Talk your way to health

More than 850,000 people are living with dementia in the UK, of which 500,000 have Alzheimer’s. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, that figure will double by 2025.

I am constantly trying to improve my understanding of how to either prevent or reverse early signs of dementia.

It certainly seems there are things we can do to help ourselves, which include improving our diet and physical health, and ensuring we are engaging our brains on a regular basis.

But what can we do about loved ones who deteriorated during lockdown when for nearly two years they were isolated from their family and

friends, community centres were shut and social events cancelled?

Recent research from the University of Utah in the US has some surprisingly good news. It shows that by being more sociable, memory problems in people with early signs of dementia can be reversed.

Lead researcher Ming Wen explained: “We found that even if you were cognitively impaired five years ago, if you actively participate in social interactions – such as volunteering or meeting with friends – then possibly a proportion of these people will get better and become normal again.”

So let’s do everything we can to ensure our elderly loved ones, as well as ourselves, are as engaged as possible in social activities for a healthier future.