Serene Ambition : Weblog

Featured Blog Posts

Conversations on the Web

Older IS Wiser

Thursday Jul 31 2008

The idea that our brains decline as we age is in itself in decline. Studies reported in a new edition of the neurology book Progress in Brain Research suggest that for most of us as we age, our attention widens in focus. This, combined with the fact that we have more information to remember, makes it more difficult to recall small bits of information like a phone number or name. Yet it is this very accumulation of information that helps us become "wiser" as we age: by transferring what we've learned in one situation to another, we can more readily clarify what information is useful in solving or avoiding problems. We effectively and assimilate data and more easily put it into a broader context. For example, an expanded focus means we can 'read' the indirect messages in someone's body language and conversational tone and wisely conclude the real impact of what they are trying to communicate. Or we can interpret a detail in a letter that may seem irrelevant, but which, given our experience and understanding of a similar situation, we know will directly impact our strategy or plans.[Read More]

Written by admin at Health

Tagged with: age brain creativity information wisdom

Brain Games

Wednesday Jul 30 2008

By Shae Hadden | Bio

An overwhelming concern with mental fitness seems obvious from the plethora of "brain games" geared to ‘older’ people. This fascination with keeping our minds and our memories intact is admirable considering that we will probably need our faculties for a lot longer than any previous generation. From sudoku to crosswords, challenging video games to virtual realities, we have many options to choose from. Each offers different challenges for our key brain functions: concentration, language, memory, logic/reasoning, and visual/spatial skills. Two assumptions underlie much of the research and development in the area of online brain games for older adults:[Read More]

Written by admin at Health

Tagged with: brain dementia game leisure video_games