Fortunately, research continues, fortunately, around Alzheimer’s Disease: cause, cure, and preventative measures. The Chicago Tribune published an article in today’s paper entitled, ““Having Purpose In Life Helps Fight Alzheimer's, Study Finds”
In a nutshell, the research done by the prestigious Rush University Medical Center concludes that persons who have a purpose in life are better protected from health problems, including Alzheimer’s. Persons living with dementia who have purpose in life also maintain a higher cognitive function over time than others living with dementia.
The article includes the researchers’ definition of purpose in life: “the tendency to be intentional, to engage in behaviors that one wants to engage in and thinks are important”
Those behaviors or activities will vary greatly from individual to individual. One may find setting the table an aesthetic, pragmatic and enjoyable task. Another may look forward to feeding and petting the community cat, feeding the fish, walking the dog, caring for favorite potted plants, finishing a special cross stitch, peeling the potatoes for dinner, deciding what the menu for dinner will be, engaging in an evening game of dominos, watching major league baseball on TV,or listening to classical music. It may be in letter writing, or social calls to one’s neighbor, whether that is across the street or across the hall. For all, it is the ability to make choices and to act upon those choices.
The implications for life in retirement and for life in retirement settings is boldly clear. When individuals maintain control over as many choices as possible in their daily life, their life is made better and their brain health is strengthened. When individuals living in an institution continue to engage in their habitual routines, their chosen interests, their accustomed relationships, their life is made better and their brain health is strengthened.
These values stated above are at the core of transformative culture change. As consumers, or consumers-to-be, we should be demanding that this person-directed living be a given mode of operation in any long-term care setting we visit.
For those providing aging services, there is a moral obligation to provide the environment, programs and services that will provide the best practicable results. The amazingly good news is that this approach enhances the bottom line! All this also creates a workplace environment that is humane and healthy with a resulting decrease in employee turnover.
The brief article referenced in this post may be accessed at:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/ct-x-alzheimers-purpose-in-life-20120523,0,6856063.story
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