I think, therefore I enjoy the retired life

Australian Financial Review - - Thu, 26 Apr 2007

Retirees' focus on financial wellbeing must be complemented by a plan to remain mentally active.

... Nicola Gates, director of HeadStrong Cognitive Fitness, says that many people exercise to maintain their physical health in retirement, but neglect their brain.  People go to the gym all the time, it’s all about being very fit and being able to run a marathon, but if you can’t remember where you parked the car or your way home, you actually haven’t achieved anything.

Gates, a clinical neuro-psychologist, is the brains behind the Mosman based HeadStong, which opened earlier this year.

The clinic assesses each patient’s mental weaknesses and prescribes mental exercises designed to challenge the brain and develop greater information processing ability.  Members can do their exercises on site and will soon be able to access their workout program over the internet.

She says the scientific research supporting preventative measures against dementia has been around for many years, but the aging baby boomers and increased health awareness are driving demand, so the research is being translated into clinical practice. 

“A lot of baby boomers have parents who now might be very old and getting dementia themselves, and they (baby boomers) have always been proactive with their health and want to age well.

“Also, I think the whole idea of preventative medicine is well understood and accepted by the general public.”

Gates’ clients vary in age, but most are over 40.  One is a retired senior executive who still sits on several boards, but found that since retiring from daily work he had lost mental speed and memory. 

HeadStrong designed a package for him, which has helped him remember names and reduced the mental sluggishness often associated with retirement.

Excerpt from The Australian Financial Review - 26/04/07