How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are? This question, attributed to Satchel Paige, was mentioned in several of the sessions I attended this week at the American Society on Aging’s Aging in America Conference, held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Chicago. The message underlying many presentations is that… Continue reading →
Linda Sasser
Memory Training Helps Cognitive Performance in Older Adults!
A recent study in the Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics (2013, Volume 56) by M.R. Olchik et al. reports on a randomized controlled experiment conducted with people aged 60 and older. Some of the participants had memory complaints and others did not, but none showed decline in IADLs (instrumental activities of daily living). Through cognitive… Continue reading →
Why We Forget
Memory is the thing you forget with. Alexander Chase Can you draw a penny, front and back, including correct placement of the eight critical features? If not, is this an example of forgetting? The experience of not being able to recall something (a person’s name, a fact, an event) may be attributed to a variety… Continue reading →
An Intervention Program for Individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment
Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) is defined as having decline in everyday memory function, but being able to remain independent in carrying out functional activities. This is in contrast to dementia, which is diagnosed when someone has cognitive deficits significant enough to cause impaired social or occupational functioning. A majority of people identified as having… Continue reading →
Research: Lifestyle Factors Impact Cognitive Function
Dr. Ralph Nixon, chair of the Alzheimer’s Association Medical and Scientific Advisory Council, states that people in their 60s and 70s are at greatest risk for Alzheimer’s disease. At the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) 2014 Dr. Miia Kivipelto of the Karolinska Institute, Sweden, presented results of a randomized trial which suggest that lifestyle intervention… Continue reading →
Cruises Are Good for Brain Health!
I just returned from presenting my Engaging Your Brain lecture series aboard the Coral Princess, and want to share about the ways taking a cruise can help your brain health. My acronym for this is Brain SENSE, and I found that you can pretty much hit all of these brain fitness lifestyle behaviors while on a cruise vacation! First… Continue reading →
Have Some PII?
Have you noticed that you receive appointment reminder postcards from your dentist, but not your hairdresser? Ever wonder why? Read on to find out. PII? No, that’s not a typographical error in the title. PII is an acronym for Positive Attitude, Interest, and Intention. These are three things you need to have to have if… Continue reading →
Brain Health Survey Results, Part II
This is the second part of a two-part post regarding the survey of 50-75 year olds I conducted in 2013, with responses from 907 people. These results will be presented in more depth in a poster session at the Aging in America Conference this March in San Diego, sponsored by the American Society on Aging… Continue reading →
Brain Health Survey Results, Part I
Happy New Year! This is an excellent time to decide to take better care of your brain. Last spring, I surveyed almost 1000 people ages 50-75 living in various regions of the United States to learn what they know about brain health (defined as memory and thinking skills) and how concerned they are about this… Continue reading →
Welcome to My Site
I am Linda Sasser, a speaker, educator, and consultant who is passionate about the brain and taking care of it! From my early training as an elementary teacher, through my graduate work on memory and sabbatical research on brain health, I have been excited to share with others how their brain and memory work so… Continue reading →