When June rolls around, the Alzheimer’s Association and many other organizations spotlight Brain Awareness Month — and for good reason. While there’s no guaranteed way to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, research increasingly shows that everyday choices have a real influence on how the brain ages.
A 2024 report from The Lancet Commission on dementia prevention found that nearly 45% of dementia cases worldwide could potentially be prevented or delayed by addressing 14 modifiable risk factors. That’s a striking figure — and it puts a meaningful amount of brain health within reach.
Here are seven science-backed habits seniors and their families can build into daily life.
1. Move your body — daily if you can
Physical activity is one of the most consistently studied protective factors for brain health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults 65+ get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week, plus strength training twice a week and balance exercises.
This doesn’t have to mean a gym membership. Walking with a neighbor, gardening, tai chi, water aerobics, and chair yoga all qualify. Exercise improves blood flow to the brain, supports neuron health, and helps manage blood pressure and diabetes — all factors linked to cognitive decline.
2. Eat for your brain
The MIND diet — a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH diets developed at Rush University — has been linked to slower cognitive decline. A foundational study published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia found that people who followed the MIND diet most closely had a 53% reduction in Alzheimer’s risk.
The basics:
- Leafy greens (at least 6 servings a week)
- Other vegetables daily
- Berries — especially blueberries and strawberries — twice a week
- Whole grains, nuts, beans, and olive oil
- Fish at least once a week
- Poultry twice a week
- Limited red meat, butter, cheese, pastries, and fried food
It’s a flexible framework — Southern cooking and brain-healthy eating can absolutely coexist.
3. Prioritize sleep
Poor sleep is more than a quality-of-life issue. The brain literally clears out waste proteins, including the amyloid-beta associated with Alzheimer’s, during deep sleep. The National Institute on Aging recommends 7 to 9 hours per night for older adults.
If your loved one struggles with sleep, mention it to their doctor. Sleep apnea, restless legs, and side effects from certain medications all become more common with age and are often treatable.
4. Stay socially connected
Loneliness is a public health concern in its own right. The U.S. Surgeon General’s 2023 advisory on the epidemic of loneliness and isolation reported that social disconnection is associated with about a 50% increased risk of dementia in older adults.
Regular conversation, shared meals, religious community, volunteering, and visits with grandchildren are all forms of cognitive exercise. Group activities — bingo, book clubs, fitness classes, choir — stack multiple protective factors at once.
5. Keep learning
The brain responds to challenge. Picking up new skills — a language, an instrument, a craft, a card game — builds what researchers call cognitive reserve, which helps the brain tolerate aging changes better. Reading, puzzles, and games help too, but new learning is especially powerful.
6. Manage your numbers
High blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and untreated hearing loss are all on the Lancet Commission’s list of modifiable risk factors. So are smoking and excessive alcohol use. Annual checkups, taking medications as prescribed, and addressing hearing loss with hearing aids when needed all support long-term brain health.
Hearing loss in particular is worth highlighting — recent research from the ACHIEVE trial suggests that treating hearing loss may slow cognitive decline in older adults at higher risk for dementia.
7. Protect your head
Falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries in older adults, and repeated head injuries are a known risk factor for dementia. Removing tripping hazards, installing grab bars, keeping rooms well lit, and reviewing medications that affect balance are simple but meaningful steps.
Small habits, big returns
The encouraging news from the past decade of research is this: brain health isn’t all-or-nothing. Even modest, consistent changes — a daily walk, a few more vegetables on the plate, a weekly card game with friends — can make a measurable difference over time.
Living in a community designed around social connection, nourishing meals, and accessible activity can make these habits feel natural rather than forced. Georgia Living Senior Care’s communities are built around exactly that kind of daily rhythm — from prepared meals to social programming to spaces designed for movement and connection. If you’re exploring options for a loved one and want to learn how a community setting can support brain health, contact the location nearest you or call (912) 489-4468.