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Organization has always been a way of life for Lois Cyphert.
“My mother always said, ‘A place for everything, and everything in
its place,’” says Lois, 75, a resident of Cypress Cove. “I’ve always
kind of lived by that, too.”
That’s why Lois became concerned when she moved to Southwest Florida
four years ago, and she had trouble remembering where she had put
things in her new home. “As we get older, we tend to start
forgetting. You wonder if you are losing it, or if you just not
paying attention,” she says.
Lois decided to take the Healthy Brain Initiative Memory Classes
offered by Lee Memorial Health System. Developed by the University
of California, Los Angeles Center for Aging, the Memory Classes
teach participants tips and tricks to help them remember everyday
things, such as a shopping list.
The Memory Classes are just one component of LMHS’ Healthy
Brain Initiative, says Sue Maxwell, MSW, System Director of
Gerontology. LMHS has formed a steering committee comprised of
community members and LMHS representatives whose goal is to develop
programs within Lee County to encourage residents to keep their
brains physically fit and healthy. This summer, the committee will
begin discussing plans for a Memory Center, where people can use
computer-based programs to keep their brains active. “We don’t have
to lose our memories as we get older, although that’s what many
people think. The brain is like a muscle, and you’ve got to work it
out to keep it healthy,” says Sue.
More than 400 people have taken the Memory Classes, which are held
in several locations throughout the county. Lois took her classes in
her community of Cypress Cove and has already been able to use some
of the tips she learned. “I learned the framework on which to build
ways to remember, like putting things in categories,” she says.
That framework has given Lois the confidence she needs to know that
she can continue being independent, she says. “I know that I will
take care of myself as long as I possibly can,” she says.
If you would like more information about the Healthy Brain
Initiative Memory Classes, call 239-772-6765.
Click here for more information
about Older Adult Services at Lee Memorial Health System.
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