Phil Moeller: Aging and living well with dementia and Alzheimer’s

As the number of older Americans increases, so too does the number of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. However, the surge in cases of Alzheimer’s has prompted greater attention to healthier lifestyle behaviors that can help delay or even avoid this devastating condition.

Earlier this year, a comprehensive review of dementia research in Nature Medicine projected dementia cases would double between 2025 and 2060 in the United States, driven primarily by rising numbers of older Americans.¹ Already, about 11% of people aged 65 and older have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease², leading to nearly 290,000 deaths in 2022.³

Beyond the sobering headlines, there also has been a wake-up call that mental decline need not be inevitable. And while U.S. longevity gains recently have stalled, health researcher Eric Topol makes a persuasive case in his new book, “Super Agers,” that the future for people with Alzheimer’s or dementia promises to be much brighter due to a combination of “phenomenal advances in lifestyle changes, health care, and artificial intelligence.”

“Doctors can’t promise to reverse or halt aging itself, but we can promise the second half of our lives can be much healthier than our forebears,” he writes. “This is the type of health span extension that we will be seeing far more commonly in the future.”

There is also no guarantee that any individual can avoid Alzheimer’s through diet, exercise and other lifestyle changes. But researchers have identified powerful correlations between improving diet, increasing physical activity and other such behavioral changes and maintaining – or even improving – mental acuity as we move into our later years.

The journey to better cognitive health looks a lot like the one to improved physical well-being. That’s hardly surprising but it can take some adjustment to realize that the workout phrase “use it or lose it” also applies to our brains.

Lancet, the venerable British health publication, published a review of dementia-prevention research last year.⁴ It identified lifestyle behaviors that are solidly linked in studies to keeping our bodies and minds in shape and as sharp as the proverbial tack. 

Many of these recommendations also involve reducing loneliness and isolation among seniors, which often stems from behavioral and physical challenges that deter people from leaving their homes and interacting with others. 

Loneliness and isolation grew across all age groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Loneliness and isolation among older Americans have mostly returned to pre-pandemic rates,” the National Poll on Aging reports,⁵ “but that still means more than one third of people age 50 to 80 feel lonely, and nearly as many feel isolated.”

On paper, there is a wealth of hobby clubs, community and family activities that can help combat loneliness. Often, friends and family members need to step up and help seniors participate in such activities. Moving closer to aging parents or even living under the same roof happens with increasing frequency as frail parents move into their 80s and 90s. And there also are retirement communities with extensive social programs for people who can move to such communities.

The Lancet’s “to-do” list includes:

• Reducing alcohol and cigarette use
• Safe exercise
• Healthier eating habits that reduce hypertension
• Increasing social activities
• Reducing exposure to air pollution

I would add good dental care to this list. Unhealthy teeth can make it painful to eat many healthy foods, including being unable to properly chew them. Unsightly teeth can also cause embarrassment which may lead to social isolation.

In most ways, science is simply reaffirming common sense. I’m good with that and whatever else will get me off the sofa. See you at the bridge table or the swimming pool!