/p>>an article of Ana Sanz Canestro
Head of the Department of Occupational Therapy
He aging It is a physiological process that begins at conception and causes structural and functional changes typical of the species throughout the life cycle. According to current data, Spain has one of the highest rates of agingnot only in Europe but in the world and according to the projections made by the INE this figure will double in the year 2050, which would mean more than 30% of the total elderly population1.
It is a fact that as we get older, many capabilities are being lost and others, they decrease until they reach very low limits. This is due to a slowdown in processing speed and a decrease in the amount of attentional resources usable for cognitive processing.
One of the problems that appear upon reaching old age is the cognitive decline, which affects practically the entire elderly population, although not all in the same way. According to recent studies, between 30% and 50% of the population over 65 years of age have daily memory losses that prevent them from remembering people’s names or even make it impossible for them to perform daily tasks.2.
Normal aging progressively affects the processing speed or reaction time to external and internal stimuli, episodic and long-term working memory, sensory retardation, difficulty acquiring new learning, and problems in divided and executive attention3.
The neural plasticity allows neurons to regenerate; is the brain’s ability to recover and restructure. This adaptive potential allows the brain to minimize the effects of disorders or injuries regardless of their original cause. This ability of the brain to adapt to the new situation and to compensate for the effects of the injury is greater in the immature brain than in the adult brain.4.
There are numerous programs for promotion and rehabilitation of brain plasticity through cognitive stimulation. They include reminiscence programs, psychostimulation, sensory intervention, environmental restructuring, retraining in activities of daily living, motivation promotion and behavior modification techniques, among others.
To work the intellectual functions in the old people are required intervention methods different to other population groups. This is due to the fact that re-education and retraining in these presents other characteristics. Thus, a more leisurely pace is required, a multisensory approach, taking breaks, simplifying and specifying the information, adapting the information to the needs of each person, providing support, progressively increasing the level of difficulty, completing tasks successfully and thus increasing self-esteem, encourage motivation, give clues, provide support when necessary… In other words, a learning similar to that used with children, but treating them as adultswhich is what they are, we do not have to infantilize.
Another important program to slow down the progressive changes of aging is to perform moderate physical exercise routinely, thus increasing the cerebral oxygenation capacity.
At the Los Llanos Vital residence and day center we know the cognitive changes of aging and we work on neural plasticity with different programs from the department of physiotherapy (Individual Physiotherapy, Gerontogymnastics and Basal Stimulation), the Department of Occupational Therapy (Cognitive training program for the elderly, Music Therapy, Canine Therapy, radio program, psychostimulation, retraining in AVDS and a therapeutic garden) and from animation (cooking workshop, craft workshop, choir, board games, socio-cultural outings, sewing workshop).With this we managed to work on neural plasticity and with it improve their self-esteem, well-being and quality of life.
Bibliography
- Fgcsic.es. (2017). The aging of the population. Available at: http://www.fgcsic.es/lychnos/es_es/articulos/envejecimiento_poblacion.
- Muñoz Marrón, E. and Bázquez Alisente, J. (2012). Cognitive stimulation and neuropsychological rehabilitation. 1st ed. Barcelona: UOC
- Gomez J. et al. 1st Conference on Prevention and Health Promotion in Clinical Practice in Spain. Madrid. Semfyc editions. 2007.
- Castroviejo P. Brain plasticity. REVNEUROL.1997; 24(135). Available at: http://psicomag.com/biblioteca/1996/Plasticidad%20Cerebral.pdf