|
Area Alzheimer's Association Strives to Improve Brain Health for All Ages  A new brain health initiative could have you rethinking the Alzheimer's Association. The Central and North Florida Chapter recently launched Brain Up! It's geared towards people of all ages, whether they have brain impairments or not.
[Central and North Florida Alzheimer's Association Program Coordinator Beverly Engel displays a Brain Up! poster] Brain research increasingly shows there are steps we can take at any stage of life to help protect our brains in later years. With that in mind, the Central and North Florida Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association launched Brain Up! Funded by a grant from the Winter Park Health Foundation, the initiative suggests six lifestyle changes that can help to promote brain health. Area Alzheimer’s Association Program Coordinator Beverly Engel says a big part of the message is geared towards kids and includes protecting against childhood concussions. “That is going to affect your brain health later on, so one of the messages we want to get out is, when you ride your bicycle, wear a helmet, when you’re on the playground, parents should be looking and checking equipment to make sure that it doesn’t fall,” she said. Engel says the easy rules for promoting brain health include diet, exercise, down time, social time, a sense of purpose and mental challenges. Brain Up!’s website was launched this past spring. The program will soon begin incorporating different community activities, including a huge Brain Health Fair next spring. |
|
|
