How to Reduce the Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease for Seniors in Longmont, CO

At Visiting Angels, our home care providers help seniors in Longmont, Boulder, Louisville and surrounding areas of Boulder County, CO stick to healthy lifestyle changes that can help minimize the risk of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is a major health concern for our aging population, affecting more than 5 million Americans as we speak. While there is no cure for Alzheimer's at the moment and the disease is believed to be irreversible, your loved one can apply simple and effective lifestyle changes that can help them significantly reduce the risk of Alzheimer's. At Visiting Angels, we've helped many seniors throughout Longmont, Boulder, Louisville and surrounding areas make healthy lifestyle choices so they can stay independent for years to come. In addition to providing in-home Alzheimer's care, our home care providers also provide care that helps minimize the risk of getting diagnosed.

Mental Stimulation

Engaging in mentally stimulating and challenging activities can help your loved one to maintain and even improve their cognitive functioning. Encourage your loved one to learn new skills or get better at their present hobbies, practice certain memorization techniques, solve crosswords, puzzles or riddles, and play strategy games. All these activities have mentally stimulating properties that can reduce the likelihood of Alzheimer's disease. In fact, in a National Institute of Health (NIH) ACTIVE study, seniors who engaged in at least 10 sessions of mental training improved their cognitive functioning months after the training and showed long-lasting improvements a decade later.

Regular Exercise

According to the Alzheimer's Research & Prevention Foundation, individuals who engage in regular exercise can expect to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's by as much as 50 percent. Not only can a senior-friendly exercise regimen help your loved one ward off Alzheimer's, but it can also boost their overall health. Keeping cholesterol in check, maintaining a healthy weight and improving blood pressure are just some of the health benefits your parent can get from engaging in regular physical activity. For this reason, encourage your loved one to squeeze in at least 150 minutes of exercise into their weekly schedule. Our home care providers can help your loved one stick to this regimen by taking them to the gym or local community center, reminding them to exercise and more.

Eating Healthy

By eating a healthy, well-balanced diet, aging adults can reap a number of health benefits. One of those benefits is keeping their brain healthy and avoiding Alzheimer's throughout their golden years. If you do not have time to cook with your loved one, you can opt to work with a professional senior care agency like Visiting Angels of Boulder County that provides quality meal preparation services. Our expert home care providers can ensure your parent avoids foods high in trans fats, refrains from eating too many sweets or drinking alcohol, eats more veggies, fresh fruits, oily fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids and enjoys an overall healthier diet.

Staying Socially Active

When it comes to preventing Alzheimer's, staying socially active is just as important as staying mentally engaged, exercising or eating healthy. For this reason, encourage your loved one to enjoy regular senior-friendly activities with friends, join a local club or a senior group, volunteer for a cause they feel passionate about and show them how to use social media platforms to keep in touch with loved ones out of town. All these things can do wonders for your parent's social wellness.

Getting Enough Sleep

Getting a good night's rest is essential for flushing out brain toxins. Sleeping disorders do not only present a symptom of Alzheimer's, but they can also amplify the risk of developing this cognitive condition. To help your loved one sleep well, encourage them to go to bed and wake up at the same time, avoid daytime naps, remove TV and computers from the bedroom and relax before bedtime with a soothing bath or a good book. Our home care providers can make sure your loved one sleeps soundly by reminding them to relax before going to bed, helping them get into bed and making sure they don't wander around during the night.

Managing Stress

Stress is also one of the main risk factors for Alzheimer's. However, certain stress management techniques can help your loved one reduce stress levels. To relieve stress, your loved one can opt to walk, do yoga or engage in other activities they find relaxing, meditate or pray and make more time in their life for fun activities.

At Visiting Angels of Boulder County, our home care providers can help your loved one lead a healthier, more active lifestyle, staying vital and independent for longer. Call our Longmont, CO office today and learn more about how we can make that possible!

Visiting Angels provides quality senior care services in Allenspark, Boulder, Eldorado Springs, Erie, Hygiene, Lafayette, Longmont, Louisville, Lyons, Nederland, Niwot, Pinecliff, Ward and the surrounding areas of Boulder County, CO.