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 Physical activity provides brain benefits As reported in AARP,* a UK study finds that older adults who walk almost 10,000 steps daily were 50% less likely to develop dementia – 50%! Even seniors who walked up to just 3,800 steps daily saw a 25% reduction in risk for dementia. The study, published in JAMA Neurology, titled Association of Daily Step Count and Intensity With Incident Dementia in 78 430 Adults Living in the UK, adds to the ever-growing evidence that physical activity has tremendous benefits for the brain as well as for the body. More steps or a faster pace may also offer brain benefits Not everyone, especially seniors, can achieve close to 10,000 steps per day, so it is good news that the study discovered walking at a faster pace (sometimes called “power walking”) resulted in benefits “above and beyond” the total number of steps achieved. In fact, another study found that even short bursts of moderate to intense activity just six or seven minutes a day can benefit memory and mental processes.** Let’s get moving If this sounds intimidating, don’t be discouraged, because every little step counts. Here are some tips to get you started:
*Walking 9,800 Steps a Day May Cut Dementia Risk in Half, AARP **Exploring the associations of daily movement behaviours and mid-life cognition: a compositional analysis of the 1970 British Cohort Study, Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health Did you know that Visiting Nurse Association of Northern New Jersey (VNA) is the longest-serving VNA in the state of New Jersey? So we know a thing or two about helping seniors “age in place” to avoid hospitalization and nursing homes, and also what services people need to recover from illness and surgery at home. We suggest that you learn more about our home health care services and make a plan to age at home before you have a health emergency. Medicare and supplemental insurance often do not cover all the end-of-life care our hospice patients and caregivers need. If you would like to help, please call 1-800-WE VISIT (1-800-938-4748) or visit our Donation page. The Visiting Nurse Association of Northern New Jersey (VNA) is a leading provider of comprehensive home health care services in Morris, Hunterdon, Sussex, Warren, Somerset, and Passaic Counties in Northern New Jersey. Established in 1898, generations have known that just one call to VNA opens the door to quality, patient-centered home health care solutions that allow patients to remain in the comfort of their homes with dignity, health, and independence. © All content on The Visiting Nurse Association of Northern New Jersey's website, including blog posts, may be reproduced only if attributed to our organization with a link to vnannj.org.
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