Cognitive Therapy to keep the brain Fit
Powerful Patient, 2010 Week 22
Host: Joyce Graff, http://powerfulpatient.org, editor@vhl.org 800-767-4845
Peter Magaro, PhD, cognitive psychologist and director of the Alzheimer’s Treatment and Memory Training Centers of America (ATMTC), the leading provider of professional memory training services in assisted living communities, speaks with Joyce about cognitive therapy for brain rehabilitation. ATMTC has launched a new Memory Treatment Program on HAPPYneuron's Scientific Brain Training PRO online platform. The program is designed for use by cognitive therapy professionals to effectively deliver and manage the Memory Treatment Program for patients in need of treatment for Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early Stage Alzheimer’s.
About Our Guest:
Dr. Peter A. Magaro is the principal founder, Chief Executive Officer and director of the Alzheimer’s Treatment and Memory Training Centers of America (ATMTC) since the Center's inception. He is a licensed psychologist in New York and Florida with over 25 years of medical experience and more than a decade of business development experience in the area of cognitive rehabilitation. Dr. Magaro is an educator who has authored over 150 published articles in professional journals and numerous books, including The Construction of Madness: Emerging Conceptions and Interventions into the Psychotic Process; Cognition in Schizophrenia; Paranoid and Cognitive Technologies in Psychiatric Rehabilitation; and most recently, The Depressive Personality. Dr. Magaro was previously the Director of the Clinical Psychology Program at Ohio State University.
About Brain Rehabilitation:
Dr. Magaro believes that memory training is a natural, necessary activity in the aging process and while an active lifestyle, both physically and mentally, helps individuals to maintain good overall cognitive health, memory training is an essential ingredient to ensure healthy memory functioning. Dr. Magaro highlighted the effectiveness of memory training and demonstrated the feasibility of establishing a practice with the elderly that will focus on the provision of these services. In addition, he spoke about the evaluation required for such a treatment program including the role of neuropsychological testing and the use of commercial web-based memory training programs.
Dr. Magaro drew a distinction between the “senior moment” or the age-associated slowing of memory function which is normal and not a symptom of disease, and the more rapid decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia. An alarming percentage of people over 85 in the United States have significant dementia. In the early stages, however, in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s, much of this is reversible with steps to keep the brain healthy:
- Nutrition, including lowering cholesterol and focusing on controlling inflammation with Vitamins C and E and Omega 3 fatty acids and fish oils that replenish Phosphatidylserine (PS) levels in the brain
- Physical exercise to keep the body active and fit
- Social interaction to challenge the brain with new activities and people
- Adventurism – the taking on of new tasks and challenges
He cited a good resource for information about healthy brains: www.sharpbrains.com
And he recommended an article from Massachusetts General Hospital on the importance of 11 vitamins for brain health: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-157589892.html
He also pointed out the importance of computing in implementing targeted exercises to improve brain function. His own focus is on programs to be used with a professional coach, either on the internet, in a classroom, or in an assisted living facility.
MTCA Memory Fitness Services provide programs to prevent memory impairment to individuals of all ages who wish to maintain healthy cognitive functioning throughout their lifetime. The Memory Gym and Activity Center offers healthy individuals memory exercise and activities to strengthen existing cognitive function and build a reserve of prevention to guard against future memory loss. The "Memory Gym" offers daily access to memory exercise, with 30-60 minute training sessions offered privately with a coach/"trainer". Gym membership may be available through one's residential community or can be arranged individually through one of the MTCA free-standing Memory Centers. The MTCA Memory Gym is supported by the HAPPYneuron Rehabilitative and Wellness programs on-line in the MTCA Outpatient Centers and residential communities.
Many factors interfere with enjoying one's full memory functioning capacity: the natural aging process, sleep disruption, hormonal changes, attention and concentration difficulties, stress, and the general experience of "overload" that is so common for today's "multi-tasking" individual. Current research indicates that a healthy regimen of cognitive exercise can both significantly improve memory functioning as well as reduce the risk of developing and/or can stabilize progression of Mild Cognitive Disorder, Alzheimer's disease and other medical causes of memory loss and dementia that otherwise become increasingly common in later life.
Other recommended resources:
Posit Science: www.positscience.com
PP Interview with Posit Science:
http://www.powerfulpatient.org/archive/2008/0843_brain_health.php
About Memory Training Centers of America:
Memory Training Centers of America is the principal provider of programs for the prevention and treatment of memory impairment to seniors in Assisted Living Communities for nearly a decade and provides memory assessment and treatment for individuals suffering from memory loss, as well as services and programs for individuals who wish to prevent memory loss. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with memory impairment, the Center provides treatment that will stabilize the decline of memory functioning and even reverse its potentially devastating consequences. Memory Gym and Activity Centers provide preventive “workouts” to enable optimal memory and overall cognitive health. The Memory Training Centers provide programs and services as a subsidiary of the Alzheimer's Treatment and Memory Training Centers of America (ATMTCA). To learn more, visit www.memorytrainingcenters.com.
Memory Training Centers of America, the leading provider of professional memory training services in Assisted Living Communities, has launched a new Memory Treatment Program on HAPPYneuron’s Scientific Brain Training PRO online platform. The program is designed for use by cognitive therapy professionals to effectively deliver and manage the Memory Treatment Program for patients in need of professional memory training services. The Memory Treatment Program was released May 18th and can be purchased by clinicians online at www.ScientificBrainTrainingPRO.com. A manual, private consultation and other services needed to develop professional expertise in use of the Memory Treatment Program in a professional cognitive rehab practice can be purchased at: www.memorytrainingcenters.com.
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