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Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Best Computer ‘Brain Games’ for Senior Citizens to
Delay Alzheimer’s Disease
Professor says these will maximize your cognitive
function
 June 21, 2007 - Responding to a study estimating a
quadrupling of individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease by 2050,
George Mason University professor Andrew Carle has released a list of
what he considers the best “Brain Games” available to consumers seeking
to maximize cognitive function.
The study, presented June 10th at the International
Conference on Prevention of Dementia in Washington, D.C., estimates that
as the world’s population ages, Alzheimer’s could affect more than 100
million people by 2050.
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Conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins
Bloomberg School of Public Health, the study also stated that
interventions that could delay onset of Alzheimer’s by as little as one
year would reduce prevalence of the disease by 12 million cases by that
time.
Carle, assistant professor and director of the
Program in Assisted Living/Senior Housing Administration at Mason, is
nationally and internationally known for coining the term “Nana”
Technology to describe technologies that can improve quality of life for
older adults.
The following computer-based brain games, according
to Carle, represent among the best current technologies for addressing
cognitive declines inherent in the aging process. The list reflects his
opinions and is not based on formal criteria.
Posit Science – Brain Fitness Program 2.0:
Developed in conjunction with more than 50 brain scientists, the program
utilizes software that can be purchased for use on a home computer.
Recommended “training” includes completion of 40-hours of a variety of
15-minute exercises over a period of 90 days.
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More by Professor Carle |
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Professor Says much of New Technology Should be
Known as Nana-Technology
Creates term to define technology to improve life for
senior citizens
August 16, 2006 – A recent article in
SeniorJournal.com began with – "For many senior citizens the word
"nanotechnology" probably sounds like something out of Star Wars, which,
however, is also a little new for many seniors. But, nanotechnology will
most likely have a profound impact of the lives of many of people as
they face the challenges of aging." Andrew Carle of George Mason
University, however, has a different cut. He has created a new term – "Nana
Technology," to indicate all new technologies - not just the micro
stuff - that improve quality of life
for senior citizens.
Read more...
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A peer-reviewed study completed by the company
showed an average 10-year improvement in memory among participants, with
results maintained three months past conclusion of the training.
$395/single user, $495/two users. Available at
www.positscience.com
MindFit: Another software program, MindFit™
is part of a portfolio of products available from CogniFit™, an
Israel-based company focusing on cognition products for people of all
ages. The software provides a patented “Individualized Training System
(ITS)”, taking users through 24, 20-minute training sessions.
Recommended participation is three times per week.
Results of an independent, double-blind study
released by the company at an International Alzheimer’s conference in
Salzburg, Austria in March showed short-term memory improvement of 18%
among participants age 50 and over. $129-$149. Available at
www.cognifit.com.
Dakim [m]Power: Currently available only in
assisted living, retirement, and related senior housing communities, the
[m]Power™ was developed by former Hollywood and Disney executives in
conjunction with the UCLA Center on Aging. A stand alone touch screen
system eliminates the need for a mouse or keypad. “EasyTouch™” log-on
allows those with early to mid-stage dementia to access and participate
in a variety of entertaining and engaging activities across six
cognitive domains.
Results are uploaded daily to a central computer,
allowing individualized programming designed to maximize participation
and results. A home version is scheduled for release this fall at an
estimated cost of $1,995. Available at
www.dakim.com.
MyBrainTrainer.com: While not supported by
product specific research, this website-based program provides 19
exercises based on neuroscience and includes a recommended 21-day
training program. Participants can track and measure personal results on
a “Brain Diary”, or against any of the site’s 12,000 members by age,
occupation, or other characteristics. $9.95 for one-year membership.
Available at
www.mybraintrainer.com.
While additional studies are needed to determine
actual as well as long term benefits for any cognition improvement
program, Carle states that research has determined that “brain strength”
like “physical strength” is a “use it or lose it” proposition.
“Everyone will experience a decline in cognitive
skills after age 50, just as athletes see a decline in physical skills,”
stated Carle.
“What we know is that it doesn’t mean you can no
longer function - even outperform younger individuals - or maximize
either skill. You just have to be willing to work at it.”
Carle is a recognized expert on senior housing and
care and founding director of the Program in Assisted Living/Senior
Housing. His work has been featured in/on USA Today, UPI, The Washington
Post, National Public Radio, Fox Morning News, and Retirement Living TV,
among others.
About George Mason University
George Mason University is an innovative,
entrepreneurial institution with national distinction in a range of
academic fields. Enrollment is nearly 30,000, with students in 173
degree programs at campuses in Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William.
This expansion is part of George Mason’s mission to further establish
itself as a distributed university in which each of its campuses has a
distinctive academic focus that plays a critical role in the economy of
its region.
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