Social Activity and Motor Skills - alt.support.arthritis

Message from discussion Social Activity and Motor Skills

loujeanb

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More options Jul 2, 4:39 am

Newsgroups: alt.support.arthritis

From: "loujeanb" <medical23SkidooF...@sc.rr.com>

Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 14:39:38 -0400

Local: Thurs, Jul 2 2009 4:39 am

Subject: Re: Social Activity and Motor Skills

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I think in a case like Alzheimer's where there is an external complication,
it probably won't postpone it for ever, but she probably was slower in
getting to the unsafe stage. Unfortunately, it's impossible to know what
the less active lifestyle would have resulted in.

My Mom and I play two handed pinochle just about every night and I notice
that adding the score has helped her mind stay sharp. She also does
seek-a-word puzzles. We both watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy every
night and compete with each other. There have been times when she will get
the answer before I do. This keeps both of us mentally active. She also
does jigsaw puzzles, the 300 piece ones with big pieces as her hands are bad
with arthritis. She still cooks every other week and empties the dishwasher
(I always fill it - nice separation of labor there). She often comments
that if she had moved into an apartment by herself, even with the social
life of the complex, she would not be as mentally sharp as she is, having to
converse with me every day.

--
Navy
Take out the FISH to email me.

"Jofirey" <jofi...@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message

news:7b1g7eF1vrd57U1@mid.individual.net...

>I always have a problem with studies like these. I kind of figure that
>those who are able to stay socially active are also in better shape to
>start with, if only mentally. Kind of a chicken and egg thing, where they
>start to give the chicken extra credit for being a chicken, and make the
>egg feel even worse because it hasn't hatched yet.

> I've always felt that way, but it was really brought home with my mother.
> She was physically active. Climbed trees with her grandkids (which did
> arrive pretty early in her life). She could walk the legs off anyone she
> knew, and she did. She was also mentally active.

> Didn't help. She walked for miles every day until her Alzheimer's made it
> unsafe to allow her out. She was socially active as long as she could
> almost follow a conversation. Like I say, didn't help.

> Jo
> "Nann Bell" <hanbellGOGAT...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:0001HW.C670E997001DB25DF0284550@news.east.earthlink.net...
>> From the NYTimes and probably not a surprise to any of us. I know
>> staying
>> socially active has me doing things I might shy away from, fearing pain,
>> otherwise and that helps me keep the ability to do those things.

>> Aging: Remaining Socially Active Aids Motor Skills
>> By ERIC NAGOURNEY

>> It is well known that older adults who remain socially engaged are more
>> likely to keep their intellectual skills sharper. But new research
>> suggests
>> they may also be less likely to experience declines in motor skills like
>> strength, speed and dexterity.

>> Researchers who followed the health of about 900 people in retirement
>> homes
>> and elsewhere found that those who had the most social activity
>> experienced
>> the least decline in their motor skills. The report appears in The
>> Archives
>> of Internal Medicine.

>> The researchers, led by Dr. Aron S. Buchman of the Rush University
>> Medical
>> Center, examined each volunteer over a period of about five years.

>> They gave them a series of tests to assess their motor skills, looking at
>> the
>> strength in their arms and legs and at their ability to walk and perform
>> other tasks. The volunteers were also asked to give information about
>> their
>> social activities.

>> ---
>> Nann
>> remove the Gator cheer to email me
>> Change everything. Love & forgive.

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