What Are the Six Pillars of Brain Health?

What are the Six Pillars of Brain Health? Join us as we answer this question and delve into the crucial links between a healthy diet, regular exercise, and cognitive health. Dionne Polite with AARP shares wisdom on the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, the importance of lifelong physical activity, and practical tips for maintaining cognitive function as we age. We’ll also explore the importance of social engagement, managing stress, and getting restorative sleep—all vital pillars for brain health. Plus, Dionne opens up about her personal journey of supporting a family member with early onset Alzheimer’s, highlighting the everyday strategies that help manage cognitive decline. You won't want to miss this enlightening conversation filled with resources and tools to help seniors, caregivers, and families live their best lives. Tune in now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast platform!

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Transcript

Darleen Mahoney [00:00:02]:

And today we are joined by Dionne Polite. She is AARP's Florida's director of state operations. Previously, she was associate state director for multicultural outreach at AARP New York and interim manager of state operations in Pennsylvania and New York. With a background in diversity outreach at the American Diabetes association. In the fundraising for the ADA and March of Dimes, Dion has earned the Health Advocate award and business visionary award. And she is married with two great adult children and she is a resident of the Sunshine State. Thanks so much for joining us today.

Dionne Polite [00:00:44]:

Thank you so much for having me. I'm really excited. I want to add that I'm a new grandma as well, Yaya, as my grandson calls me. I have a 22 year, two month old grandson. His name is Hosea.

Darleen Mahoney [00:00:55]:

Yeah.

Dionne Polite [00:00:55]:

And he is the biggest blessing in my life.

Darleen Mahoney [00:00:57]:

Oh, they are. They're so sweet.

Dionne Polite [00:00:59]:

Oh, my goodness.

Darleen Mahoney [00:01:00]:

Before they become teenagers. They're so sweet.

Dionne Polite [00:01:02]:

So true. So true.

Darleen Mahoney [00:01:05]:

So you're joining us today because we're going to really dig deep into what AARPS, they call the six pillars for brain health.

Dionne Polite [00:01:16]:

Yes.

Darleen Mahoney [00:01:17]:

So you're going to deep dive into this in the world of brain health as it directly impacts overall quality of life and independence. Independence. So I'm super thrilled to have you on and help you shed some light onto these six pillars because we want to keep it simple. So I think this is such a great way to do that.

Dionne Polite [00:01:36]:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Darleen Mahoney [00:01:38]:

So tell me a little bit about how you started with the ARP as the director of operations in Florida.

Dionne Polite [00:01:44]:

So I had been in ARP New York for about six and a half, seven years, and I got a call from our CEO, who happens to be, and that's a whole other story, so I won't get too much into it, who happens to be my sponsor, sponsor slash mentor. I didn't know there was a difference between the two until she clarified it for me, but she called and said, hey, would you guys be interested in moving to Florida? I'd love to see you in leadership there. And I never thought about it. My husband had just retired from the New York state police, and the day she called, there was 32 inches of snow on the ground. And I ran in from the mailbox and I said, hey, babe, Joanne wants to know if we'd be interested in moving to Florida for a role they want me to take there. And he said when? And he was ready to defrost. He was ready like that second, and it happened within months. I connected with our state director in Florida, who, in my opinion, is one of the smartest, greatest men, aside from my husband, he is a brilliant man.

Dionne Polite [00:02:51]:

And I think that's the gift of coming to Florida. I get to work underneath somebody that I really respect and that every day I learn something from not only professionally, but personally as well. And I think that is an incredible opportunity that I have. I've been within the organization now for almost 16 years, and here in Florida for eight years. So it's been quite a ride and it's been a joy the entire time. And I look forward to even more to come.

Darleen Mahoney [00:03:22]:

I mean, you can't have a better recommendation about a company than that, for sure.

Dionne Polite [00:03:27]:

That's true. It's a great organization. It really is. Yeah.

Darleen Mahoney [00:03:30]:

Yeah. That's awesome. So we're going to dig into the six main pillars of brain health that is outlined by AARP and why it's crucial for maintaining that cognitive function as we age.

Dionne Polite [00:03:46]:

So I'll tell you this, Darlene. I chair the global, AERP has a global brain health council, and I chair that council as a state representative. It's based at the national office. And every time we meet, I learn something new. And one of the things that I think is I want to start this conversation with is the understanding that the brain is a muscle.

Darleen Mahoney [00:04:10]:

Yeah.

Dionne Polite [00:04:11]:

It's one of those things that if you don't use it, you lose it. Right. So plain and simple, that's what it is. I know. For me, I've gotten into the routine. I had to break it of getting in the car and just putting in the navigation where I want to go, even if it's someplace I've been before. I want to encourage people not to do that. What you want to do is to test the brain every day.

Dionne Polite [00:04:32]:

Right. And even if it is going to the grocery store, you know how to get there. Try going on a different route. It helps trigger the brain and keeps it strong, no matter what age you are. But as we age, as we get older, it's an important exercise to incorporate into how we do things. So these are the six pillars, and then I'll delve into each one separately. So being social, engaging your brain, I just mentioned a little bit about that ongoing exercise, managing stress, restorative sleep, eating healthy. And then there's also something that matters as well, and that's not smoking or, you know, not being excessive with alcohol or any of those things, because truly they don't do much for you but deteriorate the brain and the body.

Darleen Mahoney [00:05:26]:

Right.

Dionne Polite [00:05:27]:

And that's not a personal opinion. That's an actual fact. Yes. And being social, what does that look like? That means being engaged, socially engaged, doing activities that are meaningful to you. Right? So for me, I love pickleball. For you, it might be mahjong. It might be meaning, you know, at a reading group or whatever it is. But doing something that's meaningful, finding ways to be a part of your community.

Dionne Polite [00:05:55]:

If you love animals, consider volunteering in a local shelter. If you enjoy singing. And I've just heard from somebody recently, oh, it was at the brain health meeting that they're going to be incorporating some opportunities for people who are interested here in Florida, we're going to offer it to members. If you're interested in learning how to sing, you can sign up for classes. Right? And I remember as a kid, I love to sing. My dad used to say, dee, you're going to raise the dead with that voice. So I don't know, you know, it used to, I didn't absorb it because I said, no, I'm going to sing. I've heard people that can sing worse than I, and so that would probably be me.

Darleen Mahoney [00:06:37]:

I sing in the car very loud and in the shower, and then that's where it stops.

Dionne Polite [00:06:42]:

Me too. Me too. I remember one time in church, I was singing. It was around the holidays, and the person next to me started giggling, like laughing. And I turned and I said, is everything okay? And he said, well, you know, scripture says, make a joyful noise. And you were certainly trying. And I thought, oh, son of a gun.

Darleen Mahoney [00:07:00]:

You're having a good time, though.

Dionne Polite [00:07:02]:

You know, that's all that matters. That's all that matters. So being social, that's a big deal. The other one is around challenging yourself. So exercising the brain. So challenging and activating your mind. Like, for instance, you know, if you go to. I don't know if there's places where you build furniture, you know, when you have to complete, you buy a table and you have to put it together oftentimes, you know, especially, I don't want to make this a gender thing, but men just say, oh, yeah, this is how you do it.

Dionne Polite [00:07:37]:

You know, they just put it together. They don't read the instructions. Well, when you read the instructions, you follow it. It actually engages the brain in learning something new or following a process that you don't do on a normal basis. Completing a jigsaw puzzle. I just gave somebody a jigsaw puzzle because it means you have to focus and learn and concentrate and do all of those things. Doing something artistic, that's always a good one, right? Because you're not only being creative, you're aligning the brain with your activity, and that's really important. Playing games such as bridge, mahjong, dominoes, spades.

Dionne Polite [00:08:16]:

Those things that make you encourage you to think strategically are also incredible ways to engage the brain and challenge your mind. And it really has long term as well as short term benefits to the brain.

Darleen Mahoney [00:08:32]:

Yeah. You know, kind of. We're talking about this. Kind of getting back to your mention of the GPS.

Dionne Polite [00:08:37]:

Yes.

Darleen Mahoney [00:08:38]:

You know, I. For. For years and years, I was military spouse. We moved like every three years. So I was introduced to a new city, new state, new everything. And this was pre GPS. And I don't remember not having problems getting where I needed to go.

Dionne Polite [00:08:53]:

Yeah.

Darleen Mahoney [00:08:54]:

You know, and I just. And now I can barely make it, you know, down the road, a place I've gone 500 times. It's crazy. And I really do think, oh, my gosh, it's made us so lazy.

Dionne Polite [00:09:04]:

Yes.

Darleen Mahoney [00:09:05]:

Because when you live somewhere, you kind of understand, like, the roads in the system, and so you literally see how it's been laid out.

Dionne Polite [00:09:14]:

Yes.

Darleen Mahoney [00:09:14]:

How it's been developed.

Dionne Polite [00:09:16]:

Exactly.

Darleen Mahoney [00:09:16]:

And now when we don't use those, we don't really understand the study right. Now, the other thing is, is I could tell you everybody's phone number now. I, my grown children, I literally still.

Dionne Polite [00:09:27]:

Have to look up exactly the same way. The same exact way. So it's. Yeah, I think we do ourselves a disservice by becoming comfortable with how we operate now. You know, it is sometimes it's good to just go back to the old methods of things, you know? And that's what this is. These conversations really are encouraging us to do. Right. And it's not necessarily laziness.

Dionne Polite [00:09:54]:

It is just that we've adapted to what's in place. And, you know, so in order for us to make sure that we are good to our brains and ourselves, we need to push and push in the directions of some of those pillars that I've mentioned already. Another one is managing our stress. Right. So how do you take care of your mental health? There are studies that link history of depression with increased risk of cognitive decline. So there's always, if you see that happening, we say you have to seek medical treatment. If you have symptoms of depression, anxiety, or any other mental health concern, you should really, really, really try to manage your stress. And, I mean, listen, life.

Dionne Polite [00:10:40]:

My daughter says, life be life in, you know, and so that is it. Life lifes. Right. And we have to really be intentional with saying, for me personally, I put things in brackets okay. If it's around the kids. I have my children at 37 and 34, and, you know, they're adults, and so I can't stress over, you know, decisions that they make. Right. Because at 63, I've been there, done that, and I've already forgotten what they're just learning.

Dionne Polite [00:11:09]:

So it is understanding that in order for us to be able to navigate through our lives, we need to manage the situations that we're dealing with. We need to manage stress, whether it's family stress, work stress, you know, the environment, the political environment right now, whatever it is, you know, we need to understand that tomorrow's gonna come. I'm gonna do what I can today with what I have and not be burdened by any of the other things that seem overwhelming. It is about our own mental health, and that is key. That really is key.

Darleen Mahoney [00:11:46]:

And it is very difficult at this time in life.

Dionne Polite [00:11:51]:

Yeah.

Darleen Mahoney [00:11:51]:

A lot of times you're carrying, especially for our seniors, is who I'm really referring to. You're carrying a lot of your own stuff with your own health, your aging finances, the world around you. And then what people don't realize, as you've kind of mentioned, once you have a child, you think you stop worrying. At 18, you don't have, and you're still trying to cultivate a relationship with those children, even in their adulthood, and worrying about their financial stability, you know? And some folks get a little bit into, are they raising their kids right?

Dionne Polite [00:12:22]:

That's the thing for me. You know, I don't select the partners. Right. I mean, it may not be my choice, but I have to remind myself, you know, God, they've been. They've been blessed with the opportunity to make their own decisions, right. And so I have to go with that.

Darleen Mahoney [00:12:36]:

Right?

Dionne Polite [00:12:36]:

And, um, you know, that's. That's. It's. It's all. And, you know, as you get older, sometimes, I know you. You kind of feel isolated. You know, you kind of feel. And that.

Dionne Polite [00:12:48]:

That is really something that. That we should really address, because isolation leads to depression. Um, and it leads, again, decline. Right. So, you know, making sure that you engage in some way, whether it's. I go back to get volunteering, having a conversation, learning. You know, the kids all use Instagram or Facebook and, you know, communicate with your family members, your girlfriends, your friends, your classmates, whatever it is, don't shut out or shut in because it won't be healthy for you.

Darleen Mahoney [00:13:21]:

Right.

Dionne Polite [00:13:22]:

Another really good one. Darlene is around sleep. You know, for us, even as women, right. We go through that stage where you know, we're lucky if we get 3 hours of full sleep. But catching our Z's is, I can't say enough about how significantly important that is for us because insomnia or sleep apnea result in other challenges with our health, including memory loss and our cognitive abilities. The way we think. It's like when you're sleep deprived, you know, there's a whole lot of domino things, things that take place with that. So really making sure that restorative sleep is an important part of one of the pillars that people.

Dionne Polite [00:14:16]:

People think about, you know?

Darleen Mahoney [00:14:19]:

Yeah. You know, one thing with people that have already been diagnosed with dementia and maybe even Alzheimer's, I might be wrong on that, but stress and anxiety can actually make it worse at a faster pace. So you experience issues that if you were not experiencing all the stress and anxiety and depression and things like that, it may not accelerate. Yeah, is what I guess I'm getting to accelerate. There you go.

Dionne Polite [00:14:52]:

Very true. Yeah, very true. Another one. And I'm so guilty of this because I love honey barbecue potato chips, but eating.

Darleen Mahoney [00:15:02]:

I will have to check those out.

Dionne Polite [00:15:04]:

Oh, my gosh, they are so delicious. And it's not good for us in any way, shape, or form, but, oh, what a treat. So eating a healthy and balanced diet that is lower in fat and higher in vegetables and fruit help to reduce the risk of cognitive decline. You know, it really, really does. There's research that shows there are areas of the world called the blue zones where people really adapt to the mediterranean diet, and they live 100 something years old. I remember reading about a guy riding his horse to go visit his friend to have lunch during the middle of the day in Greece, and women who are in their eighties still getting together with their girlfriends as they walk to the market together. Those are things that really. That really, really helped to keep us that diet is a big part of all of that.

Dionne Polite [00:16:00]:

And research on diet and cognitive function is limited, but certain diets, and as I mentioned, the mediterranean diet, or what they call dash, which is dietary approaches to stop hypertension, those things are really encouraged because they continue to, they contribute to the risk of reducing brain health issues. And so.

Darleen Mahoney [00:16:29]:

I never knew they were called blue zone. I'm going to really dig into that and look at that as well a little bit more, because I do know that countries that do have more of a heavier mediterranean diet do have lower cases or diagnoses of dementia and Alzheimer's. So that I've known, but I didn't know exactly what they were referred to. So what are some examples of a mediterranean diet or more healthier eating on that side.

Dionne Polite [00:16:59]:

So things like legumes, like beans, chickpeas and any of the fresh fruits, fresh fruits and vegetables, even things like sardines, salmon, rich meats, even organ meats like liver and kidneys and that kind of thing, they are really, they are really beneficial to us. And there are people I know that limit their red meat and they, you know, a lot of healthy fish and farm raised and that kind of thing, those really are beneficial. And, you know, tuna from the can is convenient, but I'm not sure that that is something, especially as we age. We deserve better than that. Right. To me, you get to a certain stage in life, it shouldn't be about quality versus quantity and affordability as well. So it's better to invest in getting good pieces of meat, good pieces of fish. And that could be part of the socialization, going to the fishmonger or the fish market, going to the butcher and engaging in a conversation, whether the cuts that are on sale and all those things really keep us mentally and physically well.

Dionne Polite [00:18:19]:

You know, exactly as we age, there's things that come about, you know, because of genetics. Right. Hypertension is one. And I say that because I deal with hypertension. But you can do some things to keep that in place. Right. To keep that at bay. And that is exercising.

Dionne Polite [00:18:41]:

Right. That's one of the ways. And again, being intentional with what we eat, this is our temple and we are what we eat. And it's a responsibility that we owe ourselves, especially as we age. You know, we should not deny ourselves the pleasure of aging well. And part of aging well means treating our body well.

Darleen Mahoney [00:19:02]:

Yeah. And I think younger people don't realize at some point they're going to be in the same boat. So even as a younger person, I think it's good to start keeping some of these habits because it's very hard to go from, like, eating hot dogs and potato chips all of a sudden, eating healthy or sitting on the couch and watching television and playing video games to now you're getting out and exercising. So I think no matter what age, this is definitely something get started as a lifestyle.

Dionne Polite [00:19:26]:

Absolutely.

Darleen Mahoney [00:19:27]:

And then it doesn't, like, rock your world when you realize, I'm getting older because I know that AARP focuses on folks 50 and up, which some people would say 50 is the new 40, but I still. You're still 50.

Dionne Polite [00:19:42]:

Still 50.

Darleen Mahoney [00:19:43]:

Still 50, yes, exactly. So, yeah, absolutely. And one of the things that with diet and exercise, nobody likes to hear that whenever you say diet and exercise. Everybody's. Oh, especially if you're not involved. So what are some, like, easy exercise things?

Dionne Polite [00:20:01]:

Well, Darlene, you know, easy. Easy is. I love pickleball. Like I said, one of the easiest things I find, particularly because we're here in Florida, many of us have access to water. If you have a pool or if you have a community pool, just getting in the pool and stepping, taking steps. Right. It's recommended 10,000 steps a day to keep yourself at least, keep your body at least healthy. But that may be a lot for some of us.

Dionne Polite [00:20:30]:

Some of us, as I talked about genetics earlier, we have a little extra weight. I know. I can tell you that. I never, ever, ever thought I would get beyond a size six, right? But then life started life in, and hello, I'm like, almost definitely double that. But, you know, it's still. We cannot let that. Those are rewards that we get for living and for living well. So what we have to do is to incorporate things that we know now to keep ourselves healthy.

Dionne Polite [00:20:59]:

Going in the water and just taking steps, moving your arms, you know, moving your legs, spending no more than 20 minutes a day, that's fine. Walking. I have this debate with my doctor all the time, and she says, well, what else have you done? What else have I done? I'm walking up and down the steps in the house. That's enough. And that's. You have to do something that stimulates some parts of the body, right? So change it up. Today you walk to the pool, tomorrow you sit down. Maybe you've got a.

Dionne Polite [00:21:28]:

You can do cheer yoga, right? Because nobody has to be an Olympian, but just move, right, take two cans in your arms and move your arms above your head. Count to ten, do it ten times, then move your arms behind you, back towards your back, right, ten times. Move your legs, just cross your ankles, your left ankle over to your right, and just do those just a little bit at a time. Nobody wants. You know, you don't have to be Arnold Schwarzenegger or Miss Olympian or whatever it is. Just a little bit of movement. You know, even. I mean, you know, the reality is that as we age some of the limbs, because we just, you know, there are points in our lives where we didn't exercise as much as we could.

Dionne Polite [00:22:16]:

Some of the limbs are a little stagnant, right. Take it one step at a time. One step at a time. Park a little further away. When you're in the parking lot, going to the supermarket or the movies, you know, walk a little bit higher up in the movie theater as you would note, take the first seat in. As soon as you get into the theater, just stretch yourself a little bit. And those are little bit, little tiny goals that really help you achieve something. And then you, and then you gift yourself, you know, with a little treat.

Dionne Polite [00:22:49]:

And that treat could be, you know, for peanuts, right? Or for me, you know, what I do as a treat? I take a scoop of peanut butter. I love peanut butter, but I can't get too crazy with it. So one teaspoon of peanut butter is a treat that I give myself after I play pickleball or after I've done something extraordinary, you know, and understanding that there always needs to be a balance in what we do, right? There definitely needs to be balanced, and we need to be realistic. I mean, you know, do what feels right to you, but just do something.

Darleen Mahoney [00:23:20]:

Yeah. I always think back to when people watch television with commercials, and some folks still may, but we are getting to where we're streaming more and more, and we'll, like, you can binge on an entire series and one day, super. Not healthy, but, but every time there was a commercial. Who wants to watch commercials? Let's just be honest. And some of them, if you're doing cable, have like seven commercials in between. That's why a two hour movie at the theater is like four on cable, because all of the commercials taking those commercial breaks to get up and walk around, just even walk around your couch, walk around your house, and then you can sit down, enjoy your show. Commercial. Boom.

Darleen Mahoney [00:24:00]:

You will get so much exercise doing that.

Dionne Polite [00:24:02]:

So true. Sitting in a lounge chair. Pick your legs up. Pick your knees up. You know, you don't have to take it to your chest, but pick your knees up. It's just as far as where it feels comfortable. Don't hurt yourself doing it. Those little things really encourage, keeps the heart, it becomes a cardiovascular exercise, right.

Dionne Polite [00:24:21]:

And that really elevates your heart rate, increases your blood flow to the brain and to your body. And there, you know, there's studies that have, that have shown that the association between physical activity and the reduction in the risk of cognitive decline. So, you know, it makes sense. It makes sense for us to bring it, you know, when you're in the bathtub, right, for those people that love to lounge in the bathtub, stretch your legs out and reach your arms out, you know, to see how far you can take them, reach them up. Little itty bitty things really make a difference. They really, really do. And you feel you get a sense of accomplishment.

Darleen Mahoney [00:24:58]:

Yeah.

Dionne Polite [00:24:59]:

Right. When you've done and you're doing it in the privacy of your own home. You're not telling anybody. Oh, yeah, I'm gonna do this, and I'm gonna, you know, because it's your goal. It's your ambition. It's your, it's what's gonna drive you, because it's for you. Right, for you, by you. And, and, you know, I would encourage everybody to start to consider that AARP has virtual classes, on chair yoga, exercise classes.

Dionne Polite [00:25:27]:

There's even, you can get online to learn about technology. All those things are opportunities to engage. You know, even if there's some people that may have the challenge of being homebound.

Darleen Mahoney [00:25:40]:

Yeah.

Dionne Polite [00:25:41]:

But that doesn't mean that.

Darleen Mahoney [00:25:42]:

No excuses.

Dionne Polite [00:25:43]:

Absolutely. Engage in some way, shape, or form, and I'm here to help you do it.

Darleen Mahoney [00:25:47]:

There you go. I love that. So you talked about eating right, restorative sleep, ongoing exercise, managing stress, engaging to the brain and being social. I kind of feel like being social and engaging the brain can kind of be like one thing, you know, one thing that's really growing that I've been hearing more and more about, and I love it, are book clubs. So more and more book clubs, even if they're virtual. So if you are homebound, that is still an option. So you can kind of search and see what you have in your area for that. But what a great way to connect with people socially and intellectually.

Dionne Polite [00:26:27]:

Darlene? I absolutely agree. I absolutely. And we also have virtual book clubs at AARP. Oh, so, yeah, I. So people can go to aarp.org, comma, www.aarp.org Florida to get a listing of all the different online opportunities that are available. And they are virtual book clubs. There are also these clubs called the Ethel, and they're around the country. And Ethel, Percy Andrews was the founder of AARP.

Darleen Mahoney [00:26:57]:

The Ethel.

Dionne Polite [00:26:58]:

The Ethel, yes. And they're social groups, right? So women get together for breakfast, you know, meet for breakfast or to discuss a book or to go see a play. It's just an opportunity to engage, to address social isolation and loneliness. And it's something fun to do. Right. Meeting new people. Always interesting. I am always fascinated with, and I've heard so much about it at Aarpental, about, you know, when somebody goes to a senior living or an assisted living home or a nursing home, they meet, you know, a woman at 89, 90 years old can have a boyfriend.

Dionne Polite [00:27:43]:

The boyfriend will be in the seventies, you know, and we used to, well, I used to giggle at that a little bit. I don't giggle at it anymore because it is socialization. And that's a key component to keeping the brain healthy. Sometimes our body gives out on us, but our brains, you know, if we do what we need to do, they remain active. And part of that, you know, is engaging with somebody in a conversation. You know, having a boyfriend at 80 and 90 is different than having one at 18 and 19. So, you know, I think it's lovely that it happens.

Darleen Mahoney [00:28:18]:

I really do. Oh, my gosh, I love that. When I see things like that, it absolutely warms my heart. Everyone deserves a second chance. You know what my mom used to say to me, and now I get it as I'm aging, that she would feel, get up in the morning and feel like she was still in her twenties, even when she was in her sixties, realizing that how she feels on the inside and how she's thinking and all those emotions, they don't, just because your body's aging doesn't mean that your expectations in life and joy, everything that doesn't dissipate.

Dionne Polite [00:28:50]:

Absolutely. And, you know, when you see it, you see it when, when you see older women, particularly. I'm a judge for the Miss senior Florida pageant, and these are all women that are in their, the youngest, it's usually around seventies, go all the way up. We had a contestant once that was in the nineties, and to see, you know, them really embrace their beauty and whatever it is, you know, the woman, one of the contestants this year, enjoyed karaoke. So, you know, and I told you about my dad saying that my voice could raise the dead. I'm not going to say anything about her voice, but bless her heart, she tried really hard, you know, but the thing is, I give her credit for stepping out and doing that. Right. That's what it's all about.

Dionne Polite [00:29:35]:

You know, from, from, I have this statement that I made. I started saying in New York, and it's from one to 50, we're learning. And from 50 on, we're living. And living means just doing the best of what you can do, whatever that is, just doing something.

Darleen Mahoney [00:29:53]:

So, yeah, absolutely. No, I love that. That's perfect. So the six pillars are those available on AARP's website for people to dig in and get, like, details.

Dionne Polite [00:30:05]:

Yes, yes, yes. And I encourage everybody to do that because, and again, Aarp.org brainhealth will give you all kinds of tips. We are finding now that there's some. And we're going to do a Teletown hall later on this year, probably the beginning of November, around research with the connection, the correlation between hearing loss and brain health that's a big deal to me.

Darleen Mahoney [00:30:34]:

That is a no brainer, but it totally is.

Dionne Polite [00:30:38]:

Yes, yes, yes. So we're going to share some. Some of the research, going to get some experts on to engage in that conversation. And hopefully, Darlene, you and I will be able to talk about, you know, what I learned and what you and I will learn together from those interactions. The other one is around vision loss. I'm a person. I wear trifocals. And my thing is I get all different frames because, dag on it, if I can't see, I'm going to make sure my frames are fabulous.

Dionne Polite [00:31:11]:

Anyway, I heard that. But vision loss is something, too, that challenges cognitive decline, and so it's addressing it right away. Not that my mother in law, God rest her soul, used to get a bigger magnifying glass. I remember in her seventies. I grew up with her, so I remember in her seventies, she had a small magnifying glass, and she passed away last year. She was in her late eighties. She had a gigantic. It was almost a mirror magnifying glass.

Dionne Polite [00:31:46]:

It was just to see. Just to see. And so there are these things that play a part in really threatening or increasing our risks. Heart disease, smoking, depression, certain medications, it turns out. And I mentioned hearing and vision loss and diabetes. Right. Those are risks that challenge our brain health. And here are some tips.

Dionne Polite [00:32:21]:

Right. So I talked about establishing a routine, paying attention to what's happening. Know your body and pay attention. Avoid multitasking. And that almost seems redundant. Right. You know, we think we're doing something if we're doing seven things at a time, but really, that means you're not doing anything well. Right.

Dionne Polite [00:32:40]:

Because it's just. So. Avoid multitasking. Take breaks. So. And I say it all the time to my husband, allow ourselves some grace. I think that's really important. And use our calendars.

Dionne Polite [00:32:54]:

Right. Use reminders. Use alarms. Darlene, interestingly enough, so I told you, we evacuated to Atlanta. We stayed with our brother, who lives in Stone Mountain, and he's a year younger than I, and he has early onset Alzheimer's. And, I mean, so can you imagine? He's 62, and.

Darleen Mahoney [00:33:16]:

I'm sorry.

Dionne Polite [00:33:17]:

Yes. It's. It's. Well, you know. And I was saying to him, I need you to get something to put. He's. He lives by himself. He lives in a large home by himself, and you need to put reminders on the fridge.

Dionne Polite [00:33:31]:

And he was like, oh, I hadn't thought of that. You know, so I'm gonna. I've already ordered the magnets. He just put it on the fridge. Write down what, you know, when you get up in the morning. Write down, you know, this is what you need to do. This is, it's, we have to be responsible for ourselves right, as we age. Really, we do ourselves a disservice if we're not.

Dionne Polite [00:33:53]:

So I'm really glad we're engaging in this conversation, and I, and I hope that the people that are listening will learn from what we've shared today. I really, I'm honored to be a part of this, and I thank you so much. It's really been sort of a cleansing for me as well.

Darleen Mahoney [00:34:14]:

No, I have absolutely loved this. I appreciate it. I hope our listeners do as well. I know that our goal@seniorlivingguide.com. and seniorlivingguide.com podcast and AARp have the same goals as far as providing our seniors, their caregivers, their families with the resources to better improve their everyday lives. Because as you age, you have so many different things, balls in the air that, you know, trying to find those resources that are best for you, I think are so important to just kind of keep life on track, keep it simple and still, you know, maintain a joy and quality of life that our seniors 100% deserve.

Dionne Polite [00:34:52]:

Yeah, I absolutely agree. I shared AArp's website, you know, www. Dot AARP Backslash Florida, to get information on what we're doing in Florida. There's also the Brain health website, which is aarp.org dot. And then there's a website for staying sharp, specifically for the brain. And that's stayingsharp. No spaces. Dot aarp.org.

Dionne Polite [00:35:19]:

stayingsharp. Dot aarp.org. and then if you want to know more about the Global Council of Brain Health that I mentioned earlier, it's globalcounsel on brainhealth.org dot. You know, we can learn as we grow, and we can grow and learn at the same time. And so I just think being a part of AARP allows both you and I, right? To engage in a way that, as you said, helps people 50 and over live their best life possible. That's what this is all about. You know, aging is a gift. It's a gift.

Dionne Polite [00:35:56]:

And providing people with information and tools and resources that enable them to be their best selves, no matter what age they are, is wonderful.

Darleen Mahoney [00:36:07]:

Yeah. Oh, my gosh, I love it. Thank you so much for joining us today. And all those links are going to be provided in the content or the copy of the podcast. So I'll have those included. If you didn't get them written down. So just check that out. And thank you again for joining us today.

Darleen Mahoney [00:36:23]:

Dion, if you enjoyed this podcast, our podcast is available anywhere. You listen to podcasts such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, good pods, pod chaser, you name it, we're there. And thank you for listening.