It is very important to start using a hearing aid early to help reduce the chances of developing dementia. So says neuropsychologist Sophia Kramer, who was interviewed for the book ‘Enjoying Old Age’. When people experience hearing loss, their social interactions oftendecrease, leading to fewer mental stimuli for the brain and making it less active.
Author Wies Verbeek gathered 101 practical tips for a healthy old age in her book. For this, she interviewed eighty scientists. All the advice is mainly focused on prevention.
On staying mentally fit, she says in an interview with Dutch newspaper AD: “If you look at mentally fit people over eighty, you see that they are always open to new things. So stay curious, enterprising, and put in the effort. Challenge yourself, learn a new language or take a course. It is crucial for enjoying old age. You stay young by continuing to grow and change.”
’n Beetje leuk ouder worden (Enjoying Old Age, Dutch language}, Ambo/Anthos Publishers, price €22,99.
