I have always loved solving puzzles, and using a computer can sure be a puzzle sometimes! I have spent many, many hours working on the computer since my first webmaster job in 1995, and I enjoy it more all the time. The hard part for me is remembering to get up and get that moderate exercise!
The read/Write Web is perfect for seniors, and I encourage everyone to give it a try. Just remember the exercise part, too!
Computer use and moderate exercise seem to be good signs for brain health.
At the Mayo Clinic, researcher Yonas Geda examined data on 926 people ages 70 through 90. He was looking for signs of mild cognitive impairment, or MCI – a reduction in thinking ability that may be a warning of Alzheimer’s disease.
People who reported biking or using a computer were less likely to have MCI. Doing both was even better: “Moderate physical exercise, such as biking and brisk walking – and mental activity, particularly computer activity, have a joint, potentially beneficial, effect.”
The study presented at a meeting of the American Academy of Neurology was supported by the National Institutes of Health.
Learn more at hhs.gov.HHS
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I’m Ira Dreyfuss. Last revised: September, 15 2010
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