Pittwater Life October 2017 Issue

Health & Wellbeing
Health & Wellbeing
Holistic approach a grey matter of choice
There’s plenty of advice on
how to keep your brain
sharp and healthy but with so
much information out there it
can be confusing to work out
what’s best for you.
There are a few simple
things you can do to help
maintain overall health,
including the health of the
brain, said Delia Schaffer
of Home Care Assistance, a
provider of in-home caregiver
services and in-home nursing
services.
“Coming from an epidemiology
background, and having
written systematic reviews
of healthcare evidence for 18
years, I can see this is an area
that doesn’t have fast-andready
conclusive answers
and I often hear exasperated
comments ‘what I was told to
do 15 years ago is the exact
opposite now!’” she said.
“Despite all the scientific
research and clinical data that
exists today, I believe that
trial and error is a ‘skill’ that
everyone still needs to do for
themselves, especially when it
comes to one’s brain health.”
Delia explained when
trying new “health things”
she followed a concept from
epidemiology called an ‘N of
1’ trial.
“When I am trying a new tip
or product – for example eating
a high protein or low-fat
diet – I often set a time frame
of three months.
“I buy a notebook to jot
down how I feel daily plus any
other observations that help
me to decide at the end of the
three months if I am benefiting
in ways that are meaningful
for me,” she said.
Home Care Assistance
health advice and education
is based on the research findings
from the population in
Okinawa, Japan, where more
people live to over 100 years
old than any other place on
earth, Delia said.
It is thought that living a
long and healthy life in this
population is influenced twothirds
by modifiable lifestyle
habits – the other third is
genetics.
“Okinawans have low cholesterol
levels, low homocysteine
levels, clear arteries,
suffer from dementia at less
than half the rate of Western
populations, have a low incidence
of cancers and experience
slower rates of bone
density loss,” Delia said.
Home Care Assistance’s
‘Balanced Care Method’ to
maintain overall good physical
and mental health involves:
1. Following a diet that is
plant-based, high in fibre,
low protein, high omega-3
fatty acids and high in
flavonoids;
2. Eating until only 80% full;
3. Moderate physical activity
that involves flexibility,
strength building as well as
aerobic activity;
4. Mind exercises;
5. Low stress, socially rich
lifestyle;
6. A mind-calming routine or
activity (e.g. meditation,
mindfulness); and
7. Consciously spending a
significant part of the day
doing things that have
meaning and purpose for
you.
Some clients are offered
formal science-based brain
exercise called Cognitive
Therapeutics Method (CTM).
Delia explained the aim
of the program was to help
clients maintain and sometimes
even improve cognitive
function so that they could
remain at home with as much
independence as possible.
“CTM accomplishes this
goal by engaging clients both
mentally and physically with a
variety of activities that target
the five primary domains of
the brain.
“Our caregivers are trained
to deliver CTM one on one as
part of their in-home visits.
“It is a social activity and the
caregiver typically plays 15 to
30 brain games with a client
for an hour, systematically
targeting the planning, attention,
visual-spatial perception,
language, memory and coping
functions of the brain,” she
said.
Clients can also step up to a
CTM program specifically tailored
to their cognitive needs.
This program is delivered by
more specialised staff.
More info phone 8052
3255. – Lisa Offord
40 OCTOBER 2017
The Local Voice Since 1991