Baycrest

Now playing: Health benefits of the silver screen T housands of miles from home, a woman from Peru retraced the steps of the Woman in Gold along the winding and narrow roads of Vienna, Austria. Inspired by the true story of Maria Altmann, a Jewish woman who reclaimed a famous portrait of her aunt that was seized by the Nazis, this past year Carlota Sanchez, a self-proclaimed cinephilia originally from Peru, set out to explore the real-life locations featured in the 2015 film staring Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds. Movies have always been an important part of Sanchez's life. From an early age, she developed a love for films, including classics such as Fiddler on the Roof. Now, while receiving care at Baycrest Health Sciences, Sanchez has become a frequent visitor to the Jacob Family Theatre at the Posluns Auditorium at Baycrest and movies have become one of many social activities she enjoys sharing with her family and friends at Baycrest. "Every week I'm making new friends. We have a shared experience at the movies at Baycrest and can laugh and enjoy a story together," says Sanchez. "Some of the people I've met have trouble communicating due to Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia, but their enjoyment at the movies is clear." As Sanchez knows, there's a lot more to movies than simple entertainment. Studies have shown that films can offer many benefits to healthy aging and brain health. "Films impact our emotions in very real ways. They get people thinking and can force us to look at something in a different way," says Dr. Bruce Ballon, a senior education consultant at Baycrest who specializes in enhancing experiential techniques for training and simulation. If you have ever laughed, cried or jumped out of your seat at a movie, you know that Dr. Ballon's observations are true. In fact, studies have shown that our brains can react to events in movies the same way they respond to events in real life. "If you really get into a movie, your brain stops distinguishing it as a film; your mind suspends disbelief and allows one to imagine it as real," says Dr. Ballon. With real emotions involved, Dr. Ballon says it's important to talk about your movie choices before sitting down to watch the latest blockbuster or classic film. "Not everyone's going to like the same movie and it's important to be mindful about viewers' memories," says Dr. Ballon. "Films provide great opportunities to spark discussions between people of all ages. Use the experience to connect and talk about your memories and opinions." Carlota Sanchez looks forward to seeing history come to life and bringing new life to her history through the shared enjoyment of films with her family and friends at Baycrest. For more information on this topic visit: baycrest.org/brainmatters/ 4 BrainMatters FALL 2016 "Films impact our emotions in very real ways. They get people thinking and can force us to look at something in a different way." Carlota Sanchez

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