, badminton)
- Regularly go to the gym
- Find out information about local activities from the local paper, internet or free locally delivered flyers and magazines.
2. HAVE A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
Smoking, alcohol consumption and inactivity are linked to dementia.
3. BOOST YOUR BRAIN POWER
Cognitive training can improve cognitive functioning. This can be through doing crosswords, Sudoku, other puzzles or quizzes, or through online training.
4. HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE
Adopting a positive or optimistic attitude can be a protective factor against depression and heart disease, and can have a positive effect on the immune system.
5. SOCIALISE MORE
Having an active social life can contribute to cognitive functioning, and help you feel less isolated and more engaged with the world around you.
Some suggestions include connecting with friends and family or joining a new social group.
6. HAVE A SENSE OF PURPOSE IN LIFE
Having a sense of purpose and meaning in life is a vital part of maintaining health and wellbeing.
Some suggestions include:
- Seeking out opportunities to help others
- Maintaining your existing interests
- Developing new interests
- Take a look at your local library notice board to see what is going on
7. LEARN SOMETHING NEW
Learning is linked with recovery and some people find mindfulness or meditating to be beneficial.
8. USE STRATEGIES TO AID MEMORY AND LEARNING
It is much better to use the aids than struggle in coping - everyone uses aids of some sort!
Some suggestions include:
- Use calendars or a diary to record events and appointments
- Follow a set routine, for example, have night time medication next to your bedside lamp and take before switching off or put morning meds next to the breakfast cereal
- Use to-do lists and cross off a job when completed
- Put your wallet or purse, keys, phone and glasses in the same place each day
- Carry round a pocket sized notebook to record things that you want to remember
- Decide on a special place to keep important items such as keys, or glasses - make sure you put them back in the same place after using them, so you always know where to find them
- Use a pill box or weekly dispenser for tablets - these can be requested free of charge via your GP
- Keep a diary
- Write down things you need as you think of them, for example shopping lists
- Use a white board to leave reminders to yourself or family members
- Keep a file of all the people you know, their addresses and phone numbers
- Use alarms (clocks, timers, mobile phone) as prompts, for example, to take food out of the oven, go to an appointment or to take medications
- Use a digital recorder to record something as you remember it
9. CHECK YOUR OWN MOOD LEVEL
Use assessments to see if you need to seek treatment for depression. Contact the Memory Assessment Service for more information: 03000 274949.
10. HAVE A HEALTHY DIET
A healthy diet can help reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and dementia.
In general, a healthy diet consists of 5 portions of fruits, leaves and vegetables per day, whole grains, berries/beans/pulses/nuts, unprocessed meat, fish (including oily fish), and poultry.
You should cut out high sugar products and limit intake of products with added sugar and salt. Use rapeseed oil or olive oil for cooking.
For links to useful websites and resources please visit the 'useful links and resources' tab on this website page.
