We’ve all heard of the benefits of living in walkable cities — not only are they good for your heart and body, but foot-friendly communities help reduce environmental impact as well. And now, new preliminary research finds that walking improves brain function, too.
In a small-scale study, Amber Watts, a professor of psychology at Kansas University in Lawrence, discovered that taking a stroll — whether to the bank or to simply enjoy a beautiful day — helps keep your mind active and fresh. Results showed that test subjects (who were older and included some with Alzheimer’s) who resided in more pedestrian-friendly ares actually scored higher on cognitive tests, according to Fast Co. Exist.
Watts used the mapping software Space Syntax to gauge the areas with the most connectivity, which measures the amount of places within a half mile of a participant’s home, and integration (how difficult and intricate navigation of the area is).
“Higher connectivity across the board is associated with better cognitive function. It could be that there’s more places to walk to, more people to socialize with, more opportunities to get there,” Watts tells Fast Co. Exist.
Because of the findings, Watts is preparing to conduct a large research project on how walkability affects cognition. For it, she plans to strap pedometers to 100 older adults, including those with early dementia.
“I wouldn’t say that moving to a walkable neighborhood will prevent you from getting Alzheimer’s,” Watts explains. “This could be a relatively small contribution, but it could be important. We can’t change our age, we can’t change whether we have genetic alleles that put us at risk, but we can change how we live.”
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Tag: Alzheimer’s
These Arkansas Police Officers Play Wingman to an Elderly Man on a Mission
The hard truth about Alzheimer’s is that the disease can cruelly wipe a patient’s memories away. For Doris Amrine, that’s the exact scenario she faces each day as she slowly loses the person she’s known and loved for more than 60 years: Her husband Melvyn.
But as you can see in the CBS News report below, even if Melvyn can’t remember all the details of their life together, his love for his wife isn’t just about the memories. It’s an instinct.
This past Mother’s Day, unbeknownst to anyone else, the Little Rock, Arkansas man set out on a mission — to buy flowers for his wife, something he’s done every year since Doris gave birth to their first child. When his family noticed he was missing, they called the police. The officers soon found him wandering two miles from home.
MORE: Meet a Couple Whose Service to Veterans Will Make You Smile
Even though he requires assistance to walk, Melvyn was “adamant” about buying the flowers, Sgt. Brian Grigsby and Officer Troy Dillard said. So instead of taking him home, the officers went beyond the call of duty and took him to a store to purchase a bouquet. One officer even covered the difference when Melvyn came up short at the cash register.
“We had to get them,” Grigsby told CBS. “I didn’t have a choice.”
The incredible gesture clearly made the desired impact. “When I saw him waking up with those flowers in hand, it just about broke my heart because I thought ‘Oh he went there to get me flowers because he loves me,'” Doris said.
This longtime couple proves that loves conquers all.
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