Submitted by Kathleen Amoia
(March 23, 2025) — The Healthy Brain Series Part Two, Keeping Memory Strong, hosted by the Killingworth Committee on Aging, was presented on three consecutive Fridays in the Killingworth Library’s meeting room. The presenter, Angela Christie, is a Dementia Specialist with the Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging. Those who attended Part One of the series in 2024 will be familiar with her wide range of knowledge, the clarity of her presentation and the directness with which she answers questions. A Power Point presentation was included. Take-home literature on the topic reinforced and added to the information.
The idea for the Healthy Brain series was a direct result of a survey conducted by the Killingworth Committee on Aging, which is chaired by Joan Gay. “A high priority item was health-related issues, and the COA thought brain health was a good place to start,” Chairwoman Gay explained. The COA and its researchers were involved in bringing the logistics of the series together.
Each session was fully booked and attended by an audience that spanned several generations, a testament to the interest in and importance of the topic. The sessions covered keeping memory strong, memory loss, and the types of dementia, a reminder that not all dementia is Alzheimer’s. Other types include vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia and Frontotemporal dementia.
Each session included a question-and-answer period that reflected the concerns of people for the brain health of loved ones as well as themselves. One attendee expressed regret at not having this information when her spouse displayed some of the signs discussed. Everyone was moved by a video of a son undergoing an experiment that helped him understand his mother’s daily struggles with the disease.
Christie was clear about the things we can do to keep an aging brain as healthy as possible. Most important among them were: Keeping hydrated, getting adequate sleep, exercising, eating nutritious meals, socializing and not smoking. That these habits can be readily incorporated into one’s life was encouraging. They are healthy habits for any age. Also suggested was the learning of a new skill, such as dancing, a language, or a musical instrument.
What to look for in ourselves and loved ones if we expect memory loss was discussed in detail. Sometimes it is hearing loss or vision problems presenting as symptoms, or it may be depression or medication reactions or misuse. Doctors specializing in geriatric patients can help with diagnosis and the next steps going forward. Christie, through the Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging, works with senior centers to provide testing as well.
Approaching retirement as a time for new adventures, challenges, and activities was also encouraged. Christie emphasized that retirement should not be viewed as a winding down period. It should be thought of as a time for new directions, fulfillment, connection and purpose. Creativity that may have seemed frivolous during a busy career can now be indulged. Life can expand in many new directions, challenging the brain in the process.
The care side after a diagnosis was well outlined in the booklet “On the Fly, A Reference Guide: Tips for Working Well with Individuals with Memory Loss,” and was part of the materials given to attendees. For those who would like a copy, visit hhcseniorservices.org/service/center -for-healthy-aging. Click on Patient Support Dementia Caregiver Resource Guide.
Killingworth Library Director Ben Sodergren and Assistant Director Tammy Eustis were very supportive of the series. Assistant Director Eustis put together a bibliography of books, with their call numbers, covering the Healthy Brain topics that are in the library’s collection. She also listed DVDs under 616.831 and the library’s Memory Collection, located on top of the magazine shelving in the back reading area. The Reading2Connect books are especially created for seniors with dementia and Alzheimer’s. They are designed to be highly readable, with attractive pictures, and yet with age-appropriate content. The books themselves are spiral-bound and constructed for easy management. Mirador Magazine, an award-winning dementia-inclusive publication, is also available. In addition, there are Memory-Friendly puzzles.
The bibliography also includes several helpful websites, two of which are www.alz.org and www.dementiasociety.org. If you were unable to attend the series but have an interest in the bibliography, you can get a copy at the Killingworth Library. The library is a valued resource for our community on many levels and the newly established Committee on Aging and its researchers, all volunteers, is proving to be one as well.
Photos by Kathleen Amoia. Above, Left to Right, with presenter Angela Christie, center, Jean Panciera, Kate Moran, Joan Gay, Chair of COA, Mary Solera, and Joyce Mason
