Most people know the basics of staying healthy: diet, exercise and social interactions.
But equally as important are the arts, especially as we age, according to “Brain Rules” author John Medina.
He spoke Tuesday at The Park at University Village, a Vancouver area senior living complex. In discussing the importance of brain health, Medina emphasized that art helps keep our brains sharp.
“Who here is over the age of 24?” Medina asked the Tuesday gathering. Everyone in the crowd laughed and raised their hands. “Then, this lecture is for you,” he said.
Although our brains peak at age 24, we can increase cognitive function through diet, exercise, socialization and, surprisingly, doing the things we loved when we were young, he said.
He recommends a Mediterranean diet that emphasizes fish, whole grains, olive oil and lots of vegetables, but that’s only the start.
“It isn’t just about food. It isn’t just about exercise. It’s about friendship. Redoing what you love,” said Medina, a molecular biologist and affiliate bioengineering professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine. “People over the age of 65 are at risk of social isolation and need healthy friendships and creative outlets to thrive.”
In an interview Monday, Medina spoke about the counterclockwise study: a 1979 experiment conducted by Harvard psychologist Ellen Langer in which she placed elderly people in a controlled environment as if they were still teenagers.
“We are built to socialize. We just need to be around other people, but the effects of loneliness are extraordinary,” Medina told The Columbian. “If there’s anything you can say about elderly age groups, it is that they are increasingly socially isolated. So if you really want your brain to work well past the age of 24, you need to make sure you cultivate friendships and keep them lifelong.”
‘Learning campus’ model
Art and education as a tool for healthy socialization is built into the living experience for residents at The Park at University Village, according to director of community relations Christopher Robinson. In partnership with Washington State University Vancouver, the “learning campus” model at University Village invites guest speakers, professors and authors to host lectures that keep residents engaged.
Owned by Koelsch Communities, the senior-living community is one of the company’s 15 assisted and independent living facilities in Washington. Its communities are designed for people 55 and older and include dining, housekeeping and wellness services.
A classroom built into the fourth floor of the University Village facility allows residents, many of whom are former writers, doctors and professors, to give presentations to each other.
“We have some people who’ve done some amazing things in their lives that aren’t quite ready to give that up,” Robinson said. “There’s a lot of scientific proof to sort of point in the direction that is favorable to have a creative outlet and flex that educational bone, so to speak.”
