If you could do something to keep your brain healthy into your senior years- and ward off mental health problems - what would that be? Watch this amazing interactive display of a brain’s MRIs over time and see for yourself all the power in older brains – power that is activated by what you do.

Dementia’s on the rise in aging populations according to recent research in the Public Library of Science. With more people living well into their nineties, comes a sharp rise in mental incapacitation in later years. Sadly, that longer life expectancy means dementia will become much more common, as things stand now.

Not surprisingly, this 10 year UK study found that an 80 year old person who is mentally healthy, holds no guarantee to die without mental limitations. In fact the 12,000 participants, all over 65 … showed a 58% chance of developing cognitive impairment or dementia at ages above 95. Compare that with people who passed on between the ages of 65 and 69 and who had a 6% chance of dying with dementia.

Gender and education alter the odds too, but not as you may think. This UK study showed women as more likely than men, to develop dementia. Interestingly, a higher level of education was associated with only a slightly lower risk of dementia in much older adults.

Two findings interested me especially because of the hope in this study tucked into doable suggestions that could help prevent dementia at every age….

Firstly, researchers recommended that people use more preventative measures to delay the onset of dementia, since these will “yield enormous benefits.”

While they admitted that it’s difficult to prove that all preventative measures will work, and they even warn us that aging populations should be prepared for large numbers of elderly patients with dementia, they still saw benefits for those who use their minds far later in life.

Secondly, the study affirmed that education - or tactics people use daily to improve their lives – seem to prevent decline in mental functioning, later in life when dementia odds increase.

The takeaway for baby boomers, as I see it is simply…

Use your brain more….

Play with brain teasers such as Sudoku … or take up new interests like Brain Age… which uses different parts of the human brain to lower your DS brain age daily. There are endless options.

Garden, swim, or listen to a good orchestra to maintain a healthy brain through activity in your later years. It’s just that people rarely start new habits in their 90’s but those who start now will likely continue then. What’s your mind-bending plan?