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Weekly InSight: Global Council on Brain Health Report
You’re never too old to improve your mental well-being.
It won’t only make you feel better, it’s also associated with reduced risk of dementia, according to a report from the Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH).
Following a GCBH meeting last fall in London, the group published a 32-page report which includes a number of expert recommendations that may give individuals the chance to experience or optimize their personal well-being. Some of those recommendations include:
Take the time to develop or strengthen relationships with family and friends
Come to peace with your past decisions and acknowledge what you cannot change
Get seven to eight hours of sleep a night, and optimize the quality of your sleep
Consult a doctor or mental health professional if you think you may suffer from anxiety or depression
Avoid excessive alcohol. If you do drink, drink in moderation.
For a full-list of expert recommendations and practical tips, refer to pages 4-5 of this document.
This is the latest in a series of ongoing reports and recommendations published by GCBH. Previously, they’ve published reports specific to sleep and brain health, and food guidelines for brain health, among other topics.
PMC Co-Director Jason Karlawish, MD, has been a part of the organization since it was formed in late 2015. He is on the GCBH’s Governance Committee.
“People are eager for credible, unbiased and evidence-based information to guide how they should spend their time and effort and money to maintain their brain health,” Dr. Karlawish said in a PMC article in 2015. “The partnership with Age UK and membership from across the globe are especially exciting. An international problem needs an international partnership.”
GCBH is composed of scientists, doctors, scholars, and policy experts, whose goal is to promote a “brain-healthy” lifestyle. The group was convened by the AARP and Age UK, the United Kingdom’s largest charity dedicated to helping everyone make the most of later life. To learn more about GCBH’s milestones, click here.
Shop Lilly Pulitzer, Support PMC – happening today!
Join the Penn Memory Center on Sunday, March 31, to shop Lilly Pulitzer’s new spring collection.
Between noon and 6 p.m., “sweets and sips” will be served alongside information about the Penn Memory Center and our research and social work programs. Ten percent of proceeds will be donated to the Penn Memory Center.
Time Out, an award-winning mentorship and respite care program, is recruiting students and families. Private respite care often costs more than $20 an hour, but Time Out care providers will be available for $8.50 an hour for up to 10 hours per week. For more information about the program and services provided, click here.
Families who would like to register or learn more should contact Alison Lynn, MSW, LCSW, at alison.lynn@uphs.upenn.edu or 215-360-0257.
Dance for Health, a free weekly dance class for older adults, has returned to the Ralston Center. It’s held every Saturday between March 16 and May 11 (excluding April 20) at 3615 Chestnut Street. The program is open to all adults 55 or older. To RSVP, contact Terrence Casey at tjcasey@upenn.eduor 215-898-9979.
Creative Expression Through Music, a collaboration between PMC and the Curtis Institute of Music, is a new, free program for PMC patients experiencing memory change or those with mild cognitive impairment or early-stage dementia. It’s intended to provide participants with a greater understanding of music, fun new tools for interacting through sound, and creative musical experience that flex their imaginations. Beginners are welcome. Session One will engage participants in collaborative, creative musical experiences and will assess their impact on participants’ mood and well-being. Session Two will focus on creating new music and building the skills and activities of Session One. Registration for Session One is now closed, but Session Two is still enrolling.
Session Two will meet from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. on March 19, 26, April 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30. All sessions are held at The Curtis Institute of Music in Lenfest Hall, Room LH314. If you’d like to register or have questions, contact Matthew Volpe at matthew.volpe@uphs.upenn.edu.
The next Memory Café will be held on Friday, April 12 from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Christ Church Neighborhood House in Old City. University of Pennsylvania’s all-female a cappella group Quaker Notes will be performing. Memory Café is exclusively for people with memory problems, including Alzheimer’s disease, and their partners/families. The program is free. Please RSVP to Alison Lynn at 215-360-0257 or alison.lynn@uphs.upenn.edu. All 2019 dates are posted here.
Moment to Momentis a new, short film about love and resilience in the face of disease. It features Carl Duzen and Susan Jewett, who have been actively involved with PMC for more than five years. Duzen, a former physics teacher, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2014 by PMC Co-Director David Wolk, MD. His wife, Jewett, is an artist and former art teacher. The film will premiere at 5:00 p.m. (doors open at 4:30 p.m.) on Thursday, April 25 at the Jordan Medical Education Center, 3400 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia. Tickets are free, but RSVP is required.