Learn New Skills to Delay Cognitive Decline

Says Alzheimer expert Dennis Fortier, "late diagnosis is the biggest problem with Alzheimer's treatment." In other words, new learning is beneficial in delaying obvious cognitive decline.

We were always told as kids to push crosswords on your grandparents so their minds stayed active and would decrease the likelihood of them getting Alzheimers. He notes that continuing to do the daily crossword once you have mastered the rules of crosswords is unlikely to help much.

A recent Examiner.com piece says that there is some evidence that computer-based brain games help users get better at the games but do not clearly translate into a generalized benefit. Learning new skills such as a new instrument or language is much more likely to help.

Fortier asserts that, although we cannot yet cure Alsheimer's Disease, physicians can intervene and manage the symptoms with more success than most headlines indicate. Refer to three related articles that also includes a great list of resources: Parenting Your Parents, Drug-free Help for Alzheimer's Patients, and Where to Get Help.