12 Positive Lifestyle Changes That Improve the Stages of Dementia
As a social worker, I was tasked with managing cases and helping seniors to maintain their independence at home. Several of the clients on my caseload were facing various stages of dementia, and their family caregivers had a lot of questions. I always attempted to answer them with empathy and compassion, and my goal was also to provide them with resources that could help their loved ones enjoy a higher quality of life for as long as possible. This often involved looking for lifestyle changes and strategies that might slow the progression of dementia.
While there’s no cure for Alzheimer’s or dementia, I frequently witnessed patients who incorporated some lifestyle changes and seemingly slowed the progression of the disease. A certain amount of coincidence might have been at play, but we’re seeing an increasing amount of research that supports the idea of seniors with dementia making these changes. These are some of the strategies I shared with my clients and their loved ones and have found research to support.
1. Consume a Well-Rounded, Brain-Healthy Diet
Keeping your plate colorful and eating a well-balanced, healthy diet protects cognitive function. Research supports this and teaches us that low-fat diets are protective against cognitive decline. Several micronutrients, like B group vitamins and iron, as well as many polyphenols, also play a crucial role in protecting cognitive health. Mediterranean, Nordic, DASH, and MIND diets are linked to a lower risk of memory loss and dementia. All of these diets are high in lean proteins and include a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, as well as healthy fats. Several are also low in sodium and contain many important micronutrients.
2. Avoid a Sedentary Lifestyle
Along with consuming a healthy diet, it’s important to move the body regularly to promote circulation and protect brain health. Seniors who add cardiovascular exercise and weight training to their weekly routines can reap many benefits, including protecting cognitive health. It’s important to discuss the exercise routine with your doctor, take things at your own pace, listen to your body, and work with a certified trainer or physical therapist. Walking, yoga, swimming, or even light stretching helps maintain mobility, boosts self-esteem, and promotes mental clarity.
3. Engage the Mind to Keep it Healthy
Seniors who keep their minds engaged often experience less severe symptoms related to cognitive decline. Brain-stimulating activities like practicing a new language or playing an instrument can strengthen neural connections and may slow memory loss. For seniors who are already experiencing some memory loss, engaging in puzzles, reading children’s books, or doing simple crossword puzzles are great options for keeping the mind engaged and helping to build those neural connectors that just might slow the progression of the disease. Research shows that activities like these are related to better cognitive functioning in healthy adults at higher risk for Alzheimer’s, and while more research is needed, this may extend to seniors with dementia, as well.
4. The Benefits of Routines for Seniors with Dementia
Some of the earlier signs of dementia include confusion and forgetfulness. A consistent daily routine provides structure and helps to minimize these symptoms. Keeping meal times, bedtime, and other daily activities predictable helps reduce anxiety and can make seniors with memory loss feel more confident as they continue to complete some daily tasks independently. This confidence boosts mood, reduces feelings of anxiety, and can have a positive impact on overall mental and cognitive health.
5. Maintain Strong Social Connections
According to the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging (NPHA), 34% of older adults reported feeling socially isolated. There can be a lot of reasons for this, including family members living further away, the passing of a spouse or friends, the senior feeling less confident or safe going out for social activities, and mobility challenges making it more difficult to leave home. Isolation poses many risks, and one of them is that it can accelerate dementia symptoms.
One way to protect your aging loved one’s cognitive health is by helping them to maintain strong social connections. Having family who visit regularly or keep in touch using video chat or by telephone, providing the senior with safe transportation and companionship out in the community, and hiring an in-home caregiver for companionship are some strategies for reducing isolation and protecting cognitive health.
6. Protect Sleep Hygiene
Poor sleep habits affect concentration, focus, memory, and thinking skills. Encourage your aging loved one to maintain good sleep hygiene and a regular sleep schedule, ideally 7 or 8 hours per night. Some strategies for doing this include limiting screen time before bed, keeping the bedroom dimly lit and at a comfortable temperature, having a bedtime routine that the senior follows before going to sleep, minimizing noise and distractions in the room, and staying active during the day with exercise, hobbies, and opportunities for social interactions.
7. Manage Stress
We all experience some level of stress in our lives, but chronic stress is thought to worsen dementia symptoms. Research suggests that there are several reasons for this, including the release of cortisol into the bloodstream when you’re stressed, which some studies have linked to memory loss. Stress also negatively impacts the immune system, which has potential links to cognitive decline and diminishing brain health. While managing stress alone is not a cure for dementia, techniques like deep breathing, meditation, listening to music, or spending time in nature can help maintain emotional balance and may slow the progression through the stages of dementia.
8. Encourage Creativity and Hobbies
Engaging in creative activities like painting, gardening, or storytelling can provide emotional expression and mental stimulation. Artistic expression boosts mood and self-esteem, which can contribute to maintaining a more positive outlook, potentially slowing the progression of many types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
Research supports this, as studies have found that creative outlets, such as drawing or painting, can activate areas of the brain that are not typically used in everyday tasks. This brain acceleration leads to improved neural connections, the connections in our brain that talk to each other, and enhanced cognitive abilities.
9. Follow Doctor Prescribed Medication Guidelines
Some medications or combinations of medications can cause cognitive side effects that mimic or accelerate memory loss. Regularly reviewing all of your aging loved one’s prescriptions with a healthcare provider helps as you consider risks versus benefits and monitor for any indications of memory loss.
Taking medications as prescribed is also important for preserving brain health. For instance, heart health and brain health have been linked in many studies, so taking blood pressure medication or cholesterol medication as prescribed can help to protect heart health, which may, in turn, protect memory and cognitive health.
10. Keep the Body Hydrated
Dehydration is a common problem for some seniors, especially any who are contending with incontinence and may be afraid that drinking too much water will lead to too many bathroom trips. Not drinking enough water can lead to confusion and fatigue, as well as urinary tract infections (UTIs), which sometimes mimic dementia symptoms by creating confusion.
For a senior who is already facing some memory loss, dehydration is especially risky, as a UTI can lead to further confusion and negatively impact quality of life. Protect your aging loved one by encouraging them to keep a glass of water nearby and sip on it throughout the day, even if they don’t recognize their thirst cues.
11. Create a Safe and Comfortable Home Environment
Making the home safer and more dementia-friendly—such as by adding labels to drawers, using contrasting colors to make steps easier to see, and eliminating tripping hazards like loose rugs or crowded hallways—can help a senior to maintain independence and reduce frustration. Things like door alarms and medic alert buttons can also help the senior to feel confident being at home alone. Taking these measures boosts self-esteem, can prevent some confusion, and may elevate their mood. All of these benefits may help to prevent stress and anxiety and protect the senior’s memory and cognition.
For some seniors, having a safe home means having some supervision. This can be accomplished by having a family member live with the senior, encouraging frequent visits from family and friends, or hiring an in-home care provider to assist with hourly or around-the-clock support.
12. The Benefits of Light Therapy
Light therapy is an effective tool that’s used to help control the body’s natural rhythm and sleep-wake cycle. Exposure to natural light during the day can have a positive impact on a senior’s ability to fall asleep and reduce sundowning symptoms (symptoms of sundowning include insomnia, paranoia, pacing, and confusion that occur regularly right around sundown).
Research indicates sleep disorders occur early in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and increase in later stages. Spending time outdoors or using light therapy lamps for even 30 minutes a day has a positive impact on mood and behaviors in dementia patients and, therefore, may make symptoms less severe, elevate mood, or even slow the progression of the disease.
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Dementia poses challenges in every stage, and the symptoms worsen as the disease progresses. Searching for ways to slow decline and memory loss has a positive impact on quality of life and a senior’s ability to maintain their independence. Lifestyle changes can help improve well-being at every stage. Many of these efforts are seemingly small, but they can make a big impact, providing comfort and joy for your aging loved one. Help them to make the most of life even while experiencing cognitive decline by trying some of these ideas today!
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Originally published March 12, 2025
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