What an interesting and varied group of people doing the BFP!
Everyone’s reason for doing the program seems to be meaningful …… Some people are motivated because of their experience of Alzheimer’s Disease, in parents or siblings: but they remain optimistic. “I want to do all I can to prevent having Alzheimer’s. I’m fine right now and I want to stay that way”. Some are fearful, having had painful experiences with loved ones.
“I felt I needed sharpening up”
It seems to me that there is an overall attitude to life in these people which will carry them through. Even those who had bought the program but had not tried it or completed it, seemed to have a view of themselves as having competent inquiring minds and living life reasonably well.
All are busy, and they all have special interests
- “I was returning to the workforce..in the legal area, and felt I needed something to sharpen me up. The story-telling component of the BFP mapped directly onto the work I had to do. I don’t really know if it helped apart from that…. ” These are times of change and challenge.
Some have real passions of very different kinds
- “I paint. I forget everything else. .” This painter has the feeling of total absorption, of complete focus on the work in hand. The landscape he works from challenges his capacities and his skills and there is a good match between them. “I will do the BFP for the rest of my life.”
- “Could you ring back? We are just going ballroom dancing”. [It is mid-day! Among many of the social benefits and enjoyments reported by regular social dancers, improvements in balance and cardiovascular fitness are evident.]
- “I’m a bit sceptical of these kind of programs. But I did it: The BFP was good. I’m preparing for a debate on nuclear energy at the local international centre. My background is international affairs but I don’t know much about nuclear energy… have to start from scratch on the web. One person is playing Penny Wong..” Reading challenging texts is very effective, as is chess, playing a musical instrument and learning new moves when dancing. They are all associated with cognitive change. Remember, challenging mental activity of some kind, each and every day, has a lasting effect, but occasional once a week effort does not.
Some are really young
- “I hadn’t been well..haven’t got Alzheimer’s or anything like that. Just needed to get going. I’m only 36. The BFP was good!”
Some gained confidence
- “Yes, I did it…I decided I wasn’t as dumb as I thought! Must have been good for me as I went with my daughter to do a pole dancing course! I’m nearly 60!” (amazing!)
Some are resourceful and adaptable
- “I wanted to take the program with me as I travel a lot. I rang Posit Science but they have no plans to develop it for the Nintendo DSi. So I do other programs.” His boss developed Alzheimer’s at a young age and suffered badly. This person wants to do what he can to avoid the same fate. “.[Note: Need to change to a laptop or get free iphone app by Posit Science !]
Some are active
- “Yes, I’m very physically active. I do Thai Che and play table tennis.
- “I play bowls a lot.”
- “I go to the gym.”
- “I do my daily walk for an hour.”
K. Erickson and Arthur Kramer (2009) summarise their review of aerobic exercise effects by saying “we can safely argue that an active lifestyle with moderate amounts of aerobic activity will likely improve cognitive and brain function and reverse the neural decay frequently observed in older adults. ”
I think what seems important to all these people that I have talked to is their belief in themselves and their demonstrated view of their own potential….their plasticity, their capacity for change and learning. These views contrast with static conceptions of aging, according to which decline in abilities is fixed and individuals cannot slow its course….
Well done!
