By "memory blues" we include all sorts of memory challenges whether they are called "Alzheimer's" or some other related dementia or acquired brain injury. Others can worry about clinical niceties while here we focus on managing these challenges and enjoying life.

By "dancing away" we include all sorts of activities which enrich lives of persons with these challenges.

Entries below are results of a thorough review of literature representing what we know about these activities. Annotated results are grouped into six categories.

You can contribute comments and contribute via email for us to add to these results. Email to: moyer.don.f@gmail.com

Friday, May 30, 2008

Why No Articles on Memory Training?

Articles on memory training were not reviewed here because we see this as not directly life enriching.

True, memory training like medications, diet, physical activity, and mental activity, inasmuch as they do mitigate challenges, do enable life enrichment. These enablements are appropriate for a different study.

It is also true that persons engaging in memory training have testified that this gave them a sense of accomplishment, which they found life enriching. Life enriching sense of accomplishment is real and can be had from no end of activities. We limited ourselves to a small set of activities where each activity can be well defined so that replicable results can be obtained.

Contributed by Don Moyer.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

There is some research that says memory training is beneficial, doing crosswords, word games, learning new skills etc. Most of the research focuses on those without any memory impairment. If the dementia diagnosis is already present, are the word games and other challenging activities helpful? Do they reduce the or slow the progress of the memory loss? I don't know. I do know that they may give the individual some sense of accomplishment and any kind of cognitive stimulation is better than none. A website that my clients with early stage dementia enjoy, is http://www.lumosity.com
Mary Poole, Silverado Senior Living