Page 33 - Leisure Living Magazine: June 2021

Four Ways To Remain Mentally Sharp In Retirement
Many retirees share a fear of gradually losing their ability to think as clearly as they used to or remember simple infor- mation such as other people’s names. And while everyone has the occasional “senior mo- ment,” medical research indi- cates that aging by itself is gen- erally not a cause of cognitive decline.
“Studies have shown that you can help prevent cogni- tive decline and reduce the risk of dementia with some basic good health habits,” according to Harvard Medical School’s Healthbeat newsletter.
Put your mind to keeping your brain sharp and supple.
Here are four simple steps to keep your mind sharp at any age:
1. Exercise: It’s important to stay physical- ly active. Simple routines such as taking exercise classes at your health club or taking walks in your neighborhood every day can do wonders for your mental health. Just get moving. “The cognitive benefits of exercise have been understood for so long,” notes the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.
2. Serve: Research published by the American Psychological Association found that volunteering in later life “is associated with significant psycho- social, physical, cognitive and functional benefits for healthy older adults.” Science is now confirm- ing what many have learned by experience: People often feel better after they have served others and enjoyed the time spent helping someone else.
3. Learn: Experts think that ongoing educa- tion and learning new things may help keep you mentally sharp simply by getting you in the hab- it of staying mentally active. Take a class from a senior center or community college, make it a habit to visit the library and pick up a new book each week. “Challenging your brain with mental exercise is believed to activate processes that help maintain individual brain cells and stimulate com-
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munication among them,” according to Harvard Medical School.
4. Finances: A study published by The Journals of Gerontology found that “financial strain was a strong and robust predictor of worsening mental health” among older adults, including anxiety and depression symptoms. Another way to help keep yourself mentally healthy in retirement is to make sure you have ample cash on hand to help pay off unexpected health care bills or fund any renova- tions that might need to be made to your home. Many seniors are surprised to learn that one po- tential asset for generating immediate cash is a life insurance policy.
A life insurance policy is considered your per- sonal property and—as such—you have the right to sell that policy anytime you like. To learn more about life settlements, visit www.LISA.org.
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Barb Clemons - Publisher 419.734.1280
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