Hi all!!

June has certainly been kicked off with a BANG!   This month so far we have had a TON of rain, all the kids are out of school and lots of vacations happening and coming up.There have been some beautiful sunsets and everyone has the desire to be out in their yards, gardens, the pool, going for walks and chasing that sunshine. People naturally want to get out and move their bodies. I was reading Caregivers Newsletter and studies show how much exercising helps our brains. I took a few quotes out of what I read. Now is a great time to start being more proactive in helping those we care for become more active. I would love to hear from you all ideas that work.

I remember Lori had a gentleman who really needed to get stronger and she found his love of shooting pool so she started having him walk around the table. He could barely make it around the table that first time. By the end I think he was almost up to 20 laps!!!

I love how creative you all are. 

Please help our clients move their bodies the best they can which will always help our bodies and minds too!

As always as the front runners of Age With Grace we love how you help our clients succeed! We appreciate you as always! Have a great month!

Excerpts of the Caregivers newsletter:

Exercise That Helps the Brain

A routine that involves 30 to 40 minutes at a time of physical exercise for 5 days a week improves memory, attention, language skills, and other thinking functions. However, some research found improvements in older people who exercised as little as 2 or 3 times a week.

As a bonus, regular exercise promotes the release of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) in the brain. BDNF nurtures the brain cells. You could say that BDNF fertilizes the brain cells.

One research project measured the hippocampus, the brain area responsible for storing short-term memories. Measurements of the hippocampus took place at the beginning and again at the end of the study. In the older people who were in the walking-group, there was a 2% increase in their hippocampus while the comparison group which only did stretching and toning exercises had a 1.5% decrease in that area of the brain.

Researchers have concluded that routine physical exercise makes a significant difference in brain health, brain function, as well as general health such as improving muscle and bone strength, reducing (high) blood pressure, strengthening the heart, increasing the effectiveness of insulin, helping the GI tract, and, especially reducing caregiver stress. And it is never too late to start being active and gaining benefit from physical exercise! A healthier caregiver can better manage the ongoing challenges of decline in a loved one who has a progressive dementia.