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Aging Smart: 7 Tips to Maintain Mental Sharpness for Seniors

People often forget things as they age. Memory lapses happen to everyone, but they become more concerning as people age. The individual worries they may be showing early signs of dementia or cognitive decline. Most people don’t suffer from significant memory loss as they age, but countless individuals fear developing Alzheimer’s disease or another mental disorder.

Expected changes in the brain lead to memory issues. Cognitive processes slow as we age, making learning new things harder. Distractions are more challenging to ignore, making learning and memorizing new things difficult. Fortunately, helping seniors keep a sharp mind is possible. The following techniques greatly help when they learn new things or try remembering stuff they know.

Continuous Learning

Learning something new creates connections in the brain while strengthening existing ones. Men and women with secondary education function better mentally as they age. They have become accustomed to being mentally active, which benefits them in their later years. Mental activity activates processes that keep brain cells in good working order and ensure they communicate with one another. Anyone can create these connections and strengthen brain cells by learning a new skill or hobby. Lifelong learning keeps cognitive processes agile.

Sensory Input

Use multiple senses to help the brain retain the memory when learning something new. One study found that learning something new when it was attached to a smell made it easier to recall the information later. Pleasant smells help more with recall than unpleasant ones. The piriform cortex in the brain activates when objects are seen together with a scent. When experiencing something new, try to use all senses for better recall.

Have Confidence

Men and women exposed to negative stereotypes about memory as they age don’t do as well on memory tasks as their peers who haven’t been exposed to these stereotypes. When people believe they cannot stop cognitive decline, they don’t work hard to maintain or improve their memory. This lack of action contributes to cognitive decline. People who believe their efforts will pay off are more likely to have a sharp mind as they age.

Use Tools to Remember Things

Use calendars, planners, and other tools to remember things, so less energy is spent on recall and more time can be devoted to learning. Create areas in the home for frequently used items so it is easy to know where they are rather than looking for them. Clutter is distracting, so remove unused items from the home and keep the focus on remembering new information.

Repetition Helps With Recall

Repeat things that need to be remembered. For example, when meeting someone new, repeat their name. Doing so reinforces the memory or connection. When putting something where it usually doesn’t go, say out loud where this item is. Ask others to repeat information, as well, for better recall.

Study Important Things

Kids often cram for exams the night before because they believe they only need the information briefly. Seniors can’t rely on this technique. They need to repeat things over time rather than cramming. When learning complicated information, this repeated exposure over an extended period increases recall in younger individuals and senior citizens.

Create Mnemonics

Mnemonic devices help people remember lists. They may be acronyms or sentences, whichever works for the person. People can create a mnemonic for anything they wish to recall as long as it is memorable.

Use these tips for better recall as you age. Anyone can benefit from the tips, but they become more valuable as a person ages. By mastering them at a young age, people will find they become second nature, and their memory won’t be an issue when they reach their senior years. They can recall things with ease as they have practiced how to remember anything.