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livingwell

Living Well DC
Living Well DC

Brain Health

Brain health is vital for total well-being and quality of life. It affects our ability to think, learn, remember, and take part with the world around us. Taking care of our brain health is key because it directly affects our mental functions, emotional strength, and physical strength. A healthy brain lets us work through life's challenges, keeping relationships, and following our goals and interests. By having proper eating habits, participating in regular exercise, getting plenty of sleep, managing stress, and having social interaction, we can support our brain functions.

By adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes these factors, individuals can increase their brain health and reduce the chances of mental decline and neurological disorders as they age.

Risk Factors and Preventative Care

In the District, the main changeable risk factors related with cognitive decline and dementia are:

Other potentially changeable risk factors include unhealthy diet, extreme alcohol use, depression, and severe head injury. Managing these risk factors can reduce the risk for cognitive decline and possibly dementia.

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Dementia

Dementia is a general term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving and other thinking abilities. Although dementia mostly affects older adults, it is not a part of normal aging. As it gets worse, it can cause problems in a person’s daily life.

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Signs and Symptoms

Because dementia is a general term, its symptoms can be different from person to person. People with dementia have problems with:

  • Memory
  • Attention
  • Communication
  • Reasoning, judgment, and problem solving
  • Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relations

Signs that may point to dementia include:

  • Getting lost in a familiar neighborhood
  • Using unusual words to refer to familiar objects
  • Forgetting the name of a close family member or friend
  • Forgetting old memories
  • Not being able to complete tasks by yourself

For more information, view 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia