Elderly Brains

"Older people do not decline mentally with age, it just takes them longer to recall facts because they have more information in their brains." Sarah Knapton, Science Correspondent

Comforting research for those of us who are caregivers, and I think it is important for us to know that when a person's cognitive functioning declines, it is not normal -- therefore, it may be dementia.  I think that sometimes dementia is not recognized because of our society's belief that mental decline with aging is normal.  It is not normal.  Yes, it may take a bit longer to retrieve the information; but as long as we still have good comprehension, good reasoning, good memory, we can relax and know that we probably also have overall good cognitive functioning.  Stress, such as that involved in caregiving, can strain our cognitive processing; so let us be sure to recharge through exercise, adequate sleep, good nutrition and relaxation.