Sharpening Memory in Late Adulthood: 10 Fun Strategies
The search for ways to keep the mind sharp in advanced age is a popular and growing area of research. Many people find the memory loss associated with aging as disheartening. Do you know someone is struggling with their memories? Here are ten fun strategies that will help in sharpening memory in late adulthood and keep it sharp.
Ten ways to sharpen memory in late adulthood:
1. Fill up your brain with highlights of your life.
During any given day, you will likely encounter many memories you want to remember. Unfortunately, these memories drift into your mind’s back pocket and get lost on the frequent fliers of the mind. By consistently filling your memory reservoir with all the great things that have happened to you during your lifetime, you will gradually but surely increase the density and quality of those memories stored in your brain.
2. Read a book from your childhood.
Reading through a book you read in your childhood will serve as a powerful memory trigger. By taking notes on memories it triggers, you will be effectively rethinking events long forgotten by the adult mind. By reclaiming those forgotten memories, you will be doing something that research has proven effective in preventing brain degeneration later in life.
3. Go to an amusement park from your childhood.
You likely have fond memories of an amusement park you visited as a child. Whether it was the rollercoaster, the bumper cars, or something else entirely that you recall fondly, visiting that park again in adulthood will help trigger those memories. You’ll need to experience the sights and sounds of your favorite spot from childhood to help consolidate those memories into your adult mind.
4. Take a museum trip through history.
Given the wide variety of museums we have in our country, going on a trip to one will help you relive your memories of particular historical events. By paying attention to the exhibits and historical artifacts you encounter during your trip, you’ll be helping to create new associations between events from the past and things experienced now.
5. Try a memory game.
There are several memory games you can play to help keep your mind sharp. We recommend trying several of them to learn which ones work best for you. Take the time to enjoy yourself, but make sure that you try and win as much as possible to keep building your sense of fun and achievement.
6. Play a card game from your childhood.
Spending time reminiscing with friends over your favorite card game will help sharpen your memory about those things long forgotten by daily life in adulthood.
7. Start a new family legacy project.
Creating a new tradition can help you bring about new memories and help to make those memories last longer. Showing your children this recent memory is a way of shaping their memories of the future and helping them learn from the past.
8. Have more meaningful conversations with your children.
The number of meaningful talks you have with your children is directly related to the longevity of those memories they have of your interaction. We recommend trying to have one new meaningful conversation with each child you raise per day.
9. Eat more foods from your childhood years that are healthy.
Eating healthier from better quality products is a great way to sharpen memory and keep it strong later in life. In addition, research has shown that healthy foods help prevent brain degeneration, so eating healthier will harm you.
10. Eat better quality foods and have better-tasting meals.
There is a lot of research indicating that the food you eat influences your mind’s ability to remember things. By eating more nutritious, higher quality, and tastier foods, you will be helping to build stronger and more meaningful memories in your mind over time.
Putting all of these strategies together is a sure-fire way of helping your mind stay sharp in late adulthood.
By keeping your brain healthy with good nutrition and exercise, you can reduce the signs and symptoms of aging like memory loss. By learning how to improve memory in late adulthood, you can keep your mind sharp and live a long life.