Socialising for the brain

AS WE age, keeping socially active is important, with experts saying social engagement could improve cognitive function and lower the risk of dementia.

SuperLiving spoke to Alzheimer’s Australia research fellow Maree Farrow to find out more about how we can improve and maintain the health of our brains.

Alzheimer’s Australia says dementia describes a collection of symptoms caused by disorders affecting the brain.  It is not one specific disease. Dementia affects our thinking, behaviour and ability to perform everyday tasks. In addition, the brain function is affected enough to interfere with the person’s normal social or working life.

“People who are socially engaged are using their brain more and being socially engaged means that they are mentally engaged,” Farrow said.

“These people are thinking to make plans and to communicate with other individuals around them.”

“It’s really through that extra mental engagement that is providing the extra protection for their brain health.”

Being socially active and engaged has also been linked to reducing the chance of mental health issues such as depression.

When it comes to picking an activity, Farrow says there is no single activity that is better than the other.

“So when we talk to people, we tell them that it could be anything they enjoy doing,” she said.

“One activity we could benefit from socially is joining a walking group. Not only are we engaging with other people, walking is a great way to fit in some physical activity, which has also been proven to be good for our brain health.”

There are a range of activities available – it’s just a matter of finding one or two that suit us best. Other examples of activities include volunteering or becoming a member of a club. It could be a sporting club, book club or even taking up a new hobby like painting.

These activities are important and most of us do enjoy being socially active, however, in some cases, it becomes a bit harder with age.

“As we get older, of course, we are going to be prone to different physical problems and this can sometimes lead us to not driving anymore and this leads us to be more isolated,” she said.

“It does really get hard for people to get out and about in these cases and as much as we would hate to do it sometimes, asking family and friends for help to get to a place could be a possible solution.”

Some local councils provide transport to different activities, which could be an option for us if we are left without transportation.

“People have to be proactive themselves and find out what activities are available in their local area and find out what options are available to get to the activity.”

Staying socially engaged is important and it should not be underestimated.

“It is a very big issue for our society, especially with people living longer and communities becoming disconnected as families move apart, as older people can end up feeling very isolated and it’s going to have detrimental effects on their health,” she said.

Most people with dementia are older but not all seniors get dementia. Alzheimer’s Australia says it is not a normal part of ageing. Dementia can happen to anybody but it is more common after the age of 65 years. People in their 40s and 50s can also have dementia.

Meanwhile, other risk factors associated with dementia, according to Alzheimer’s Australia, can be managed through lifestyle changes or appropriate medical treatments.

Cardiovascular risk factors