never develop cognitive decline.
"For those individuals who do develop
cognitive decline, there tends to be more
than one cause, both from inside and from
outside the brain. For example, in addition
to Alzheimer's changes, there are vascular
pathologies and Parkinson's-related patholo-
gies. The brain can malfunction from stress-
es outside the brain itself, from diabetes,
effects of depression, from poor sleep and
from high body weight. Right now, we don't
know why there is such a variance in how
people function with dementia:'
According to Shatz, a person's genetics
and cognitive reserve can help the body and
brain fend off decline. "Cognitive reserve is
a building up of many connections between
brain cells. The more you build up, the
harder it is to shake and break them down
because as one cell or connection is dam-
aged another takes its place.
"One of the theories about how your cog-
nitive reserve can be expanded is based on
the evolutionary concept
of survival," Shatz said.
"Using that theory, there
are several triggers that
can help turn on the
brain's stem cells:'
The first trigger is our
need for physical exercise
based on the flight or
Dr. Rhonna
fight lifestyle of our early
Shatz
ancestors. The second is
our need to be with other people for survival
through socializing and sharing fire or hunt-
ing together.
"A third is the notion of increasing mental
activity and challenging your brain with new
tasks," Shatz said. "Animals learn a skill by
using specific patterns, while people learn
through new challenges. Do what you have
a passion for, but frequently do it a little dif-
ferently to stay challenged. Select a hobby or
an interest and plan new things you can do
with that. Think of your daily activities as if
you were on a vacation and create a weekly
itinerary that is different each day"
Shatz also lists getting enough proper
sleep and having a physical exam with your
doctor as ways to lower your risk for demen-
tia.
Jewish Settings
"I'm so proud of our Jewish community
because they've provided a place where my
91-year-old mother can live with dignity in
a Jewish setting with others who have the
same beliefs, ethics and values," said Susan
Stettner of Huntington Woods. "My mother,
who has Alzheimer's, lives at the Coville
Assisted Living Apartments located on
several floors of the Prentis Apartments in
Oak Park She socializes with others in the
communal dining and activities areas. There
is 24-hour personal care assistance with sup-
port for families.
"There was a time when I provided ser-
vices to the Jewish community at my work
for the Agency for Jewish Education, now
known as the Alliance," Stettner said. "Now
my family and I are recipients of services
provided by the community:'
Stettner's mother, Micki Pelzner Lipshaw,
also attends the Brown Adult Day Care
Program at JVS in Southfield two afternoons
a week
"This service has been very helpful to
me because it provides a support group for
caregivers. It's a place where I can share my
feelings, get feedback and listen to other
experiences.
"My mother was very active and social
and still was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in
her 70s," Stettner said. "I'm 63, I eat healthy
meals, I exercise, I keep my brain stimulated
with lectures and reading, and I socialize
with friends. However, I know there's no
guarantee that I won't be diagnosed with AD
at some point. We're all lucky to be living
longer, but the quality of our longer life is
anyone's guess.
"Fortunately, I can help my mother enjoy
a wonderful time at a concert or join her at a
Brown Center outing. She may not remem-
ber the event by the time we get home, but I
know she experienced much joy."
Peter Ostrow, director of the Brown Adult
Day Care Program, said, "The Memory
Club is also part of the services provided
by JVS. Many seniors who live indepen-
dently haven't been diagnosed with AD,
but they are anxious about their memory
losses. We call this mild cognitive impair-
ment and offer a program that provides
memory-enhancing tips and techniques for
those experiencing mild memory problems.
When the loss is more severe, they choose to
attend one of the Brown Centers, depending
upon where they live."
Ostrow described the Dorothy and Peter
Brown Memory Care Pavilion at Fleischman
Residence in West Bloomfield as a program
specifically designed to meet the needs of
older adults with severe memory impair-
ment. Residents receive 24/7 nursing, recre-
ational and social supports.
"We provide mental stimulation, attempt-
ing to train the brain to expand its connec-
tions and create a cognitive reserve," Ostrow
said. "The participants engage in memory
exercises, participate in field trips and learn
what works best to boost their memory.
At the same time, they are socializing with
others. Our goal is to help them continue
to live independently and avoid rapid brain
changes."
Ostrow explains that at the adult day care
programs, staff works with seniors who have
a range of dementia problems.
"One goal is to help
these men and women
be more functional and
include them in as much
social interaction as
possible," he said. "The
program is open to the
broader community,
depending upon need."
Peter Ostrow
The Greater
Michigan Chapter of the
Alzheimer's Association
collaborates in various programs and events
sponsored by Detroit's Jewish Senior Life.
"We help train staff who work with
residents and provide additional resources
to the programs, making programs more
effective," says Gayle Burstein, director of
major gifts at the Alzheimer's Association.
"Because we're part of a national organiza-
Foods
New book suggests best choices
for your mind and memory.
D
on't wait to change your diet,"
warned Neal Barnard, M.D.,
author of Power Foods for the
Brain (Grand Central Life & Style).
"Avoid meat and dairy
products because
what you eat, even
when you're 40 and in
the prime of your life,
will have a bad impact
on you three decades
later."
Research shows that
Dr. Neal
people who eat more
Barnard
saturated
fat and par-
tially hydrogenated oils are
at greater risk of developing
Alzheimer's. What's more,
cholesterol increases the pro-
duction of beta-amyloid and
plays a role in the formation
of the beta-amyloid plaques
that can lead to Alzheimer's
disease.
In the American diet, the
biggest source of saturated
fat is from dairy products
— cheese, ice cream, butter and milk.
Meats — chicken, sausage, burgers
and roast beef — are a close second,
according to Barnard, who is Jewish and
will speak at 7 p.m. Monday, April 22, at
Adat Shalom Synagogue in Farmington
Hills. President of the non-
profit Physicians Committee for
Responsible Medicine, Barnard
is the author of 15 previous
books on diet and health, and
associate professor of medi-
cine at George Washington
University School of
Medicine in Washington,
D.C.
In his latest book,
Barnard describes how
simple diet changes can
protect your brain from
memory loss, stroke and
Alzheimer's. He empha-
sizes that saturated and transfats, the
kind found in hamburgers, doughnuts
and chili cheese fries, can triple the risk
of developing Alzheimer's and reduce
brain functioning in the short term.
"On the other hand, eating fruits,
vegetables and foods rich in vitamin E,
such as almonds, may reduce the risk of
Alzheimer's by as much as 70 percent,"
he said.
For those who have added fish, espe-
cially salmon, to their diet as a healthy
food choice, Barnard's response is that
fish is more like beef than it is like broc-
coli.
"People who frequently eat salmon
usually have weight problems and are
at a higher risk of diabetes because
Atlantic salmon, for instance, is about
40 percent fat, and it's not all
good fat," Barnard said.
"Only 15-30 percent of the
fat in fish is Omega-3, and
the other 70 percent is bad
fat, a blend of saturated and
unsaturated fats. Besides, fish
also contains cholesterol, and
shellfish have more choles-
terol than red meat," he said.
"I suggest taking the best of
the Mediterranean diet — the
vegetables, fruits, beans and
grains — and skipping the
fish and oil."
He also warns against potential
threats to the brain from medications,
drug interactions, sleep deprivation
and physical conditions that can put
memory at risk.
As we've seen, for example, high cho-
lesterol levels are linked
to dementia," he
said. "So you'll
want to keep a
healthy, low cho-
lesterol level. To do
that, I would encour-
age you to focus on
healthful foods and
to reserve cholesterol-
lowering drugs for
when a healthy diet does
not bring cholesterol
down. So far, drugs do
not seem to be able to
equal the power of food
choices."
Power Foods for the Brain contains
recipes from Christine Waltermyer and
Jason Wyrick.
❑
Memory Loss on page 12
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