Healthy Habits May Delay or Minimize the Effects of Mild Cognitive Impairment
MCI (mild cognitive impairment) can be a precursor to dementia but does not always progress to dementia. The National Institute on Aging reports “an estimated 10 to 20% of people aged 65 or older with MCI develop dementia over a one-year period. However, not everyone who has MCI develops dementia. In many cases, the symptoms of MCI may stay the same or even improve.” As with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, there are no drugs to treat MCI but doctors say there are steps we can take to mitigate or minimize its effects.
MCI is just as its name suggests. The impairment is mild and does not affect a person’s ability to care for themselves or take away their independence. Steps a person should take to protect their cognitive health include quitting smoking and moderating or eliminating alcohol consumption. If you do have hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol levels or diabetes, it is important to treat these conditions and manage them through medications, diet and healthy lifestyle habits.
Other things you can do to thwart, delay or minimize the effects of MCI include engaging in mentally stimulating activities such as puzzles, games or learning a new language. Maintain a healthy weight and exercise, which is good for our brains as well as our bodies. Avoid junk food, highly processed foods and foods high in sodium; and reduce the amount of red meat in your diet. Isolation has also been linked to a higher risk for dementia, so it is important to stay social.
MorningStar at North Ridge in Albuquerque provides compassionate, individualized memory care for those with mild to advanced stages of Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases. Every aspect of our community is tailored to serve the needs of our special residents from purposeful activities to nutritional, easy-to-eat foods. Our job is to elevate and celebrate life by trying to connect with and nurture the individual each day, and to ensure they are treated with the utmost respect and dignity they deserve. Please visit our website to learn more about our home, our staff and the philosophy that guides our care.
MorningStar is guided by a culture rooted in our mission of honoring God, valuing seniors, and investing in our team, which allows us to deliver services with warmth, sincerity and depth of purpose. We have built a reputation for creating homes filled with an atmosphere of love and community. Please contact us for more information about the finest memory care in Albuquerque, NM.