Volunteering in old age helps prevent mental decline

Beyond the community benefits, volunteer work can be a simple intervention to protect people’s brains.

EINSTEIN AGENCY – Volunteering in old age may protect the brain from cognitive decline. This is demonstrated by a study carried out by the University of California, Davis, in the United States (USA), and presented at the International Conference of the Alzheimer’s Association, which was held at the end of July in Amsterdam, in the Netherlands.

Previous research has already demonstrated the benefit of this type of activity for the general health and socialization of the elderly. However, according to the authors, information on the impact of community activity engagement on cognitive functions is still lacking, particularly studies with large populations.

To fill this gap, they evaluated data from more than 2,400 older adults, average age 74, who participated in two projects that brought together a very diverse sample: the Kaiser Healthy Aging and Diverse Life Experiences Study (KHANDLE) and the Study of Healthy Aging in African Americans (STAR).

In total, approximately 48% of the participants were Black, 20% White, 17% Asian and 14% Latino, which was considered by the researchers to be an important differentiator. Most of them (43%) had participated in voluntary activities in the previous year, working in religious, educational, health or charitable organizations, among others.

For one year, all participants underwent tests on executive function and memory, as well as answered interviews on lifestyle and the routine of volunteering activities. Those who engaged in community work achieved better results; moreover, the results were even more expressive for those who performed these activities several times a week.

The researchers point out that participation in this type of task not only promotes physical and mental activity, but also promotes contact with other people. All of this contributes to stress reduction and stimulates a cognitive process that appears to protect the brain.

“Although there are not many studies in this direction yet, we observe in clinical practice that, when people stop working, they lose their cognitive abilities and many start to show memory deficits, for example,” says geriatrician Thais Ioshimoto, of the Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital.

“Engaging in another activity stimulates cognitive ability again. Also there is the question of socialization and the purpose of life, the person begins to have a reason to wake up every day, a task to do,” completes the doctor.

In addition to community benefits, volunteering can be a simple intervention to protect against cognitive decline in community-dwelling older adults. The findings could serve to encourage individuals of all ages to take up this type of work, the study authors point out.

Source: Terra

Ben

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