Brain fitness workshops

Local class builds brain power.

Are you exercising your brain enough? Maybe you’ve noticed your memory is slipping; you recognize faces but you can’t recall names as easily as you once did. Lost your keys or glasses lately? Do you ever joke about having a “senior’s” moment? If you answered “yes” to any of these, perhaps a Brain Fitness program with mental stimulation strategies and memory skills to exercise your brain and boost your brain-power might be just what is needed.

Researchers who once thought our brains stopped growing at the end of childhood have now proved that the brain can change and continue to grow new connections throughout our entire life. This brain plasticity is such good news for aging baby boomers!

Local Brain Trainers Dr. Dawn Benson and Hanne MacKay, both baby boomers themselves, have long been colleagues and friends and both served as educational administrators in the North Okanagan-Shuswap school district. Together, they’ve often presented literacy, curriculum and/or parent workshops in the past. They’ve always enjoyed the positive energy and their very different presentation styles in their work together.

With so many of their friends and family worrying about memory loss issues and brain “flubs”, and Benson’s concerns about her own mother’s experience with Alzheimer’s, they decided to come together to do a thorough search of all the findings on Brain Fitness and Health. As well, they did coursework on Brain Fitness for Older Adults through the American Senior Fitness Association. Out of their reading and research their GoldMinds Brain Fitness program was conceived.

“With people living longer, we know they also want to live better as they age” says Benson. MacKay explains that the classes will “wake up brains with stimulating new activities”.  Both agree that “you can teach an old dog new tricks!” Benson and MacKay have focused on finding the most effective brain fitness activities to help participants “keep what they’ve got and continue to improve”. GoldMinds Brain Fitness students have ranged in age from middle-age to one bright-eyed soul who had just turned 90!

Their Brain Fitness program includes breathing exercises and stress management to reduce harmful cortisol. Mental stimulation through brain games and a variety of physical activities increase blood flow to the brain. Nutritional tidbits and recipes are a focus. Guest speakers and topics regarding successful aging and brain health make sure each session is lively and brain-stimulating.

Daytime Brain Fitness workshops will run at the Downtown Activity Centre in Salmon Arm from 9:30-11:30 on Tuesday mornings beginning in March, while evening workshops will run from 7 to 9 pm on Wednesday evenings, also in March, in the library of Salmon Arm Secondary (Sullivan Campus). A two day workshop is also set for Salt Spring Island in late March. Read more about building your brain on their GoldMinds Brain Fitness website: http://www.goldmindsbrainfitness.ca. or call Dawn at 250-832-6626.