For a free, confidential assessment to see if Mind Boosters is right for you or a loved one, call the Collabria Day Program’s Social Services team at 707.258.9087.
Mind Boosters is based on Total Brain Health, a nationally recognized, comprehensive, evidence-based program, and program manager Veronna Ladd has been certified in Total Brain Health.
The Mind Boosters program is generously underwritten by Senior Helpers, and St. Helena Hospital Foundation.
We now live approximately 22 years longer than a generation ago. So it’s no surprise that the number of cases of age-related diseases that affect the brain—Alzheimer’s, other forms of dementia, and stroke—have increased significantly.
But research shows that the brain is capable of change, even improvement, with training, which is why Collabria Care offers Mind Boosters. This community program is valuable for those in the early stages of memory loss who want to be proactive in maintaining and improving their brain health.
“I knew something was going on with my state of mind, and a cognitive skills test confirmed it. Mind Boosters has given me back confidence in myself and a better attitude—which my husband really appreciates. My most recent cognitive skills test with my neurologist has shown a six-point improvement since I started here.” —J
“The brain, like the rest of the body, needs to be worked to stay healthy as we age,” says Program Manager Veronna Ladd. “And just like your body, one type of exercise isn’t going to keep you in optimum health, so we address socialization, cognitive stimulation, exercise, nutrition, and spirituality, which includes mindfulness and positive thinking.”
“I play golf and work out at the gym, but as I get older, it’s harder to find new people to socialize with. In Mind Boosters, we share a condition that’s the kind of thing you can’t talk about with just anybody. But here we can socialize while strengthening our brains. I especially enjoy the civilized back-and-forth about current events.” —L
“Socialization plays a big part in our quality of life and is an important piece of Mind Boosters,” says Veronna. “As we age, many of us can become afflicted with anxiety and depression; remaining social helps reduce these conditions. Also, there are activities that you can only do when you are with others. For example, you can’t consider another person’s viewpoint when alone, and the brain responds more deeply when you introduce novel ideas, like a perspective that’s different from yours.”
In addition to socialization, each Mind Boosters class includes:
• activities to stimulate your brain, including new experiences, timed games and puzzles, and personal projects
• gentle core-strengthening exercises for balance
• nutrition education to boost brain health
• cognitive training and memory-boosting strategies to improve your short-term memory and attention span
• mindfulness activities to promote self-awareness and perspective. “Your world can become very small when you’re dealing with memory loss and other cognitive issues, so mindfulness, meditation, and other activities help participants stay open and current to the world around them,” explains Veronna.
“After a stroke, I developed aphasia, which affects my ability to speak. It’s frustrating, because I know what I want to say, but can’t always get it out. Being in a group of people with patience and understanding, and being able to make errors in front of them without judgment has been part of my recovery and relearning.” —H