Strategies to improve memories for elderly people - Article Example

Strategies to improve memories for elderly people Memory Improvement The process of developing, growing and then aging is vital in all living organisms. Just like other species, human beings also grow old and surpass the average life span. When an individual’s average age is reached, the next step is known as being senior or elderly. This article discusses the most important feature of being senior or ‘elderly’ and suggests ways to improve it. Being elderly Old age is the symbol that an individual has reached the average span of life and is now surpassing it. This age makes the elderly people enter such a phase of life where they become more vulnerable to health hazards, diseases, sickness and syndromes, and possess less regenerative capabilities than the younger people. They undergo physical changes such as appearance of wrinkles, hair graying and hair loss, reduced lung capacity, depressed mood, weakened hearing and, above all, weakening of memory. Though, memory impairments are likely to occur in middle ages too, however, they are most common and usual in the people of old ages (Jane, 2004). Memory The human memory is an amazing system arranged and maintained by the creator. Just like the computer memory system, the of human beings too encodes, processes, stores and retrieves the external messages from the surroundings. The two types of memories include short-term and long-term memory, which help the human species remember things. Memory and Elderly People One of the major concerns with the elderly people is the memory impairment or memory loss. A normal process of aging is closely linked with the decline in the ability of remembering and learning things or retaining the old or new information. It is natural for old people to believe that their memory declines with each passing day. However, one of the many interesting beliefs, that have been disocovered by the researchers, is that they usually disagree regarding the inevitability of this decline. Most of them are of the opinion that the cognitive deterioration, which escorts aging, is connected with the nervous system of the human being. While other scholars present an amazing argument stating that the anticipation of declining memory actually turns that expectation into the reality. According to them, many facets and phases of the memory decline could be lessened only if the aging people would change their expectations (Levy, 1995). Strategies to improve memories for elderly people Despite of the fact that the memory declines with age, or irrespective of the research that memory does not decline until one doesn’t expect it, there are various startegies that can be considered for the improvement of memory. Since, the memory decline may also occur in younger age, an individual needs to be more concerned with the mental health. Some of the startegies to achieve this objective are given below: Anxiety Reduction Relaxing and putting off anxiety and stress are mendatory for the older people to recall and retain what they have learnt. This will help them be confident and honest to themselves regarding their own cure. Regular Socialization The social interaction and communication helps getting rid of the negative elements such as depression, stress, and frustration. The elderly people, in particular, need to look for the social gatherings and join the company of friends and peers in order to keep themselves in a fresh and pleasant environment. Healthy lifestyle The research studies have suggested that there are some unhealthy factors which lead the individual more towards memory loss and mental diseases. They include elements such as poor diet, smoking, chronic alcoholism, high blood pressure, anemia, diabetes and other bad diseases. An elderly person is required to lead a healthy life and avoid any drug intake or other element which could contribute adversely to the health (Jill, 2002). Organization and Focus Any notes or list worth remembering will not be retained in the memory in any cluttered and disarrayed form. It is essential to organize the things to remember and recall them later in some notebook, calendar or electronic planner. Moreover, the distractions or hazards should be limited while reading or working. Focusing on the information, or even trying to connect or associate it with something of more significance and importance will help it to be recalled later. Regular Exercises One of the major ways to improve the memory in elderly people is the application of a daily exercise schedule. A regular physical activity enhances the blood circulation in the body and helps the individual get rid of the negative conditions which might contribute to the deteriorating brain, raising blood pressures, cholestrol, aur sugar levels. According to the scientific studies, physical excerises with regularity assist in keeping a strong memory. Good Sleep It is essential for the people of all ages to have a good night’s sleep. Recently, Harvard Medical School conducted a research study, wherein, they mentioned that the memory could be improved by sleeping 7 to 9 hours sufficiently every night. Otherwise, the brain would age more quickly and there could be the consequences of brain and memory disorders. Brain ‘Workout’ In every human being, just as the muscular strength is necessary, a strong memory is also essential which requires the individual to ‘use it or lose it’. In case of both, young and aging people, the more the barin is used and ‘worked out’, the better it will be at remembering and processing the information. The best exercise for the brain is to use it and make it available for taking up challenges everyday. A brain exercise needs to be performed at something new or challenging (Becca, 1996). Moreover, older people, need to engage themselves in fun and pleasant activities so that they can keep their brains active. For instance, learning a new instrument or language, playing a new sport, or solving Sudoku puzzle or crosswords could be good brain boosting activities. Thus, we see that the human organs need to be kept active in order to make them work better. Talking specifically of the old age, the body metabolism slows down, stress level rises and the body parts don’t function well. In such phases of life, the individuals need to apply tips and appropriate techniques to keep themselves going! REFERENCES Becca, 1996, Improving memory in old age through implicit self-stereotyping, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol 71(6) Jill D. Kester, 2002, Memory in Elderly People, The Handbook of Memory Disorders, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Print. Levy B., 1995, Aging free from negative stereotypes: successful memory in China and among the American deaf, Journal of Personality And Social Psychology, Vol, 66(6). Melinda Smith, M.A., 2012, How to Improve your Memory, Web, Retrieved April 8, 2012 Read More