By Kristin Sullivan

At Massachusetts-based Senior Living Residences, Boston University adjunct research assistant professor of neurology Nancy Emerson Lombardo, PhD, has developed a cognitively protective diet and nutrition program called Memory Preservation Nutrition, which is said to help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

“Integrating information from hundreds of studies looking at the connections between diet, cognitive health, aging, and Alzheimer’s disease and its related risk factors, the Memory Preservation Nutrition program seeks to improve brain function, decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, and slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease for an individual who has already been diagnosed,” says Dr. Lombardo.

The Journal of the American Medical Association recently reported findings from a comprehensive study that found that those who adhered to a Mediterranean diet, similar to the one Lombardo has developed, had a 32 to 40 percent lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease than their peers.

“The main foods that are indicated through the Memory Preservation Nutrition program include fresh fruits and vegetables, especially leafy green vegetables, specific spices, whole grains, and foods containing omega-three fatty acids,” Lombardo explains. “The Memory Preservation Nutrition program also focuses on reducing cholesterol and substituting healthy fats (omega 3 and mono-unsaturated fats) for saturated and Trans fats foods.”

The program is used for all meals served at Senior Living Residences. A typical day might start with a breakfast of whole grain cereal sprinkled with cinnamon or berries, as well as fruit or vegetable juice with coffee or green tea, Lombardo says. Lunch, the main meal of the day, might include low-sodium soup, brown rice, broiled fish and cooked carrots, with a dessert of fresh fruit or apple crisp. A typical dinner might include lentil soup, whole wheat pizza and a mesclun or romaine salad.

“Research shows that a diet that is rich in antioxidants and plant nutrients, especially green leafy vegetables, berries and other vegetables, fruits and certain spices, fish and other sources of omega 3’s, whole grains and low in saturated and trans fats, sugar, unhealthy processed foods, and red meats, reduces our risk of both cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease; the same program can slow cognitive decline in persons already diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease,” Lombardo says. “The mechanisms involved in the Memory Preservation Nutrition program’s mode of action include reducing inflammation and avoiding spikes in blood sugar, along with protecting delicate neurons from oxidative stress, and reducing levels of the problem protein beta amyloid.”

Anecdotal evidence indicates that the program is already helping, Lombardo says. In the meantime, the community is on the cutting edge of memory care.

“Senior Living Residences is ahead of the curve in adopting the Memory Preservation Nutrition program, which is itself visionary,” Lombardo says. “As Americans, including some physicians, are becoming more aware everyday that their health, including the health of their minds, is closely tied to nutrition, more and more prospective residents and their families, will be demanding healthier food that has been hitherto fore the fare in typical assisted living and long term care settings.”

For more information on Senior Living Residences, please visit their website.

By Kristin Sullivan

When seniors prepare to move into an assisted living facility or a nursing home, one of the biggest tasks they face is packing up the lives they’ve built in their own homes and downsizing to a smaller living space. Thirteen years ago, Margit Novack founded Moving Solutions, a company that specializes in senior moves, and then in 2002, she formed the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM), an organization that is now 500 members strong.

“I started the organization because I knew I was at the forefront of a new industry,” Novack explains. “Moving Solutions had been named 1999 Business of the Year by the American Society on Aging (ASA). The ASA recognized that Moving Solutions was addressing a huge, unmet need. I received considerable press coverage from the ASA award and I was contacted by dozens of people around the country interested in becoming Senior Move Managers.”

Now, seniors can find a move manager through NASMM’s locator at www.nasmm.org. Not only do senior move managers help seniors with the physical aspects of a move, but they also alleviate much of the stress associate with a move to senior care. In fact, Relocation Stress Syndrome is a formal nursing diagnosis in many seniors who are going through a housing transition, Novack says. Symptons include exhaustion, sleep disturbances, anxiety, grief, loss, depression and disorientation. Hiring a move manager can help avoid that.

“Senior move managers help older adults and their families overcome the physical and emotional aspects of moving,” Novack says.

By Kristin Sullivan

At Park Springs, a 398-home campus-style continuing care retirement community in Georgia, residents can participate in a large number of unique activities — ranging from billiards to ballroom dancing — which keep them active and engaged. 

“I feel that being involved and having a role or purpose helps our members develop in numerous ways, says the community’s leisure director, Lisa Kiely. “Billiards allows them to strengthen their hand-eye coordination and sharpen mental skills, while ballroom dancing involves memory, cooperation with a partner, memorizing steps and music. Both activities also allow our members to use their social skills, while also getting a workout.”  

But for residents, the activities provide more than just fun; they also provide a new lease on life. 

“A recent study presented at the American Geriatrics Society annual meeting in May showed that retirees over 65 who volunteer had less than half the risk of death than their non-volunteer peers,” Kiely says. “I believe that same thing can be said for those who engage in daily activity. Staying fit and active also allows our members to participate in something meaningful, which in turn raises their self-esteem and keeps them involved in mind, body and spirit.” 

Residents look forward to regular sessions in these and other activities, Kiely says. “There is often a lot of laughter during activities and I believe that is very important to the overall well being of our members,” she says. “When our Members connect with one another, it allows them to build relationships and foster connections with everyone around them.”