Healthy Ageing Articles Positive ageing: all in the mind http://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/index.php Melbourne neuropsychologist, Dr Judy Tang, believes older Australians are not doing enough to keep their brains active and as a result, they are ageing prematurely. According to Dr Tang, it is important that elderly people have a positive attitude about the ageing process. “There are so many negative perceptions about ageing,” she said. “Even when younger adults have a lapse in memory, the first thing they say is, ‘I must be getting old’ and this way of thinking is ingrained in society.” Dr Tang said the brain is like muscle and it needs to be stretched and trained continually. “My personal opinion is that doing crosswords and Sudokus is better than doing nothing,” she said. “But if you keep doing the same types of crosswords, they no longer present as much of a challenge and the benefits are limited.” The best way to keep ageing brains active is to try new experiences and to meet new people, Dr Tang said. “As part of the ageing process, friends come and go and older people don’t always seek out new friendships but that can lead to social isolation and all sorts of other problems.” “The older adults who do exceptionally well in our thinking tests are the ones that are willing to give new activities a go. “Among those that don’t perform so well, one of the first things they say is, ‘Oh this sounds too hard’ or, ‘I don’t think I can do that’.” Dr Tang has devised a program which aims to help older people to maintain and improve their cognitive skills. In January she will be holding a series of WISEBRAIN seminars in Melbourne where she will share strategies for improving concentration, learning and memory.

AGEING POPULATION FORGETS Melbourne, Australia, 4 November 2009; Clinical neuropsychologist, Dr Judy Tang, proclaims that Australia’s ageing population are not doing enough to keep their brains active and are consequently maturing before their time. “Unfortunately people aren’t working hard enough to keep their brains ticking over, and because of this their quality of life is deteriorating,” said Dr Tang. “People need to realise that old age doesn’t necessarily have to mean a loss of memory or any other cognitive ability. The brain is like anything else, it needs to be continually used and trained in order to keep working effectively.” The recent mental health week has served as a timely reminder of just how many people are affected by mental illness. At present, there are over 245,000 Australian’s living with a mental illness, with this number expected to increase to over 1.1 million by 2050. Alarmingly, it is not just the elderly who are feeling the effects of mental illness, with almost 10,000 Australians under the age of 65 experiencing younger onset dementia. The effects of mental illness are also being felt in the economy with a loss of earnings from the loss of employment and absenteeism being estimated at $355.3 million a year. These bleak statistics and projections help to emphasize the importance of having an active brain and the need to continually challenge ourselves in order to achieve optimum performance for as long as possible. Using cutting edge techniques, Dr Tang has devised a program which aims to help people over the age of 55, maintain and improve their cognitive skills. The WISEBRAIN seminars focus on effective strategies for improving concentration, processing speed, learning and memory. “A lot of the problems that older people experience stems from the negative beliefs and attitudes that they have towards ageing. We aim to educate people and help them to develop ‘protective barriers’ against any future negative perceptions.” “We believe that by changing their attitudes and providing them with simple, yet effective strategies, we can lay the foundations for a healthier brain and more productive lifestyle.” As well as the WISEBRAIN seminars, the team at Jurmaine Health also provides neuropsychological assessments to people whose brains may have been affected by stroke, epilepsy, chronic alcohol use and a range of other conditions that can cause cognitive change. Through a series of tests, a trained specialist assesses specific functions such as memory, attention, problem solving and decision-making ability, before providing a detailed report to the referring health professional. “Depending on the extent of damage to the brain, there are a variety of techniques and strategies we employ to ensure that any difficulties encountered by a patient are addressed in the most beneficial manner”. For more information on the WISEBRAIN seminars call (03) 9478 1810 or visit www.jurmainehealth.com.au

Dementia and Nutrition Historically, old age has been both respected and feared. It is estimated that by the year 2031, over 465,000 people in Australia will suffer from dementia. However, it is important to recognise that a decline in mental capabilities is not necessarily an inevitable part of ageing. Health practitioners have taken various approaches in combating the degeneration associated with increasing years, and nutrition has constantly been identified as a vitally important factor that affects our vitality.

What is dementia? Dementia manifests in a collection of symptoms, which includes a decline in cognitive function. Dementia sufferers can experience confusion, memory impairment and alterations in judgement, mood or personality. These symptoms develop gradually with the degeneration and atrophy of parts of the nervous system and the sufferer may become decreasingly capable of caring for themselves. There are two main forms of dementia:

• Alzheimer’s disease – accounts for 50-70% of the incidences of dementia and is generally associated with damage and death of nerve cells. At present, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease.
• Vascular dementia – often the result of a stroke and occurs when the brain’s blood supply (and therefore oxygen and nutrients) is cut off, causing damage to the surrounding tissue. If diagnosed early, it is partially preventable.

Risk factors There have been countless conditions identified as possible contributors to dementia, these include: infection, drug toxicity, dehydration, constipation, brain tumours, depression and vitamin imbalances. In some instances, many of these conditions can be reversible. Nutrition & dementia Nutrition can play an important role in treating and protecting against dementia. Unfortunately nutrition is often a problem area for the older generation. Factors leading to nutritional deficiency in the elderly Poor absorption – as our bodies age, they become less efficient and effective in digesting what we eat. As we get older we tend to make less stomach acid and this greatly impairs the absorption of many important nutrients, such as calcium and B12. Low nutrient intake – low appetite is common in the elderly. The less we eat, the fewer sources of nutrients there are for our bodies to use, before absorption even begins. Dehydration – lack of water makes it harder for everything to move around our bodies and more difficult to flush out waste and toxins. Ongoing dehydration can result in confusion and impaired cognitive function, and can also lead to other risk factors such as constipation, infections and medication toxicity. Lifestyle – living alone and perhaps not having the motivation, energy, finances or skills to shop for or cook a nutritious meal may lead to malnutrition. The common diet of white toast and tea has very little to offer our brains. Medications – drugs commonly prescribed to the elderly may reduce absorption of vital nutrients. Metformin and PPIs (Proton Pump Inhibitors) are examples. Disability or living in a care facility can take the decisions about food completely out of the hands of the elderly. It must be ensured that carers, family and friends are aware of risk factors.

Nutritional support There are numerous nutritional options that can assist in the prevention and treatment of dementia. The options mentioned below are associated not only with cognitive functions but also have possible beneficial roles in other conditions suffered by the ageing population:

• Vitamin B12 – an important supplement that may slow the rate of cognitive decline in the ageing and can also be beneficial in treating low stomach acid, diabetes, arthritis and cardiovascular disease.
• Folate -improves areas of cognitive function with longer periods of supplementation and may also improve atherosclerosis and depression.
• Antioxidants – found in brightly coloured fruit and vegetables, are relevant not just to the mental health of the elderly, but also their general health in areas such as cholesterol, obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
• Fish – with its high omega-3 content, fish is a great food for the ageing. It improves brain function, and in combination with a reduction in saturated fat intake, will be of benefit to the heart as well.

Both treatment and prevention of dementia should be approached holistically, with a combination of supplements, diet and lifestyle. It should be remembered that dementia is a gradual process and we should be proactive in ensuring that the foods we eat, reduce the risk factors and pave the way for health and happiness in our senior years. A healthy balanced diet can help in the protection and health of our nervous system. Visit the clinic or call (03) 9478 1810 to get advice on dietary improvements and nutritional supplements which will help you deal with dementia or plan to protect against degeneration.