Aging minds want to know…

Will we really improve our cognitive skills with daily exercise of our brain?

Of course! But don't take our word for it. According to The New York Times article, "As Minds Age, What's Next? Brain Calisthenics", several studies have found that yes, brain activities can improve your cognitive skills.

Will this help you remember where you left your car keys, your glasses, or in our particular case, our cell phones? Probably not. (Good thing we can call our cell phones to locate it. Now if only everything else had a locator beeper or such.) Most doctors are being cautious by not stating additional brain activities will prevent -- or even cure-- Alzheimer's and other mental diseases. However, they do state that mental activities may prevent Alzheimer's and other such diseases.

We had written regarding this same topic a few weeks ago, "Don't you hate those 'senior moments'?" and Dr. Ridge had written an entry on the CareTALK Aging & Caregiving blog on Yahoo Health titled "The Bionic Brain." Now, The New York Times has come out with the aforementioned article and an editorial, " "Exercise for your Aging Brain." This is the trend—as boomers age, everyone is looking at the issues affecting boomers — affordable health care (better health care), financing health care, cosmetic surgery, advanced surgery (to put ourselves together again-- ie. a bad knee won't stop us… just get knee surgery!), etc.

In the end, all this research, all these studies will help us all live healthier, longer lives. We just need to do our part and help our body and brain operate to their top capacities – and we can do this by exercising--- exercising both our bodies and our minds. (Sorry, can't get away from it).