Baycrest

We Educate KEEPING MEMORY ALIVE Anne McAndrew (pictured below) works hard to preserve her memory. The retired nurse learned techniques to help her do that in a unique program at Baycrest. "Learning the Ropes for Mild Cognitive Impairment" provides evidence-based strategies for improving memory function in everyday life. Participants learn about the negative effects of stress on memory, and the benefits of relaxation, nutrition and physical exercise. The program also educates family members, which Bob McAndrew, Anne's husband, has found very helpful in supporting his wife. Anne learned that the act of writing something down would help her remember. She has organized her house so that she knows where things are, and repeats information she wants to recall – for instance, saying "ice-cream" over and over while heading to the kitchen for a treat. She uses other prescribed methods to help ward off further deterioration – staying socially engaged, preparing and eating nutritious meals, and remaining active. Her advice to others who might be worried about memory deficits is to "not eat a lot of junk … and keep interested in everything." WHAT'S NORMAL, WHAT'S NOT Memory loss is a frightening prospect. One in ten adults over 65 has some form of mild cognitive impairment or MCI – thinking problems that go beyond the normal, but fall short of the serious impairments experienced by people with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. "There isn't much awareness of what normal cognitive aging looks like. This can make it difficult for people to put their memory concerns in perspective, said Dr. Nicole Anderson, a clinical neuropsychologist and senior scientist at RRI. A recent well-received book by Dr. Anderson and two Baycrest colleagues – Dr. Kelly Murphy, clinical neuropsychologist and Dr. Angela Troyer, professional practice chief of psychology – describes what's normal and what's not when it comes to the brain changes we A MEANINGFUL BEQUEST Dr. Michael Gordon is the former vice-president of Medical Services and head of Geriatrics at Baycrest. Currently the medical program director of Palliative Care, Dr. Gordon believes so strongly in the work we are doing, he has named Baycrest in his will. 28 BAYCREST & BAYCREST FOUNDATION www.baycrest.org experience as we age. Written for consumers, "Living with MCI" explores a condition considered to be a border zone between normal age-related changes and the mental decline that happens with dementia. Published by Oxford University Press and available at major booksellers, the book uses real life examples to help readers determine whether or not their cognitive changes are within the normal range and when they should see their doctor. "I've been involved with Baycrest for 35 years and during that time I've seen incredible growth and development," he said. Dr. Gordon and his wife Gilda Berger regularly contribute to an endowment fund in his parents' name and he has named Baycrest the beneficiary of a life insurance policy. Funds from his legacy gift will support education for medical trainees studying geriatric care and medical ethics.

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