Keeping the Youthful Mind of the Elderly : Suggestions for Seniors to Avoid Dementia

How My Grandmother Keeps Hers

One of my grandmother's greatest fears is losing her mind. She's not talking about going crazy. She's talking about becoming senile and forgetful as she ages. Her health has declined over the years, but she is as witty and wise as ever, more so every day. She probably needs to go to a nursing home for assistance with her physical needs, or at least a retirement community. She refuses. She doesn't want to become secluded in a place where there are few options and the daily routine becomes mind numbing and perfunctory. She doesn't want to lose her mind.

I've watched my grandmother over the years, and along the way I've picked up some of the secrets to her spry mind. It used to be that I didn't understand why she did some of the things she did. Now, it makes more sense.

As long as I can remember, my grandmother has worked crossword puzzles. Even when her husband was alive, and they would sit together with the T.V. on, she had a crossword puzzle in her hand. Never a day passed that she didn't work the daily puzzle in the newspaper, including the word scrambles and ciphers. I was amazed at how quickly she could fly through a crossword. She finally let me in on the secret that there are some standard clues and answers that avid crossword fans memorize over time. Even so, each day of the week the puzzle gets harder and harder, until the weekend when the paper features the New York Times puzzles. Still, she whizzes through them. If she comes across something she doesn't know, she makes a point of learning it on the spot. All those puzzles, pencil nubs, and eraser shavings are a tribute to my grandmother's mind.