There are clinical studies stating that individuals clinically diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at age 60 might have around nine years left to live; those 65 years old might have eight more years. Seventy-year-olds with confirmed Alzheimer’s could have less than six years left. It’s a demoralizing picture, I’ll admit.

That’s because Alzheimer’s remains incurable and is one of the most complicated diseases affecting the human brain. Sadly, science is nowhere near a cure for the disease despite more than 30 years of relentless effort.

Dementia is caused by different diseases such as frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s (the most common cause of dementia) that damage brain cells. By and large, dementia remains the leading cause of dependence and disability among the world’s elderly. If severe, dementia can greatly degrade an elderly person’s daily quality of life.

Dementia isn’t a specific disease like diabetes, but is a broad term for a group of symptoms (or a syndrome) affecting cognitive abilities (memory, problem solving, and thinking), and causing distressing changes in behavior (increased irritability, aggression, and anxiety).

This collection of symptoms is what doctors call cognitive decline, or the corrosion of one’s mental abilities. Dementia is a type of cognitive decline, but it isn’t a regular part of aging precisely because it’s a syndrome. It’s possible to have dementia without having Alzheimer’s because other medical conditions can also cause dementia.

Dementia isn’t caused by old age but by a specific underlying set of symptoms, such as Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. The sad truth is that senility is often associated with dementia.

On the other hand, Alzheimer’s is a specific brain disease. It’s the most common cause and most prevalent type of dementia. A progressive, neurodegenerative disease, Alzheimer’s is identified by the accumulation in the brain of abnormal proteins called amyloid plaques and tau tangles that disrupt normal brain function and kill brain cells (neurons and glial cells). This build-up leads to dementia and brain shrinkage.

Unfortunately, the prevalence of dementia is expected to soar with the continuing rise in life expectancy worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) said every country in the world is seeing a rise in both the size and proportion of older people (those 60 and above) in their populations. This, because more and more people are living longer due to significant advances in healthcare, improved nutrition and positive lifestyle changes, among other reasons.

There are now an estimated 962 million people 60 and older out of a total global population of eight billion. That’s about one in eight. WHO estimates that one in six people globally will be 60 and older by 2030, which is five scant years from today.

The world’s growing legions of elderly will also be burdened by other common age-related diseases: stroke or cerebrovascular disease; high blood pressure or hypertension; cancer; type 2 diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Coronary artery disease (a type of cardiovascular disease that triggers heart attacks) is the leading cause of death in our country every year.

Take Action

Many clinical studies concur that we can take preventive steps to protect our brain health and reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. These proactive steps, in turn, will also help reduce the risk or delay the onset of Alzheimer’s. They focus on physical, mental and social wellbeing.

Research has uncovered several risk factors we can modify to stave off the worst harms arising from both dementia and cognitive decline. Addressing these modifiable risk factors should allow us to improve our overall brain health. It might also help elderly brains better cope with the injurious physical and psychological changes associated with Alzheimer’s.

Practical, evidence-backed steps you can take to mitigate the threat of dementia consist of the following:

* Regular physical activity (exercise or household chores);

* Nourishing your brain with a healthy diet that includes daily protein and leafy greens;

* Cognitive stimulation (reading, learning a new skill, playing chess, cards and other games)

* Regular social engagement (going out with family and friends), and

* Managing hypertension, diabetes and chronic health conditions with regular medicine and good lifestyle choices.

Physical Activity Is Great

Staying physically active does wonders for a stronger body and a sharper mind. Some doctors have even taken to calling human muscle “the organ of longevity” based on new science showing our muscles act like an endocrine organ, or one that produces hormones. Muscle also plays a central role in healthy aging (building strong thighs, for example) and regulates inflammation.

Studies show that regular movement (either physical activity or structured exercise) can indeed improve brain metabolism and structure, potentially slowing memory decline in the elderly. The WHO strongly recommends physical activity to reduce the risk of cognitive decline among senior citizens with normal cognition.

Physical activity includes both structured exercises (aerobics, lifting weights, bodyweight training) and incidental activities integrated into daily routines. Examples of incidental activities are walking, dancing, swimming, jogging, gardening, doing household chores and bicycling.

The young old should also consider activities that use all major muscles to increase strength and endurance. These include “mild calisthenics, elastic band training, or light weight training for a set of 10 to 20 repetitions resulting in light challenge to the muscle, and gentle stretches to the point of tension done after aerobic exercises or at cool down for at least eight times per direction, three times per week.”

They should also perform “any rhythmic and continuous physical activity that uses large muscle groups with emphasis on load-bearing activities to reduce the rate of osteoporosis and to maintain bone density, or for more active people with no risk factors, low to moderate aerobic activity for a minimum of 30 minutes three to five times per week.”

Activities for balance and coordination include walking, gentle yoga, tai chi, dancing, and swimming two to four days per week. These activities should consist of simple but dynamic movements challenging postural and positional stability. Examples are single-leg stands, exercise ball-sitting, and weight shifting.

For the middle-aged, active travel and mild or easy household chores like gardening, sweeping, and folding clothes. It also favors light physical activities “such as leisurely walks and any rhythmic and continuous physical activity that uses large muscle groups while standing independently or assisted, seated, or reclined continuously for at least 30 minutes or in increments of 10 minutes or longer three times per week, or for more active people with no risk factors, low to moderate aerobic activity done continuously for 30 minutes, three times per week on non-consecutive days.”

Activities for balance and coordination are similar to those for the young old, but with support from another person.

The guidelines also push for activities “using all major muscles to increase strength and endurance similar to those prescribed to the middle-aged, for a set of 10 to 15 repetitions resulting in light challenge to the muscle at least twice per week on non-consecutive days, and gentle full range of motion exercises done after aerobic exercises or at cool down for at least eight times per direction, two to three times per week on non-consecutive days.”

Activities for balance and coordination are similar to those prescribed for middle-aged, but should take place at least three days a week.

As for the Americans, their Alzheimer’s Association’s “U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk” (U.S. Pointer) released in 2005 confirms regular exercise (especially aerobic activity) is consistently linked to better brain health. Aerobic activity boosts blood flow to the brain and reduces inflammation (our bodies’ response to an illness or injury). It can also help manage conditions like diabetes and hypertension that are risk factors for dementia.

U.S. Pointer tested the effectiveness of two different lifestyle interventions: a “structured lifestyle intervention” and a “self-guided lifestyle intervention” in a representative population of seniors at risk for cognitive decline and dementia.

The main takeaway from U.S. Pointer is that a structured and multi-component lifestyle intervention could delay age-related cognitive decline by up to two years. The two-year-long study also found that both lifestyle interventions improved cognition among seniors at risk of cognitive decline. Both interventions concentrated on physical exercise, good nutrition, mental challenges, social engagement and heart-health monitoring.

Nourish Your Health

Eating well as part of a healthy diet fuels and protects both body and mind. Clinical studies confirm that certain dietary patterns are linked to better cognitive outcomes.

In the United States, a 2025 analysis of brain-protective foods said berries, leafy greens, walnuts, fish, olive oil, and beans are especially beneficial due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Clinical guidance from WHO supports a Mediterranean-style diet for reducing dementia risk.

Antioxidants potentially reduce the risk of chronic diseases and promote overall health by helping neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules that damage our cells. An accumulation of free radicals can cause oxidative stress, which is linked to aging, cancer, heart disease and other harmful health conditions.

U.S. Pointer pointed out that diets rich in leafy greens (repollo, kangkong), whole grains (brown rice, red rice), and healthy fats (eggs, olive oil, avocados) seem to confer a lower risk of cognitive decline and dementia. You should also limit your intake of processed foods (fast foods, potato chips, burgers) to make the most of the healthy foods you consume.

If you’re into Western diets, you can try the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet that focuses on the foods outlined above. This popular diet introduced in 2015 encourages you to eat veggies (especially leafy greens), lean poultry, fish, nuts, beans, whole grains and olive oil.

It also discourages the overeating of red meat, cheese, sweets, fried food, fast food and butter. DASH claims to reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s while boosting healthy aging, brain health and heart health.

Don’t Forget Your Brain

Cognitive stimulation is a must for the elderly because it helps maintain and improve cognitive function (language, memory, attention, decision making, among others). By cognitive stimulation, I mean appropriate activities such as reading aloud, playing brain games like chess and jigsaw puzzles, drawing and other artistic activities, and learning a new skill like juggling and playing the guitar.

To fend off the threat, the elderly also have to engage in mentally-stimulating activities that build their “cognitive reserve,” which is described by Harvard Health as “our brain’s ability to improvise and find alternate ways of getting a job done.” Studies suggest seniors who engage in stimulating activities such as learning a new skill and even reading throughout their lives might be less likely to develop dementia.

Engaging in mentally stimulating activities can indeed help reduce the risk of dementia and cognitive decline while boosting our overall mental well-being. It can also help the elderly feel less lonely and isolated.

Of course, regular social engagement, such as going out with family and friends, also protects cognitive function and helps stave off mental decline. Love is more important as we age, as are the people we love. But you’ve got to talk to them and stay in touch with them to stay brain healthy.

Combat Chronic Conditions

You’ll have to effectively manage your chronic health conditions, such as high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes, with good lifestyle changes and medical treatment. Chronic health conditions are linked to a higher risk of dementia. Effectively mitigating them can boost your mental and physical healthspan.

Remember that medical conditions like smoking, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity are all modifiable risk factors linked to dementia. Managing these harms through lifestyle or medical care helps protect your brain as the years pass.