Peace ofMind p Plan, Every Step of the Way Your Backu Meet Rose Rose had a special relationship with her soon-to-be-married great-niece. Attending the wedding was on her bucket list but she was afraid if she went she would be a burden to her family. That’s when Professional Parent Care stepped in to ensure Rose could watch her great- Rose Cohen niece walk down the aisle. A with Sandy Linden personal companion from PPC accompanied Rose on the plane, checked her into her hotel and went to the wedding with her. The family got to enjoy Rose’s presence without worry — knowing she was in good hands with her own ‘personal valet.’ Rose had a great time celebrating the wedding. “At Professional Parent Care, we want to enhance the lives of our clients,” said President Sandy Linden. “We’ll go above and beyond to help our clients live their lives to the fullest while providing the best care. That’s what we do.” ͻhƟůŝnjĞ>ŽǁͲŽƐƚ dĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐLJΘ,ŝŐŚ YƵĂůŝƚLJ/ŶͲ,ŽŵĞ WĞƌƐŽŶĂůĐĂƌĞ We Understand... It’s All about Quality of Life, Dignity and Family Peace of Mind Servicing Metro-Detroit families since 1977 (800) 227-9553 68 January 28 • 2016 Participants learn about the course’s structure. Mind University A fitness program to boost mental energy, memory and mood. Vivian Henoch | Special to the Jewish News A re you forgetful? And, if so, does it worry you … normally? Then use your head. Scientists are just starting to reveal the mysteries of the world inside your head. No one knows for sure, but at lat- est “count,” the human brain contains an estimated 86 to 100 billion neurons (nerve cells). Each is linked to so many others that the entire network creates trillions of connections, making your brain the most complicated object known in the universe. And did you know those neurons have the capability of living more than 100 years, creating new pathways to learning and memory? Essentially, your brain is a lifelong learner. Think of your brain as your “mental muscle,” never resting, ever churning through life’s experiences to cre- ate new memories — the stuff of which makes you uniquely you. To keep those neurons and connections sharp, the brain craves regular exercise — yes, exercise that energizes, challenges and heals both the body and the mind. THINK MIND AEROBICS Ready to put your brain power to the test? Welcome to Mind Aerobics — a break- through, science-based cognitive fitness program recently launched by Jewish Family Service (JFS) in partnership with JVS to help older adults maintain and even improve cognitive function. Conceived as a component of a com- munity wellness initiative known as Mind University (or Mind U), Mind Aerobics is a proprietary suite of mental fitness exercises developed by the New England Cognitive Center (NECC), a nonprofit organization based in Connecticut. The program works to combine neuroscience with sound educational principles to cre- ate effective interventions with the poten- tial to stem the tide of dementia, depres- sion and other illnesses in older adults. JFS and JVS are the first and only agen- cies outside the East Coast to offer Mind Aerobics to the public. The two instructors trained and certified to run the sessions for the community are Angela Popoff, LMSW, Mind U Coordinator at JFS, and Stacey Molinaro, LMSW, at JVS. “We used to think that only children could develop new stem cells in the brain,” Popoff says. “While a host of disorders and illnesses can affect an ‘aging’ brain, ͻŽŶĐŝĞƌŐĞWĞƌƐŽŶĂůĂƌĞ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ͕ƌŽƵŶĚƚŚĞůŽĐŬ ŝĨĞƐŝƌĞĚ ͻdƌĂŶƐƉŽƌƚĂƟŽŶΘ ,ŽŵĞŵĂŬŝŶŐ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ ͻdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞĚŶĚŽĨ>ŝĨĞΘZĞƐƉŝƚĞĂƌĞ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ www.ProfessionalParentCare.com John Hardwick health & wellness » 2021390 current research now shows us that even older adults can generate new stem cells.” Molinaro adds, “That’s where Mind Aerobics comes in. It engages all areas of the brain, putting the new cells to work.” The key to Mind Aerobics is the concept of novelty; exposing one’s brain to new and different activities outside one’s daily routine. That novelty comes in the form of a series of activities designed to stimulate six key functions of the brain: • Reaction time: targeting speed, accuracy and automatic responses. • Vis ual/spatial perception: assessing one’s perspective and relationship to his or her environment. • Attention and concentration: improving the ability to focus which enhances memory. • Memory: focused on improving the ability to move information through the memory network, from short-term to long-term. • Language: targeting word fluency, retrieval and appropriate usage. • Problem solving: more abstract activi- ties to understand complex scenarios and to formulate solutions. Designed for fun in a relaxed, social setting, Mind Aerobics classes are orga- nized by cognitive level and participants are grouped into classes based on their cognitive function: normal cognition, mild decline, early or mid-stages of dementia. Each level has 24 sessions that gradually increase in challenges over the course of 12 weeks. The Mind Wellness initiative, includ- ing the Mind Aerobics program was launched largely as a result of a grant from the Jewish Fund, and will kick-start a full offering of classes, resources, individual consultations and assessment services to promote lifestyle choices that can help keep older adults healthier as they age. * This story first appeared on MyJewishDetroit.org, where Vivian Henoch is editor. details To learn more about Mind University and Mind Aerobics, including program fees, call the Jewish Family Service Resource Center at (248) 592-2313.