In many cultures, society’s most respected individuals are seniors—for the years of experience and wisdom they’ve garnered.

It is no wonder, then, that seniors find memory loss a daunting, frustrating and frequently depressing inevitability of aging. Everyone experiences memory loss as they age—regardless of whether or not one suffers from dementia. Fortunately, studies have shown that engagement in social and intellectual activities can slow the onset or development of dementia.

There are several types of dementia: Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Pick’s disease, Huntington’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, among others. Quite often, the symptoms of depression in seniors may be perceived by others as symptoms of dementia. In The Vanishing Mind, authors Leonard L. Heston and June White explain how to differentiate between dementia and depression in seniors. Seniors suffering from depression may complain of memory loss and frequently talk about their disability, whereas those suffering from the onset of dementia may try to hide their memory loss, be averse to speaking about it, or not even realize they have dementia at all.

According to the Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CSHA), approximately eight percent of those 65 or over in Canada have some form of dementia. As Canadians age, the diseases are far more common. Thirty-five percent of Canadians 85 or over suffer from dementia.

To preserve a sharp mind, it is beneficial to stay stimulated. If seniors can maintain healthy social relationships—with partners, friends, family members and caregivers—and engage in stimulating activities such as reading and completing puzzles, they can prolong the onset of dementia, which often takes years. A 2002 study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology revealed that “elderly subjects who participated in mental, social or productive activity had a lower incidence of dementia.”

There are products for entertaining and mentally engaging seniors—including Dakim Brain Fitness (www.dakim.com)—though such products are not necessities. It is just as beneficial for seniors to chat over a coffee with a friend, create a painting, work on a crossword puzzle from a newspaper or read a good book.