Protecting Your Brain: Lifestyle Changes That May Prevent Dementia
Discover 12 proven strategies to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia, from exercise and sleep to social connection and mental health.
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When it comes to healthy aging, we know diet and exercise are the tried and true formula for keeping our bodies in tip-top shape. While we tend to slow down over time, it’s still possible to live active, healthy lives, just at a different pace.
Aegis Living’s Life Enrichment program is dedicated to keeping our seniors lively, both physically and mentally, to experience better health and joy. These activities are easy to do for many people, no matter what ability.
Art and Music
Art and music therapies are amazing treatments that produce positive results, especially for those living with dementia. Through art and music, people can express themselves in ways they no longer can verbally. Both visual art and music can improve communication by triggering memories and inspiring conversations those with dementia can struggle with normally. Music therapy also encourages movement in seniors, either by dancing along to the music or participating with a tambourine or drum. If you are caring for a loved one at home, sharing stories about favorite songs can easily be accompanied by on-demand apps like Spotify or Pandora. For the visual artist, sip & paint style step-by-step art and watercolor are great options.
Gardening
Gardening is a sensory experience that uses scent, texture, color, and sound to stimulate the senses. Seniors are encouraged to work together to care for a garden, helping to combat isolation, and promote socialization. Plus, planting, pruning, weeding, and watering also provides some physical activity. Some of our communities have grown herbs, veggies, and fruits to use in other activities in the community, like making jam.
Puzzles
Jigsaw puzzles are a total brain workout, using both sides of your brain to complete the task. The right brain, or your creative side, sees the “big picture” while your left brain, or the analytical side, attempts to sort each piece logically. The two hemispheres working together create connections between both sides of the brain and between the individual brain cells. These connections increase our ability to learn, understand, and remember. Making a connection also produces dopamine, the chemical in our brains that increases learning and memory. Jigsaw puzzles have a positive impact on people living with dementia, slowing the onset or growth of the disease by keeping more parts of the brain active for longer.
Yoga
Yoga has been a very popular exercise for quite a while, but did you know it has great benefits specifically for those 50+? The practice of yoga can have deep impact on bone strength, weight loss and maintenance, anxiety reduction, joint care, balance, and keeping the mind sharp. Since falls are a major concern as we age, slow and measured stretches and strengthening poses help to achieve better balance, which helps to diminish the possibility of falls. If you have a loved one who lives in an Aegis Living community, encourage them to try Chair Yoga if they haven’t already. The series is performed seated, for those who need extra support.
Meditation
The connection between breathing and meditating are major factors in keeping anxiety, hypertension, and mood swings at bay. The slow, controlled breathing decreases nervous system activity, which has a positive impact on your overall health. Meditation also sharpens the mind by increasing focus and helps you gain clarity and peace of mind. The best part? Meditation is great at ANY age! Phone apps like Headspace can help guide you through a meditation practice whether it’s your first or 50th time. Our residents are often led through guided meditation at the end of an activity to reduce stress after physical activity.
Volunteering
The health benefits of volunteering are multi-faceted. Mentally, it keeps the brain active, and prevents depression by pulling seniors out of isolation to participate in their volunteer activity. Physically, volunteering usually involves movement, be it walking, knitting, cooking, etc. Volunteering also promotes intergenerational relationships by working with younger generations and creating opportunities for these generations to learn more about one another.
Walking
Not only does walking improve heart health, lower blood sugar, and even reduce pain, but it boosts mental health and is a great way to socialize. In fact, our residents participate in walking clubs at many of our communities to keep them active, social, and breathing fresh air. Plus, it’s easy to get going. If you’re not active and looking to increase your activity level, start with a slow 10-minute walk, and gradually increase your time and pace.
Each of our communities has a dedicated Life Enrichment Director who works with a talented activities team to engage their residents’ mind, body, and spirit, and encourage a holistic approach to healthy aging. If you’re interested in seeing them in action, we welcome you to visit your nearest Aegis Living community.
Respite Stays & Day Stays give family caregivers a real break—hours, days, or a few weeks—while your loved one enjoys a safe, enriching short‑term home at Aegis Living. Guests settle into a beautifully furnished private apartment and have 24/7 care staff and onsite nurses, medication management, and discreet safety technology (motion sensors, medical‑alert pendants, visitor check‑in) for peace of mind. Each day feels purposeful with chef‑prepared, all‑day dining and 200+ monthly activities—from book clubs and fitness classes to movie nights—plus full use of the community. We coordinate with your loved one’s physicians to mirror their routines and care, so the stay feels familiar. It’s also a smart trial run for senior living: meet neighbors, test services, and see what supported independence looks like—without a long‑term commitment. Choose a Respite Stay when you’re traveling or need time to recharge, when your loved one would benefit from structure, social connection, and great meals, or when you both want peace of mind while keeping options open.
Hospice & End‑of‑Life Care at Aegis Living is comfort‑first support for the final stage of life, delivered in your loved one’s private apartment by our 24/7 care team in coordination with a trusted local hospice provider you choose (or we can recommend). Together, we create a coordinated care plan that manages pain and other symptoms, oversees medications, and provides calm, dignified help with daily needs, while offering compassionate emotional support for both resident and family. Discreet safety measures and a reliable medical‑alert system bring help quickly; chef‑prepared, in‑apartment meals adapt to changing appetites. Families are guided through decisions and moments of closure so they can focus on being present in a peaceful, home‑like setting. If your loved one already lives at Aegis, they can remain in the comfort of their home, avoiding disruptive moves. Choose this level of care when curative treatment is no longer the goal and you want expert symptom control, hands‑on daily support, and a setting that protects dignity and prioritizes comfort, meaning, and time together.
Memory Care is specialized, secure support for people living with Alzheimer’s or other dementias who benefit from a calm, structured environment and round‑the‑clock expertise. At Aegis Living, that care happens in Life’s Neighborhood—an intimate, thoughtfully designed setting where 24/7 dementia‑trained caregivers and a nursing team on site seven days a week deliver personalized help with daily living, medication management, and mobility (including Hoyer lifts and two‑person transfers), while gently redirecting agitation and confusion. Days are purpose‑filled with science‑based cognitive programming, certified music therapy, and social activities; chef‑prepared meals are easy to enjoy and dining spaces and cues are designed for memory support. Discreet safety features like secured entrances, emergency pendants with fall detection, and optional motion sensors, prevent wandering and bring peace of mind, and visiting physicians and wellness professionals reduce trips off‑site. Families receive education and ongoing support. If your loved one is unsafe alone, missing medications, wandering, needs frequent cueing or hands‑on help with bathing or dressing, or thrives with a predictable routine, Memory Care offers the right level of care. For milder needs, our transitional Assisted Living can be a first step; for advancing symptoms, secured Memory Care provides the specialized, heartfelt support to help them feel calm, connected, and at home.