Aging and Brain Function

Posted by katie at 3:51 pm

Q&A

Aging and Brain Function

A conversation with Randy Buckner.

http://www.hhmi.org/bulletin/pdf/winter2005/Q&A.pdf

Randy Buckner studies factors that contribute to cognitive loss in aging.

hhmi bulletin | winter 2005 13

HHMI investigator Randy L. Buckner is always surprised when his studies on aging and brain function get media attention. He shouldn’t be. Baby boomers are pushing 60, approaching the stage of life when their risk of Alzheimer’s disease doubles every 5 years. So when Buckner and his team at Washington University in St. Louis talk about how the brain compensates for cognitive loss, people listen. According to his two most recent papers, changes in the brain that occur with normal aging and that can impede high-level thinking are separate from those of Alzheimer’s disease.

Why do you argue that Alzheimer’s disease is not accelerated aging?

Buckner: Data from structural studies, functional studies, even research on rare genetic mutations all strongly support a separation hypothesis—that aging and Alzheimer’s disease affect different regions of the brain. In normal aging, sections of the frontal lobe shrink, but in Alzheimer’s the main area affected is the medial temporal lobe, which contains the hippocampus. The effects are different too. The cognitive loss from normal aging involves executive function—our ability to plan and do complex tasks. Simple remembering is usually retained. But patients with Alzheimer’s disease experience profound, often rapid, memory loss. They forget recently learned information, for example, and ask the same questions over and over. Exciting research by William E. Klunk at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, using a new compound with PET [position emission tomography] to image amyloid plaques [fibrous-protein deposits characteristic of Alzheimer’s] in the brain, lets us see rather directly what we think is the pathology in Alzheimer’s. Helped by our Washington University colleague Mark Mintun, we’ve been integrating amyloid imaging with structural changes and can see the progression of atrophy in the brain.

The world is focused on changes in Alzheimer’s. Meanwhile, what do we know about the physical changes of normal aging and their effects on cognitive function?

Buckner: Clinicians focus on Alzheimer’s disease because it is a big problem. Half of the people over age 85 have some form of dementia, most often Alzheimer’s. With nondemented aging, we see changes in white matter in anterior parts of the brain, and we take hypertension as at least a likely cause. We also see declines in the levels of neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, which have been linked to declines in executive function. I fit turned out that neurochemical modulations were closely related to cognitive changes in aging, I wouldn’t be surprised. There may be a shared mechanism or the changes may be distinct. We want to disentangle those influences and find out.

If hypertension is treated, does executive function improve?

Buckner: We don’t know, though there are hints that more hypertension means more damage. Arthur F. Kramer at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign looked at elderly people with exceptional cardiovascular fitness, and they had what looked like healthier white matter than that of normal folks.

Why worry about these changes if they don’t lead to Alzheimer’s?

Buckner: Let’s assume for a moment that the field cures Alzheimer’s disease. Then we’ll be left with this other class of change, typically considered normal aging, that may suddenly become the focus, and we don’t have as much research on it. People in their 80s are slower than their younger selves, in every cognitive way. We are trying to understand these ubiquitous changes at a mechanistic level in order to get a better understanding of the complex constellation of factors that change with aging, and to see if some folks are more at risk. If we identify the mechanisms, maybe we can identify molecular cascades [the propagation of neurodegenerative changes] and slow them, or prevent them, so that an 80-year-old will act more like a 50-year-old.

Does cognitive training help?

Buckner: A lot of people are working on cognitive training, myself included, and our studies show that frontal resources are much more available given the right guidance. With the use of simple task helpers during memory exercises, older adults show increased activity in these frontal regions, and their memory performance improves. The challenge is in developing strategies that are generalizable. Individuals in studies can get better at a set of tasks they are trained on, but it doesn’t always work for other situations. The challenge of finding ways that help cognition and generalize to many situations is an important future topic for the field.

What made you focus your research on Alzheimer’s disease and the cognitive effects of aging?

Buckner: A lot of us choose to do research in areas that apply to our families. Longevity runs in my family, and several members have had Alzheimer’s disease. Two of my grandparents had Alzheimer’s in their early 80s.When I came to Washington University, there was strong community interest in aging, so I had wonderful colleagues and scientific accessibility as well as personal interest. —CORI VANCHIERI

Use it Or Lose It

Posted by katie at 10:02 pm

Use It Or Lose It

Home Instead Senior Care Helps Keep Seniors’ Minds on the Move

Research increasingly demonstrates that keeping older adults engaged in ‘brain games’ can provide many important advantages.

“Brain games help keep aging minds young and vital,” said Paul Hogan, President and CEO of Home Instead Senior Care. “But many of today’s seniors have said goodbye to traditional ’senior’ games like bingo. They gravitate more toward video-game technology and group activities such as Scrabble and bridge tournaments.”

A study from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia published in a 2006 issue of Psychological Medicine determined that individuals with high “brain reserve” – gauged by an assessment of education, occupational complexity and mentally stimulating pursuits in preventing cognitive decline – have a 46 percent decreased risk of dementia relative to those who are classified as having low brain reserve. The study also revealed that even a late-life surge in mental activity can help ward off the effects of this terrible disease.

Unfortunately, however a deterrent for many seniors who would like to stay mentally active is lack of companionship – particularly for older adults living alone.

“Sometimes seniors just need a little encouragement from family and friends to help them pursue interests that will help keep their minds stimulated,” Hogan said. “Our Home Instead CAREGiver training includes a component specifically targeted to identifying client interests and coming up with ways to engage them in mental and other activities to keep them engaged and enthused about life. Consequently, our CAREGivers have observed many positive life changes for the older adults in their care.”

What causes the kinds of “brain drain” that seniors most want to thwart?  According to Dr. Ronald Peterson, director of the Mayo Clinic’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, multiple factors apparently contribute to a sluggish senior mind.

“There is often a genetic component to Alzheimer’s , but the environment plays a role as well, Peterson said. “The cumulative effects of medical issues – vascular changes like hardening of the arteries, for instance – also contribute to dementia, and the connections between nerve cells most likely don’t work as well, either.”

Peterson has also observed that the wisdom and acquired experience seniors bring from their past to the table is often under-valued in our society – another important reason for seniors to keep both mind and body “in shape.”  He also emphasizes that there are no iron-clad rules about which senior mind activities are best suited to warding off the effects of aging.

“Whether it’s a computer game, crossword or Sudoku puzzles, or reading and analyzing a newspaper or magazine – first and foremost, seniors need to enjoy whatever activities they are engaged in,” Peterson said. “If your senior does not enjoy his or her activities, they are not likely to be beneficial, whatever they are.”

Video technology has attracted many seniors’ attention.  For instance, the second-annual “Evercare 100 @ 100 Survey,” sponsored by Evercare, polled one hundred Americans turning 100 or older about their practices and habits, and found that one in seven has played video games.1

Similarly, Nintendo’s Brain Age™: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day – a video game for the portable Nintendo DS™ that features simple math and other activities – has received high marks from seniors and researchers alike.

Then there’s the company’s new Wii™ home video game system, which allows players to interactively compete in sports such as bowling and golf. It has been flying off the shelves since its release, and seniors comprise a significant percentage of its consumer market. Senior care communities around the country have even begun to host Wii tournaments.

Dr. Elizabeth Zelinski, a professor of gerontology and psychology at the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California says games such as Brain Age definitely can help keep older adults’ minds active.

“My family, including boys ages 17 and 21, has a long history of interest in video games,” she said. “Like kids, seniors now play games like chess with people all around the world. It’s all about communication. Seniors can do a great deal to maintain and even to improve their mental abilities. Today, aging is all about taking on new challenges for our minds.”

Tips for Mind-Stimulating Fun

If you’re still not sure on how you might get your senior loved one interested in pursuing some mind-stimulating activities, consult the following list of ideas from Home Instead Senior Care:

Video action. Interactive video games have become popular for family members of all ages. Some games, such as Nintendo’s Brain Age, and the new Wii home video game system, are particularly good for stimulating seniors’ minds.

Computer savvy not needed. Even seniors who are intimidated by the computer still can play online and other computer games. Why not try to help them get started playing Solitaire or joining an online bridge game?

Organize game night. Board or card games offer a great avenue for mind stimulation. Encourage your senior loved one to get a few friends together to join in the fun.

The magic of music. Many seniors were avid musicians in earlier years and some may still have pianos or other instruments in their homes.  Ask them to play you a tune or challenge them to learn an instrument.

Tournament fun. Bridge and Scrabble tournaments for seniors are springing up around the country. Check with your local senior center or Home Instead Senior Care office to learn of any activities in your area. Or encourage your older adult to join a local bridge group.

Think big. Crossword, large-piece jigsaw and Sudoku puzzles are great pastimes for seniors who need a mind-stimulating activity when they are alone.

Out and about. Most communities have concerts, lectures and other pursuits that interest seniors and their families. If your loved one is able to get out, consider those.

In the news. Many seniors maintain their interest in politics and current events. For your senior’s next birthday, why not renew a subscription to a newspaper or popular news magazine, or organize a news discussion group.

Just the two of you. When it’s just you and your senior loved one, remember that there are more things you can do together than just watch television. Hasbro Inc., the largest U.S. game company, has introduced three fast versions of classic board games this year: Monopoly Express, Scrabble Express and Sorry Express. Less time to play – same great fun!

Companionship Counts. Elderly companionship is an important part of stimulating seniors’ minds. If your senior has no one to spend time with, consider hiring a home care companion such as a Home Instead CAREGiver. There are many people who have committed themselves professionally to help ease the challenges aging presents to older adults and to their families. They’re available, and they want to help.

Resource:
1.  Online athttp://www.evercarehealthplans.com/newsroom_article6.jsp;jsessionid=PPLJNNEFIBMA.

Night To Remember is a Dove Approved Film!

Posted by katie at 7:25 pm

Synopsis:
Never before in a short film format has music, fashion, 1950’s culture and romance come together so perfectly. This HI-Def, short film musical is brought to you in refreshing new way. Ten songs, recreated, show painstaking detail to 1950’s life. This dialog- free one of a kind DVD brings to life an enriching, emotional and romantic entertainment experience. You will wonder how you ever got along without this “Night to Remember”.

Dove Worldview:
If you love the big band era you will enjoy this musical DVD. Bringing to life the music like they did in old radio shows and the dinner clubs of the 50s, it portrays the days of a more relaxing life, a time when couples went to dinner and enjoyed the talented voices that accompanied the orchestra of the big band and they ate and danced the night away. If you are from the generation that lived during this time like myself, the sounds of the big bands in this DVD are for you.

We award this DVD the Dove “Family-Approved” Seal for all ages.

About Dove

The Challenge for Families

Every day, families across the country face a tough decision, “What movie should we go to see or rent today?” It’s becoming harder and harder to identify a movie that can be enjoyed by the entire family.

Parents and grandparents are crying out for high-quality, wholesome entertainment options for their families. Moms and dads are concerned about the gratuitous sex, violence and anti-family values that their children are exposed to at the movie theaters and on their own video/DVD players.

If only there was assistance enabling families to make intelligent choices concerning the entertainment they allow their children to view. If only moviegoers could identify the true content of a film before plunking down their hard earned dollars. If only Hollywood would recognize that there is a need and market for quality entertainment free from offensive material. Thanks to The Dove Foundation, these desires are becoming a reality.

It’s becoming harder and
harder to identify a movie
that can be enjoyed by
the entire family.

Dove Has the Answer

In 1991 The Dove Foundation began promoting family-friendly entertainment. Our standards and criteria are based on Judeo/Christian values, free from the pressure of commercial interests. We believe in a positive approach of commending high-quality, wholesome movies rather than condemning filmmakers for not meeting those standards.

For years we have watched the morals and attitudes of the entertainment industry slowly creep into our society. We maintain that the number of PG-13 and R rated films, with their increasingly salacious material, are not representative of the desires of millions of movie goers. It’s time for positive family values to impact those in Hollywood instead of Hollywood impacting family values.

“It’s time for positive family
values to impact those in
Hollywood instead of Hollywood
impacting family values.”
- Dick Rolfe Co-Founder & CEO, The Dove Foundation

	To encourage and promote the creation, production, distribution and consumption of wholesome family entertainment.

Our Story

For More information and a complete review please visit

http://www.dove.org/reviewmasterframe.asp

Retirement Living TV

Posted by katie at 3:10 pm

Help Seniors Celebrate the Holidays

Posted by katie at 11:39 am

Finding ways to help seniors celebrate Christmas will not only allow them an enjoyable time surrounded by friends and family but will give you a good feeling also. As we age, our world sometimes become smaller and smaller so it’s especially important to bring the party to our elders while protecting them from stress at the same time. Here’s a few things to think about as we open our homes to family and friends:

1. Watch for signs that your senior friend or relative is getting tired. Be aware that all the activity that might be in your house is not necessarily what your elder is used to. Bringing in a lot of noise and excitement might be best reserved for short periods of time. Watch for agitation, irritation or sleepiness.

2. Schedule smaller groups of people for multiple visits. Rather than having all of the grandchildren drop by at once, schedule them in so that they can get personal time with grandma or grandpa while keeping the activity level lower at the same time.

3. Ask that anyone who is not well stay home; even a sniffle can be a danger for our elders. The last thing anyone needs to do is expose our elders to swine flu or even a cold.

4. Have Purell hand sanitizer close by the front door and ask anyone entering to use it to limit germs. You might also try and limit kissing and close contact, although that’s a tough one.

5. Contact the caregiver prior to the visit to see if there are any dietary restrictions or to get gift ideas.

6. Be sure to get any medications that will need to be taken with meals or during the length of their stay.

7. Limit alcohol consumption as it could react with any medications that are being taken. An easy alternative is to serve non-alcoholic wine to them.

8. Have a bed or a quite place available for them to take a rest or remove themselves from the hustle and bustle in the house, offer to go for a walk with them or ask them about what their childhood or Christmas memories are.

9. Help them get their plates at a buffet or better yet, bring a plate of food to them so they can just relax.

With a bit of preparation, you can ensure that holiday visits remain cheerful and fun for all involved. Remember… they love being with you and enjoy having the opportunity to do something different and be with family. The time you spend with them is a gift to both of you, although it can be frustrating and different than past years it is a god thing. They won’t be around forever…

for more information and resources visit:

Help Seniors Celebrate the Holidays

How To Beat Holiday Blues

Posted by katie at 11:40 am

With Christmas right around the corner there is so much to think about. Did you get all of your gifts? What are we going to eat? When will there be time to clean the house? The list goes on. While it is a very enjoyable and wonderful time of year it is important to remember that for some, it simply isn’t. With the loss of loved ones, a depressed economy, war, and broken relationships this time of year can be very hard for some people. As we go through our days with the hustle and bustle of shopping, cheer, carols, and busy take time to comfort those you know and don’t know. Be kind to the people in line, be patient if the sales clerk takes a while, you never know what kind of Christmas this person is having and whose father, daughter, brother, sister, friend, or mother has recently fought for your freedom, died unexpectedly, or is simply nowhere to be found. We need each other. Be a part of making someone else’s Christmas just a little brighter. We know the reason for the season… shouldn’t our thoughts, actions and words reflect it? I think so. Recently I found an article about holiday blues. pass this on or use it for yourself.

If you feel blue, try to:

Get out and about: Ask family and friends for help traveling to parties and events. Invite family and friends over.

Volunteer: Helping others is a great mood lifter. To volunteer contact your local United Way (it’s listed in the phone book or check www.unitedway.org); or call local schools, churches, synagogues or mosques and ask about volunteer opportunities in your neighborhood.

Limit the eggnog: Too much alcohol can lower your spirits.

Accept your feelings: There’s nothing “wrong” with not feeling jolly; many people get the blues during the holidays.

Confide in someone: Talk about your feelings; it can help you understand why you feel the way you do.

Recognize warning signs of depression: Holiday blues are usually temporary and mild but depression is more serious and can linger unless you get help. Look for these signs:

• sadness that won’t lift; loss of interest or pleasure
• changes in appetite or weight or sleeping a lot more or a lot less than usual
• crying often
• feeling restless or tired all the time
• feeling worthless or helpless or guilty
• slowed thinking
• thoughts of death or suicide

Start the healing: If you’re depressed, see your healthcare provider. Depression is very treatable.

If an older loved one has the blues or seems depressed:

Include them: Invite them out and to get-togethers. Take into account their needs – for transportation or special diets.

Lend a hand: Offer help with shopping, and preparations for get-togethers in their homes.

Be a good listener: Encourage your loved one to talk about how he or she is feeling. Acknowledge “difficult” feelings, including a sense of loss if family or friends have died or moved away.

Encourage him or her to talk with a healthcare provider: Many older people don’t realize when they’re depressed, so if you suspect depression, you may need to bring it up more than once. Let your loved one know depression is a medical illness and is nothing to be ashamed of.

Where to get more information: For more on depression in older adults visit the Web site of the American Geriatrics Society’s Foundation for Health in Aging (FHA). Go to http://www.healthinaging.org/agingintheknow/chapters_ch_trial.asp?ch=32.

How People Market to Seniors

Posted by katie at 10:49 am

Before the Boom

23 Nov, 2009By: Bridget McCreaResponse

Marketers that haven’t already formulated a plan for reaching America’s senior consumers are missing out on an opportunity that’s only going to increase as the nation continues to age. Deserving a second look right now are the Greatest Generation (born 1901 to 1925) and the Pre-Boomer Generation (born 1925 to 1945)

Currently aged 64 and up, members of both generations comprise a large segment of the population that’s often overlooked in favor of the huge Baby Boomer demographic and/or younger consumers.

Consider the fact that during the 18th century, the 65-plus American demographic comprised just 2 percent of the population. Modern medicine, attention to safety and fewer physically demanding jobs have helped to boost that percentage, and more than half the people who have ever lived to the age of 65 are alive today.

With life expectancies hovering around 78 years and a huge number of Baby Boomers following in the Pre-Boomers’ footsteps, by 2050 the number of individuals older than 65 will outnumber those younger than 20 for the first time in history.

By the time that evolution occurs, marketers will surely be allocating the bulk of their resources for targeting older Americans … but why wait? Tackle the learning curve now, says Bob Yallen, president and COO at Encino, Calif.-based InterMedia Advertising, and you’ll be in good shape when the shift takes place.
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“2050 is not that far away,” says Yallen, a member of the Response Editorial Advisory Board. “To get ready, marketers should be taking into account the fact that people are living longer, and work that into their advertising strategy.”

Take technology, for example. While one may assume that pre-Boomers steer clear of newfangled communication methods, Yallen says more of them are embracing the Internet, E-mail and even social networking.

“Whereas five years ago the typical older American didn’t surf the Web, many are now using the same media that younger generations are,” says Yallen. “They’re adapting to technology and using it to become more informed consumers. After watching ads on TV, for example, they take the next step and visit the sponsor’s Web site to get more information and fill out lead forms.”

Older generations also watch more television than any other generation coming up behind them, which makes them an especially attractive target for DRTV marketers.

Yallen, whose firm uses the term “silent generation” for individuals born 1937-1945, says such consumers are 29-percent more likely to be watching TV than overall viewers, and are a whopping 50-percent more likely to be tuned into the TV than individuals aged 35 and younger.

“Because of this, the silent generation is much easier to reach,” says Yallen, who adds that news-oriented stations like CNN and Fox News tend to be especially popular among older adults (with the 65-plus crowd comprising 46 percent of the audience). “As a result, marketers can reach them very efficiently on a cost-per-thousand basis.”

Generationally Speaking

There’s so much hype over the 78-million-strong Baby Boomer generation that both the Greatest Generation and the Pre-Boomers tend to get overshadowed. Assuming that older consumers will somehow get “caught in the advertising net” designed for younger buyers is a mistake, as there are distinct differences between the generations that no marketer can afford to miss.

Take the Pre-Boomer generation, for example. Typically defined as those born during the 20-year period prior to the end of World War II, or from 1925 to 1945. The generation comprises about 50 million people, and is sometimes referred to as the “greatest generation” or the “luckiest generation” (because they were born immediately after the Great Depression and were either too young or too old to serve in any major wars).

About 95 percent of Pre-Boomers are currently retired, with many of them dodging the bullet of the recent recession due to the fact that they already invested conservatively and were residing in their retirement residences when the maelstrom hit. A Pre-Boomer himself, Don Potter, a DRTV pioneer who is now a consultant and blogger (www.pre-boomermusings.com) in Los Angeles, says that the typical member of his generation can’t recall the pain of the Great Depression, but does have vivid memories of World War II and the years immediately following it.

Most Pre-Boomers and members of the Greatest Generation hold dear to their hearts American values that seem to be lost on the younger crowd. “Our elders (parents, teachers and the community) taught us to be patriots, believe in one another and believe in ourselves,” says Potter. “We still cherish these lessons and practice them to the best of our abilities. It was the Pre-Boomers who taught the Boomers, but somewhere along the line, they didn’t latch on to these values the way we did.”

Potter says the ensuing “me generations” became the symbol of status and the generation of “more.” This pleased marketers, and made it easier for them to sell their goods and services. “As the Boomers came of age, there was a huge group of consumers who were eager to buy what others were selling,” says Potter, who wrote a book about marketing to Boomers entitled The 50+ Boomer: Your Key to 76 Million Consumers.

When assessing the key differences between older and younger generations in America, Potter says technology tends to be the great divide. Whereas Generation X, Y and even many Boomers tend to use the Internet to shop, research and network with one another, older generations still prefer a more traditional approach. Pre-Boomers and the Greatest Generation also tend to be more frugal and less impulsive when it comes to shopping, preferring to thoroughly investigate their options before making a purchase choice.

“The Boomers just don’t know how to stop buying,” says Potter, laughing. To effectively reach older Americans, he says DRTV marketers need to use solid advertising tactics that garner attention and create a desire for the product or service, and follow it up with a strong call to action. “Combine a good advertising strategy with a product or service that truly fulfills a need, and you’ll get older consumers to buy,” says Potter, “even if they’re on fixed incomes.”

And remember that Pre-Boomers and the generation that preceded them are considered more “traditional” than younger Americans, says Potter, and still like to pick up the phone and/or take a trip to the local Walgreens to buy products, rather than going online to do it. “Where younger buyers might whip out a cell phone to make a purchase while walking down the street,” Potter explains, “you won’t find many 65-plus Americans doing that.”

The tradeoff comes in the number of television hours viewed by older adults — a fact that simply can’t be ignored by DRTV marketers who are grappling with the fact that myriad other entertainment media are intruding on the television’s position in the typical American household.

To ensure that his client’s DRTV commercials effectively target those television viewers, Yallen says his creative team draws upon the older American’s patriotism, strong work ethic and respect for authority.

“We take a completely different creative approach and segment that audience, whose media consumption is high when it comes to TV,” says Yallen. “We target them on different networks and programs, rather than just using demographics, and typically use longer creative executions based on the fact that they want more information, and typically take longer to respond.”

Yallen says that while the work involved with targeting specific generations can be tedious, the rewards are significant. “Older Americans are very loyal consumers who come to the table more informed and ready to participate in continuity programs,” says Yallen. “That’s very rewarding because we focus on customer acquisition and live by the philosophy that it’s better to acquire a loyal customer than a disloyal one.”

Blocking and Tackling

Reaching the maturing market requires a targeted approach that sometimes starts with the product itself and that includes more than one decision maker, as was the case of the $14,000 walk-in bathtub that Cesari Direct of Seattle recently developed a DRTV campaign for.

According to Tim O’Brien, vice president of business development, the product was developed for the elderly individual who was facing a tough decision: either move into a nursing home, or find a way to adapt a current residence to his or her needs.

“This product represented an opportunity for them to ‘age in place,’ in their own home,” says O’Brien. The campaign included DRTV spots that appealed both to the older consumers, and to their children (most likely Baby Boomers and Generation Xers who are helping with key choices in their parents’ lives). “We market to the children as well because we know that with high-end products, the decision is going to be collective,” says O’Brien, whose firm used a similar, collective approach with a recent real estate lead generation campaign aimed at older adults.

“We used the same messaging strategy for the elderly consumers as we did for their children or grandchildren,” says O’Brien, “once again realizing that important decision-making is done by more than just one person.”

To further appeal to the older generations, O’Brien says the firm offers expanded payment options, knowing that many such consumers prefer to buy with cash and not rely on credit lines. “We offer an electronic check-by-phone program as part of the campaigns,” says O’Brien, who, like Yallen and Potter, says older Americans are learning to use technology to their advantage when searching for, researching and buying products.

“As the years go by, we’re seeing more and more of these folks getting online,” says O’Brien. “They may not be getting on Facebook and uploading videos to YouTube, but they are the typical America Online Web user who uses the Internet to look at family photos and perform other functions.”

With the Pre-Boomer and Greatest Generations collectively controlling much of the nation’s wealth, Potter says the key to reaching them is to not talk to them as if they were “old,” but to instead think of them as much younger, active and vibrant because that’s how they think of themselves.

“Even though they may be chronologically and philosophically at an older age, you don’t want to treat them as older consumers, but as savvy consumers,” says Potter. “They want all of the information in an easy format. They know how to buy, so just lay it out for them and let them make the decision.”

For more information visit Response Magazine

Brain quiz! Are you right or left brained?

Posted by katie at 1:27 pm

Left Brain/Right Brain

By Diane Connel

By better understanding our own neurological strengths and weaknesses, we can adapt our lessons to reach all of our students.

Sam, a fourth grade student, starts to draw every time I teach a new concept or explain an assignment. We’ve been in school for only two weeks why is he tuning me out already? Dorothy says that she feels ill every time I begin an art lesson, and asks to go see the nurse. Why doesn’t she enjoy art as much as the other children do?

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to start the year with a single plan that would ensure that we could reach all of our students? As we know, such a plan does not exist. The students we teach have diverse learning styles that require different approaches. So how can we adapt our teaching to reach and engage as many of them as possible, as often as possible?

Interestingly, the answer lies in first knowing ourselves as teachers. One way to do this is to understand how our own “neurological style” influences the way we teach. Each one of us has a left-, a right-, or a middle-brain preference, and believe it or not this significantly influences our teaching patterns. By understanding the processes at work in the brain, we can better help our students to explore their own individual preferences.

This quiz will help you learn whether you are a left-, right-, or middle-brain teacher. Please take a few minutes to complete the quiz and tally the results.

Understanding Your Results
You now know whether your preference tends to the left, right, or middle brain, but what does this mean? First, for those of you who came out to be strong to moderate left- or right-brain dominant, be assured that your other hemisphere is alive and well; however, the results do mean that you tend to lead with your dominant hemisphere.

For example, if you are right-brain dominant, it is your intuitive, emotional right hemisphere that guides the decisions you make throughout the day. If you are left-brain dominant, it is your sequential, time-oriented left hemisphere which tells you how to think, what to believe, and what choices to make.

Those who are middle-brain dominant tend to be more flexible than either the left- or the right-brain folks; however, you often vacillate between the two hemispheres when you make decisions. You sometimes get confused when decisions need to be made because, neurologically speaking, you could do most tasks through either a left-brain or a right-brain method! For more on these preferences, click here.

Our neurological profile essentially guides the way we teach our classes, meaning that left-brain teachers tend to teach in a “left-brain style,” right-brain teachers typically teach in a “right-brain style,” and middle-brain teachers tend to vary their teaching between the two approaches. As you evaluate your own teaching style, remember that none of these guidelines are set in stone, and that we do not always act according to our preferences. As we know, people are complex and so are their behaviors.

Teachers tend to better reach students who share their same neurological strengths. A strong left-brain teacher, for example, will need to make a conscious effort in order to better reach the strong right-brain students in the classroom.

The Left-Brain Teacher
Teachers with left-brain strengths generally prefer to teach using lecture and discussion. To incorporate sequence, they put outlines on the board or overhead, and they like to adhere to prepared time schedules. They give problems to the students to solve independently. Teachers with left-brain preferences assign more research and writing than their right-brain peers. A reasonably quiet, structured classroom is preferred. The classroom tends to be clean, with items in their place.

The Left-Brain Student
Left-brain students prefer to work alone. They like to read independently and incorporate research into their papers. They favor a quiet classroom without a lot of distraction.

Dorothy scores “strong left” on a brain preference test for children. Though Dorothy is not learning disabled, her right hemisphere is significantly weaker than her left. She has great difficulty understanding lessons with a visual-spatial orientation. Dorothy is also a perfectionist. When the fourth-grade teacher initiates an art project, Dorothy believes that she cannot do the work successfully. She is afraid to fail and consequently becomes nauseous. Seeing the nurse accomplishes two things: It gets her away from an unpleasant situation and gives her time to regroup herself prior to Reading time.

Let’s say, for example, that you are introducing a unit on the solar system. Here are some left-brain teaching techniques that will help Dorothy and other strong to moderate left-brain students feel engaged during your lesson:

• Write an outline of the lesson on the board. Students with left-brain strengths appreciate sequence.
• Go ahead and lecture! These students love to listen to an expert and take notes.
• Discuss vocabulary words. Students like Dorothy have a large vocabulary and are interested in words. Make a crossword puzzle on the Solar System.
• Discuss the big concepts involved in the creation of the universe, how the solar system was formed, and so on. Left-brain students love to think about and discuss abstract concepts.
• Assign individual assignments so students may work alone.
• Ask the students to write a research paper on the solar system that includes both detail and conceptual analysis.
• Keep the room relatively quiet and orderly. Many students with left-brain strengths prefer not to hear other conversations when working on a stimulating project.

The Right-Brain Teacher
Teachers with right-brain strengths generally prefer to use hands-on activities over a lecture format. In concert with the right-brain preference of seeing the whole picture, these teachers incorporate more art, manipulatives, visuals, and music into their lessons. They tend to embrace Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligences. They like to assign more group projects and activities, and prefer a busy, active, noisy classroom environment. The classroom of a strong right-brain teacher will typically have materials and books scattered all over.

The Right-Brain Student
Right-brain students prefer to work in groups. They like to do art projects, industrial arts electives in middle school, and graphic design. They would prefer to design and make a mobile rather than write “another tedious term paper.”

Sam scores “strong right” on a brain preference test for children. His left hemisphere, though healthy, is significantly weaker than his right. Though Sam does not have a learning disability, he has difficulty processing information that is presented verbally. When the teacher lectures, or talks in compound, complex sentences, Sam gets anxious and overwhelmed and shuts down. The teacher’s words run together, and the meaning becomes garbled. Sam’s drawings comfort him; they are something he knows he can do well. Right-brain activities such as painting and drawing are activities that he can do easily and with pride.

Taking the solar system example, here are some right-brain teaching techniques that will help Sam, and other students with moderate to strong right-brain strengths, get the most out of your lesson:

• During the lecture, either write the main points on the board or pass out a study guide outline that students can fill in as you present orally. These visual clues will help students focus even though you are lecturing.
• Use the overhead, the white board, or the chalkboard frequently. Since the students are apt to miss the points discussed verbally, the visual pointers will help the students “see” and comprehend the points.
• Have some time for group activities during the week of the solar system study. Right-brain students enjoy the company of others.
• Let the students create a project (such as a poster, a mobile, a diorama, or paper mache planets of the solar system) in lieu of writing a paper. Students like Sam often have excellent eye-hand coordination.
• Play music, such as the theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Discuss how space might feel to an astronaut. Students with right-brain strengths are intuitive and like to get in touch with their feelings during the day.
• Bring in charts and maps of the universe and let the students find the Milky Way. Maps and graphs make use of the students’ strong right-brain visual-spatial skills.

A Teaching Challenge
Students with strong left- or right-brain tendencies much prefer to be taught to their neurological strengths. Although they can learn by different methods, they get most excited and involved when they can learn and do assignments in their area of strength.

The good news is that we can all strengthen the weaker parts of our brains. Researchers tell us that our brains are always searching for new meanings and adding new neural circuits to make connections.

I am a left-brain teacher who, by nature, strongly prefers to teach using lecture and discussion based upon research and experience. I typically put an outline of the lesson on the board and distribute packets of handouts to accompany each lesson. Twelve years ago, I began reading brain-based research and realized that by being left-brain dominant, I was only engaging my left-brain learners and some students with middle-brain strengths. The poor right-brain learners, and many middle-brain students, must have been overwhelmed from all of the auditory input.

Over the past ten years I have gradually added overheads, videos, role-playing, simulations, group work, group assignments, and end-of-the-year group projects into my classes. I now feel that I am making my best effort to reach my left-, middle-, and right-brain learners. In doing this, I have mastered some exciting right-brained techniques as well.

Why not incorporate a new “neurological teaching method” into your classes this fall? If you are a left-brain teacher, try adding at least one right-brain methodology (overheads, videos, music, role playing, dance, or group projects) into your lessons. If you are a right-brain teacher, try adding more direct teaching, lecturing more often, or assigning more individual and/or research-oriented projects. If you are a middle-brain teacher, select and incorporate something new from either area.

I also recommend giving your students a variety of assignments to choose from each week. For example, let’s say you plan to assign a book report. Let each student choose from one of the following: write the report using an outline; present the report from an outline; draw and color a major scene from the book; design and create a mobile, poster, or diorama; dance a scene from the book; or create a different ending to the book. It is fascinating to watch students gravitate towards their neurological strengths when given a choice of assignments. Those with moderate to strong right-brain strengths will choose to draw, act, or create. Those with the left-brain preference will write or speak.

I believe that it is good practice to tell our students that we each have our own individual neurological strengths and weaknesses. Feel free to use your own results as an example, explaining that you do not expect everyone to be perfect in every area. These messages will help students see that you are on their side. They will be grateful that you understand them enough to assign projects and assignments in their area of strength, and they will be relieved to know it is okay to learn the way they most enjoy learning.

Diane Connell, Ed.D. is currently an associate professor and director of the Graduate Programs in Learning Disabilities at Rivier College in Nashua, New Hampshire. She has taught at the elementary and high school levels. Dr. Connell can be reached atdconnell@rivier.edu

Cognitive-Style Quiz
Choose the one sentence that is more true. Do not leave any blanks.

1. A ) It’s fun to take risks.
   B ) I have fun without taking risks.
2. A ) I look for new ways to do old jobs.
   B ) When one way works well, I don’t change it.
3. A ) I begin many jobs that I never finish.
   B ) I finish a job before starting a new one.
4. A ) I’m not very imaginative in my work.
   B ) I use my imagination in everything I do.
5. A ) I can analyze what is going to happen next.
   B ) I can sense what is going to happen next.
6. A ) I try to find the one best way to solve a problem.
   B ) I try to find different answers to problems.
7. A ) My thinking is like pictures going through my head.
   B ) My thinking is like words going through my head.
8. A ) I agree with new ideas before other people do.
   B ) I question new ideas more than other people do.
9. A ) Other people don’t understand how I organize things.
   B ) Other people think I organize well.
10. A ) I have good self-discipline.
    B ) I usually act on my feelings.
11. A ) I plan time for doing my work.
    B ) I don’t think about the time when I work.
12. A ) With a hard decision, I choose what I know is right.
    B ) With a hard decision, I choose what I feel is right.
13. A ) I do easy things first and important things later.
    B ) I do the important things first and the easy things later.
14. A ) Sometimes in a new situation, I have too many ideas.
    B ) Sometimes in a new situation, I don’t have any ideas.
15. A ) I have to have a lot of change and variety in my life.
    B ) I have to have an orderly and well-planned life.
16. A ) I know I’m right, because I have good reasons.
    B ) I know I’m right, even without good reasons.
17. A ) I spread my work evenly over the time I have.
    B ) I prefer to do my work at the last minute.
18. A ) I keep everything in a particular place.
    B ) Where I keep things depends on what I’m doing.
19. A ) I have to make my own plans.
    B ) I can follow anyone’s plans.
20. A ) I am a very flexible and unpredictable person.
    B ) I am a consistent and stable person.
21. A ) With a new task, I want to find my own way of doing it.
    B ) With a new task, I want to be told the best way to it.

To Score

1. Give yourself one point for each time you answered “A” for questions: 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21.
2. Give yourself one point for each time you answered “B” for questions: 4 ,5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18.
3. Add all points. Totals imply:
   0-4: strong left brain
   5-8: moderate left brain
   9-13: middle brain
   14-16: moderate right brain
   17-21: strong right brain

from The Alert Scale of Cognitive Style, by Dr. Loren D. Crane, Western Michigan University, 1989. Reprinted with permission.

Preferences of the Two Sides of the Brain
Description of the Left-Hemisphere Functions
Constantly monitors our sequential, ongoing behavior
Responsible for awareness of time, sequence, details, and order
Responsible for auditory receptive and verbal expressive strengths
Specializes in words, logic, analytical thinking, reading, and writing
Responsible for boundaries and knowing right from wrong
Knows and respects rules and deadlines

Description of the Right-Hemisphere Functions
Alerts us to novelty; tells us when someone is lying or making a joke
Specializes in understanding the whole picture
Specializes in music, art, visual-spatial and/or visual-motor activities
Helps us form mental images when we read and/or converse
Responsible for intuitive and emotional responses.
Helps us to form and maintain relationships

Carol Philips, Ed.D, is an associate professor in education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she is designing and directing a professional development program for teaching fellows.

For original posting and information visit

http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3629

Alzheimer’s signs to look for

Posted by katie at 1:11 pm

10 signs of Alzheimer’s

1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life

One of the most common signs of Alzheimer’s is memory loss, especially forgetting recently learned information. Others include forgetting important dates or events; asking for the same information over and over; relying on memory aides (e.g., reminder notes or electronic devices) or family members for things they used to handle on their own.

What’s typical? Sometimes forgetting names or appointments, but remembering them later.

2. Challenges in planning or solving problems

Some people may experience changes in their ability to develop and follow a plan or work with numbers. They may have trouble following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills. They may have difficulty concentrating and take much longer to do things than they did before.

What’s typical? Making occasional errors when balancing a checkbook.

3. Difficulty in completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure

People with Alzheimer’s often find it hard to complete daily tasks. Sometimes, people may have trouble driving to a familiar location, managing a budget at work or remembering the rules of a favorite game.

What’s typical? Occasionally needing help to use the settings on a microwave or to record a television show.

4. Confusion with time or placce

People with Alzheimer’s can lose track of dates, seasons and the passage of time. They may have trouble understanding something if it is not happening immediately. Sometimes they may forget where they are or how they got there.

What’s typical? Getting confused about the day of the week but figuring it out later.

5. Trouble understanding visual images and  spacial relationships

For some people, having vision problems is a sign of Alzheimer’s. They may have difficulty reading, judging distance and determining color or contrast. In terms of perception, they may pass a mirror and think someone else is in the room. They may not realize they are the person in the mirror.

What’s typical? Vision changes related to cataracts.

6. Problems with works in speaking or writing

People with Alzheimer’s may have trouble following or joining a conversation. They may stop in the middle of a conversation and have no idea how to continue or they may repeat themselves. They may struggle with vocabulary, have problems finding the right word or call things by the wrong name (e.g., calling a “watch” a “hand-clock”).

What’s typical? Sometimes having trouble finding the right word.

7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps

A person with Alzheimer’s disease may put things in unusual places. They may lose things and be unable to go back over their steps to find them again. Sometimes, they may accuse others of stealing. This may occur more frequently over time.

What’s typical? Misplacing things from time to time, such as a pair of glasses or the remote control.

8. Decreased or poor judgement

People with Alzheimer’s may experience changes in judgment or decision-making. For example, they may use poor judgment when dealing with money, giving large amounts to telemarketers. They may pay less attention to grooming or keeping themselves clean.

What’s typical? Making a bad decision once in a while.

9. Withdrawal from work or social activities

A person with Alzheimer’s may start to remove themselves from hobbies, social activities, work projects or sports. They may have trouble keeping up with a favorite sports team or remembering how to complete a favorite hobby. They may also avoid being social because of the changes they have experienced.

What’s typical? Sometimes feeling weary of work, family and social obligations.

10. Changes in mood and personality

The mood and personalities of people with Alzheimer’s can change. They can become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious. They may be easily upset at home, at work, with friends or in places where they are out of their comfort zone.

What’s typical? Developing very specific ways of doing things and becoming irritable when a routine is disrupted

For information visit:

http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_10_signs_of_alzheimers.asp

Emotional response to music

Posted by katie at 12:40 pm

I found this really interesting article. It is amazing to learn about how intricate our brains are and how they store information. Night To Remember is so great because it allows older people to tap into and access their old memories and emotions in a new way.

Music and Emotional Responses in the Brain

by Antonia J

Music is an integral part of human existence. People have made and listened to music for centuries. Different rhythms and tones evoke different responses in different people – while someone may feel nostalgia upon hearing a certain song or piece of music, someone else may feel happiness, sadness, or anger. However, relatively little research has been done until recently regarding how music affects the brain – what parts of the brain process it, if different kinds of music activate different parts of the brain, why music evokes an emotional response – to name only a few questions.

Studying the brain’s function in emotions was very popular in the early twentieth century. However, with the advent of cognitive approaches to psychology, interest in emotion died out somewhat in the scientific community. Emotions seemed too subjective a topic to study in a scientific manner (1). However, once scientists realized that, although some emotions are conscious, many emotional responses are unconscious and the brain’s activity can thus be traced (1). Thus, the research into emotions has resurged.

To understand music’s impact on emotions and the brain, it is important to first have a basic understanding of what parts of the brain regulate emotion, and if separate parts of the brain regulate different emotions. Recent research suggests that there are numerous brain systems responsible for emotional responses, and there are specific systems for different basic emotions (2). However, although the systems are distinct, Panksepp and Bernatzky argue that many parts of the brain participate simultaneously in responding to music (2). They also argue that music has an even stronger impact on us than visual cues do, because it affects the brain more directly (2). The part of the brain that is most commonly associated with emotion is the amygdala. There is actually a system, consisting of three different parts of the prefrontal cortex that are connected to the amygdala, that is thought to be responsible for emotions. The parts of the brain that are involved – the the dorsolateral, the medial, and the orbitofrontal cortex – are thought to regulate decision-making and negative emotions, as well assessing the appropriate emotional response to a situation (3).

It is logical to conclude that these parts of the brain may have something to do with the processing of music that results in an emotional response. Some research suggests that both the right and left hemispheres of the brain are responsible for processing music, and that the temporal lobe is also involved, although it is unclear how (4). It does seem clear, however, that many of the parts of the brain that music activates are associated with responding to rewarding stimuli, and are implicated in the process of addiction and the hunger drive (5). This fact is particularly interesting to me. I find it fascinating that music can be so closely connected to the areas that are responsible for addiction. It obviously makes me wonder if you can become addicted to music (silly idea, I know!).

Although relatively little is known about music’s effects on the brain, there is a lot of research being conducted regarding this. I’m sure there will be a lot more information about this, even within the next year or two. Although I understand now that certain parts of the brain are activated when music is played, and that this is why we respond emotionally to music, it’s hard for me to wrap my head around this. The response people have to music is so strong, and I find it so wonderful. Thinking that emotional responses are completely related to the brain makes it a little hard for me, because I like to have an element of mystery about things that are this personal and individual to each person. But then, this knowledge about the brain makes music and emotions all the more interesting, and I can’t wait to learn more about it.

for more info and works cited visit:

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/333