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From Consumer Reports, a study showing that a little gaming time can be beneficial for seniors.

According to researchers from the University of California at Irvine, seniors who play online brain games can boost their cognitive skills to be just as sharp as those decades younger than them.

“The brain is not a muscle, but like our bodies, if we work out and train it, we can improve our mental performance,” said researcher Mark Steyvers. “We discovered that people in the upper ranges who completed specific training tasks were able to beef up their brain’s ability to switch between tasks in the game at a level similar to untrained 20- and 30-year-olds.”

This doesn’t mean you should start setting up Fortnite or League of Legends accounts for grandma and grandpa. But there are a plethora of simpler games out there which may be great for them to play beyond Minesweeper and Solitaire. From the ubiquitous titles like Minecraft & Stardew Valley to online portals like Luminosity or My Brain Trainer. Even digital versions of analog games sudoku and crossword puzzles can fit the bill.

Avoid games which require split second reflexes or tons of memorization. Especially steer away from games loaded with microtransactions or in-game purchases (like Candy Crush). Be sparing with competitive games; focus more on individual or co-operative experiences.

Brought to you by smpltec.com, Technology for Seniors News.

A new study shows a possible genetic link between three of the most feared neurological diseases in seniors: Alzhiemer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Lewy Body Dementia.

“In a study led by National Institutes of Health researchers, scientists found that five genes may play a critical role in determining whether a person will suffer from Lewy body dementia, a devastating disorder that riddles the brain with clumps of abnormal protein deposits called Lewy bodies. Lewy bodies are also a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease. The results, published in Nature Genetics, not only supported the disease’s ties to Parkinson’s disease but also suggested that people who have Lewy body dementia may share similar genetic profiles to those who have Alzheimer’s disease.”

This is somewhat surprising, since Parkinson’s symptoms are motor neuron-based, while Alzheimer’s expresses more as a cognitive decline. The fact that both are connected via Lewy Body Dementia goes counter to many theories of the roots of each condition.

It will be years – at best – before this genetic link produces any substantive changes in how we treat these conditions, but more knowledge is always a good thing.

Brought to you by smpltec.com, Technology for Seniors News.

It doesn’t get the press that Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s do, but Lewy Body Dementia is a truly devastating disease, afflicting both body and mind. Acclaimed actor and comedian Robin Williams was diagnosed

From Movieweb:

“Williams was eventually diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in May 2014. However, upon consultation with a neurologist, Williams was informed that he had neither Alzheimer’s nor was he schizophrenic. In fact, he encountered “nearly all of the 40-plus symptoms of LBD, except for one.” In a piece the actor-comedian’s widow, Susan Schneider, wrote for Neurology, she states her husband never said he had hallucinations. Nevertheless, doctors later noted he might have been concealing symptoms from those close to him, suffering in silence. After Williams’ death, Schneider consulted four doctors who all agreed the case was the “worse pathologies they had seen.”

The finding of Lewy Body Dementia was only made after Williams’ death.

Brought to you by smpltec.com, Technology for Seniors News.

From McKnight’s, a great example of the benefits of music therapy.

Group music therapy in an eldercare setting reduces agitation and may be a useful tool in  managing aggressive behavior, according to a new study […]

Compared with residents who did not receive music therapy, the 30 residents who participated in the study exhibited fewer agitated behaviors at the end of the eight weeks. For example, an average CMAI score of 3.67 for screaming prior to receiving music therapy was reduced to a group mean score of 1.50 eight weeks later.

A drop from 3.67 to 1.50 isn’t just statistically significant, it’s actually a massive improvement over the control group. We should also note that SMPL’s own Music Player is a great tool to facilitate music therapy, both at home and in group settings.

Brought to you by smpltec.com, Technology for Seniors News.

Another very promising study, this time from the University of Texas at Houston.

“We found that flu vaccination in older adults reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease for several years. The strength of this protective effect increased with the number of years that a person received an annual flu vaccine—in other words, the rate of developing Alzheimer’s was lowest among those who consistently received the flu vaccine every year,

…

During four-year follow-up appointments, about 5.1% of flu-vaccinated patients were found to have developed Alzheimer’s disease. Meanwhile, 8.5% of non-vaccinated patients had developed Alzheimer’s disease during follow-up.”

The study does not yet show how the vaccine affects the onset of Alzheimer’s. It could be a direct correlation, or an indirect one. As always, more study is warranted. But it’s just another reason to get your flu vaccine every year.

Brought to you by smpltec.com, Technology for Seniors News.

In the year 2021, we have so many choices for entertainment that we are paralyzed by the options available. But our senior loved ones grew up in a simple era, one where there may have only been three television stations to watch (if that many). That lack of options means people from that era tend to have very similar cultural touchstones. Everyone watched MASH, Ed Sullivan, and Gunsmoke, and that common thread can be something to help senior bond. The only problem is finding those shows nowadays. Some shows – Jack Benny or classic Doctor Who, for example – are unwatchable simply because no copies exist of many episodes. But, many of the most popular shows of the era are available through one of the primary streaming services.

The following is a selection of  classic TV shows, and the streaming services they can be found on:

Netflix: The Andy Griffith Show, Cheers, Star Trek, Gilligan’s Island, The Addams Family, Hogan’s Heroes, Bewitched

Amazon Prime: The Carol Burnett Show, Mission: Impossible, The Brady Bunch, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Green Acres, Car 54 Where Are You.

Hulu: Sesame Street, The Beverly Hillbillies, Lost in Space, Mister Ed, The Dick Van Dyke Show, I Spy.

Disney+: Wide World of Disney. The Muppet Show. All Disney animated films from 1940-1993.

These streaming services can be accessed through any computer, or set top streaming devices like Apple TV, Roku or Amazon Fire. Pairing these devices with the smpl Universal Remote will make them even more accessible to your senior loved one.

Brought to you by smpltec.com, Technology for Seniors News.

From the Washington Post, another possible discovery in the fight against neurodegenerative disease.

“Forget the soul — it turns out the eyes may be the best window to the brain. Changes to the retina may foreshadow Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, and researchers say a picture of your eye could assess your future risk of neurodegenerative disease.

Pinched off from the brain during embryonic development, the retina contains layers of neurons that seem to experience neurodegenerative disease along with their cousins inside the skull. The key difference is that these retinal neurons, right against the jellylike vitreous of the eyeball, live and die where scientists can see them.”

A team at Cedars-Sinai has developed a low cost eye test to – hopefully – provide a method of early detection of these diseases. This isn’t a cure, but early treatment can greatly extend both the quantity and quality of life.

Brought to you by smpltec.com, Technology for Seniors News.

A new study shows a possible genetic link between three of the most feared neurological diseases in seniors: Alzhiemer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Lewy Body Dementia.

“In a study led by National Institutes of Health researchers, scientists found that five genes may play a critical role in determining whether a person will suffer from Lewy body dementia, a devastating disorder that riddles the brain with clumps of abnormal protein deposits called Lewy bodies. Lewy bodies are also a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease. The results, published in Nature Genetics, not only supported the disease’s ties to Parkinson’s disease but also suggested that people who have Lewy body dementia may share similar genetic profiles to those who have Alzheimer’s disease.”

This is somewhat surprising, since Parkinson’s symptoms are motor neuron-based, while Alzheimer’s expresses more as a cognitive decline. The fact that both are connected via Lewy Body Dementia goes counter to many theories of the roots of each condition.

It will be years – at best – before this genetic link produces any substantive changes in how we treat these conditions, but more knowledge is always a good thing.

Brought to you by smpltec.com, Technology for Seniors News.

As we enter the winter holiday season, it’s the perfect time to think about fun and games. Specifically, about games and activities, you can play as a family, including your elder loved ones.

Lego – The evergreen classic. There is nothing like spilling a whole mess of Lego pieces onto the dining room table and letting everyone contribute to one massive build. You can stick to the “directions” or just let everyone’s imagination go wild. Seniors with arthritis or other dexterity issues may need some assistance, but in most cases, they’ll still love being brought into the group.

Board Games – While the old classics like Monopoly and Chutes & Ladders are still out there; the last 20 years have seen an explosion of new and innovative sorts of board games. These games have a wide range of complexity, so in general, you want to steer towards the ones labeled “easy” or “moderate” and with shorter game times (<30 minutes are best). You can pair up seniors with children as teams, or just find a cooperative game – like Forbidden Island or Pandemic – and let everyone work together. As game nights grow more common, you can introduce more games, and more complex games, based on the reaction of the group.

You Don’t Know Jack – This hit video game is available on just about any device or platform available today, and can be played on just about any TV you have. Each installment of the game includes a selection of different party & trivia games for groups to enjoy. Best of all, every player can use their own smartphone or tablet as their personal controller. The games are mostly riffs on classic party games like Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit & Charades, so they’re generally easy to learn. By giving your senior loved ones their own controller (this is an excellent use for old smartphones which may be lying around the home. They don’t need active cell service for this, just wi-fi access) you allow the entire family to play together and strengthen their bonds in the process.

Cookie decorating – While it may not be great for our waistlines, there’s an undeniable joy that comes from adding colorful decorations to sweet treats. It’s a messy – but quite safe – sort of fun that can bring the oldest and youngest members of the family together. While some members of the family prepare doughs & bake off the results, you can sit the group at a table with cookie cutters, colored icings, sprinkles & any sort of edible decorations you can get your hands on. And the finished products can make a wonderful gift for friends of your elder loved ones.

Whichever activities you choose, try to be considerate of the needs of the seniors you’re trying to engage. Think about whatever impairments or disabilities they have and select activities that work around those issues. Don’t force every game or activity to be uber-competitive or judged. Seniors don’t want to be condescended to, but they also don’t want to feel like they are being taken advantage of, either.

Brought to you by smpltec.com, Technology for Seniors News.

One of the most difficult things some Alzheimer’s sufferers have to deal with is the uncertainty. Unlike many other conditions, there is no black & white test to tell if you have Alzheimer’s. The diagnosis has always been dependent on a doctor interpreting a wide range of symptoms, many of which are also associated with other conditions. Now comes word that a blood test for Alzheimer’s may be available soon.

An experimental blood test was highly accurate at distinguishing people with Alzheimer’s disease from those without it in several studies, boosting hopes that there soon may be a simple way to help diagnose this most common form of dementia.

[.]But Tuesday’s results suggest they’re on the right track. The testing identified people with Alzheimer’s vs. no dementia or other types of it with accuracy ranging from 89% to 98%.

“That’s pretty good. We’ve never seen that” much precision in previous efforts, said Maria Carrillo, the Alzheimer’s Association’s chief science officer.

The usual caveats apply here: a test is still years away, and while we can treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s there’s no codified treatment that is proven to slow cognitive decline. However, a blood test means more, early diagnoses, which means more early treatment of the symptoms and a better chance to give people longer and richer lives.

Brought to you by smpltec.com, Technology for Seniors News.