Who hasn’t ever lost their keys, missed an appointment or forgotten someone’s birthday?

We all experience these mishaps at some point and they are normal during more stressful periods, but it will be worrying if they occur frequently, are difficult to solve or affect our personal, family and/or work life.

Aging is a process of generalised deterioration of the individual that involves a series of structural and functional changes such as the degeneration of brain tissues, the limitation of cell renewal or the slowing down of processes, which appear with the passage of time and are not the result of disease or accidents.

This degeneration is not only due to the process of aging centered on the biological, but also depends on other factors such as environmental, social and family, but especially on the degree of stimulation received from these areas .

Memory loss does not have to be pathological; sometimes it appears even from the fifth decade of life as a benign loss, although it is advisable to pay attention to it and consult a specialist to rule out associated pathologies.

The importance of cognitive stimulation

Stereotypes about old age may lead one to believe that memory problems are irremediable, but this belief is a serious mistake. Numerous studies show that it is possible to tackle memory problems through cognitive stimulation activities . This is a health promotion strategy that contributes to active and healthy ageing.

Aging has physical consequences (loss of balance, muscle tone and coordination, among others) and cognitive consequences (loss of memory, mental slowness, difficulties in reasoning, etc.) which in turn lead to a decrease in the quality of life and in the autonomy of the person, with associated emotional problems such as anxiety or depression.

Life experiences are very closely related to deterioration . The fact of having fragile health, poor education, the presence of some kind of pathology or the lack of motivation can be a reason for interference in the adequate manifestation of intellectual functions.

In a society where the population over 65 years of age has been increasing to reach 16%, in communities such as Catalonia multidisciplinary attention that goes beyond medical or pharmacological intervention is necessary .

Therapeutic intervention to strengthen memory

There are several ways in which psychological intervention can train memory. For example, Psicotools, the psychology centre of Gràcia-Vallcarca with a specialised service in Neuropsychology, works with a specialised area in neuropsychology directed by the neuropsychologist Elba Egea Senabre and from which they offer cognitive stimulation, based on the activation of different functions such as attention, memory, language, reasoning or orientation .

Brain stimulation can be carried out both with daily activities (reading books, dancing, board games or the construction of puzzles), and by attending specific workshops of cognitive training, where exercises, games and debates are proposed according to the profile of the participants, which awaken their curiosity by presenting them with challenges .

7 reasons to start cognitive stimulation training

The benefits of training memory and other cognitive functions for the elderly are widely known. Let’s see what they are.

1. Preventing cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases

People with some kind of cognitive impairment who participate in cognitive stimulation workshops maintain their cognitive abilities for longer, avoiding a rapid degeneration of these abilities and delaying or maintaining the progression of neurodegenerative diseases.

2. Improvement in cognitive functioning

Training in a workshop cognitive functions such as our attention, memory, reasoning, problem solving, decision making or visoperception, makes us keep our brain awake , and this makes it easier for us to perform better in our environment.

3. Improves mood

Factors such as having an occupation, motivation, social ties or having a space of trust where opinions and experiences can be expressed without being judged will promote a person’s emotional well-being.

4. Increases socialization and circle of friends

Isolation among older people is very common due to the loss of friendships, changes of residence or affectation of the state of mind.

Belonging to a group of people with whom one has common characteristics and shares moments of inspiration and learning helps to create social bonds and generates a sense of well-being and security.

5. Strengthens and increases self-esteem

The reasons that undermine the self-esteem of our elders are diverse: loss of abilities, greater dependence, change of residence, loss of friends or spouse, etc… In the workshop we give each of the participants a leading role, giving value to their experiences and achievements, helping them to stay active and encouraging them to make decisions.

6. Increases your own autonomy

Trusting them and letting them carry out their daily activities, always maintaining their safety, is vital to strengthen their autonomy. Even if it is slower or with supervision, if necessary, it is positive that they are the ones who carry out the activities or at least the parts they are capable of doing.

From the workshop, the maintenance of cognitive functions leads in turn to greater autonomy in daily routines , working for example on the sequencing of putting in a washing machine or organizing a trip.

7. Avoid stress caused by cognitive impairment

Seeing our cognitive functions diminished, as well as the difficulties that these entail in our daily lives, generates a helplessness and frustration in the person that can lead to irritability, behavioral problems or even depression. Seeking help and initiating stimulation to help stop this deterioration is a first step . Performing cognitive stimulation stimulates the brain areas in charge of experiencing emotions such as empathy, satisfaction or joy.

Concluding

I strongly recommend the decision to have a healthy lifestyle, exercising regularly and performing quality cognitive stimulation . It is never too late to set ourselves goals that benefit our organism.

Remembering Lao Tse, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a first step”.

Author: Elba Egea Senabre, neuropsychologist, responsible for the area of Neuropsychology at Psicotools .