You may not realize it, but at our community centers, many of our daily offerings directly and positively impact brain health regardless of age! We are thrilled to announce Healthy Brain, Healthy You for Brain Awareness Week, an international awareness celebration inspired by the Dana Foundation that highlights how brain science affects our everyday lives.
Brain Awareness Week
Running March 13-17 at Sirovich Center for Balanced Living and the 14Y, we will be offering exciting talks, classes, and workshops that build our awareness of brain wellness and development.
Brain wellness shows up in all stages of life; from children in our Early Childhood and After School programs exploring gross motor play or cooking a healthy recipe, adults learning new moves in pickleball or juggling, basketball players practicing crossovers, to older adults knitting, solving puzzles, painting and dancing. Just about every activity we offer encourages a healthy, functioning brain!
One older adult member said, “I love doing yoga. It helps to calm the mind and focus on one thing at a time, and I really appreciate doing the Brain Dance! I believe it is helping my vertigo.”
Another participant who attended Su Casa’s artist-in-residence Magda Kaczmarska’s Brain Health Social, said, “I found out I have muscles I didn’t know I could move. I lost some weight; I feel more energetic, and I can breathe better. I started getting up without my walker! It made me feel more alive.”
Healthy Brain All Year Long
Research shows that we can influence our brain health positively by taking simple steps to nurture different dimensions of wellness:
- Physical
- Exercise, stay active, and maintain cardiovascular health
- Eat a healthy diet
- Sleep well and pay attention to sleep hygiene for maximum rest
- Mental/Cognitive
- Challenge your mind with puzzles
- Try memorizing poems, dance steps, and grocery lists
- Learn about new ideas
- Try new things
- Social/Emotional
- Socialize with others
- Stay connected to friends and community members
- Take care of your mental health
- Find meaning in your life and reasons to stay connected to others
You’re Invited
Join us for Brain Awareness Week and participate in a class or event to enhance your brain’s well-being. We’ll be highlighting our daily and weekly programs that benefit brain health and wellness, as well as hosting exciting special events like Brain Dance, Healthy Brain Aging, visual art, dance and more to pique your intellect and stimulate your mind.
To see a full list of events, visit the community page on our website. There is something for everyone, at every age and stage, so dive in and take part in the first Healthy Brain, Healthy You celebration with us!
This blog was authored by Julie Gayer Kris, Senior Director of Community Wellness at the 14Y and Sirovich Center for Balanced Living.