Alzheimer’s disease is a common condition amongst those above 60 years of age and impacts the brain’s thinking and memory skills. With the advancement of care treatments and understanding of Alzheimer’s, it is entirely possible to lead a wonderful and fulfilling life even with the condition. It is important to keep the brain active through stimulation such as reading, gardening, and exercise. Activities that promote the image and visual representations functions in the mind are perfect for strengthening memory. In that respect, photography is the perfect activity to keep the mind active as good photo taking involves a lot of mental work and mind-body coordination. Here are 3 reasons why photography for Alzheimer’s should be considered a great hobby.
Photography Promotes Brain Activity
We know that Alzheimer’s destroys neurons in the brain and causes the neuron networks to break down, hence causing loss of memory and brain activity and functions. Research has shown that people with Alzheimer’s can slow down mental deterioration by keeping the brain active. Photography can help to do just that. Photography stimulates memory formation as the photographer interacts with pictures they have taken and remembers the circumstances behind the photo. Looking at photos of special occasions also helps the brain to go back to a specific memory and the emotions attached to it. This act of reminiscence activates the neuron network and slows down degeneration.
Photography Is a Social Activity
Research shows that socialization is effective in slowing down the onset and progress of dementia. Photography is by no means a one-man sport. Photographers, by nature, share their photographs with others. To get better at photography, it is essential to get feedback from friends and other fellow photographers. Photography classes are also great locations to learn professional techniques and socialize with like-minded peers. Having conversations and being able to share one’s passion are all great ingredients to boosting self-esteem, encouraging further socialization, and starving off dementia. The great thing is, Memory Care communities typically encourage socialization with different activities, with photography being one of the options.
Photography Maintains Mental Health
Social interactions can often feel like a burden to many with Alzheimer’s as communication becomes very challenging. Family and friends who become impatient with their symptoms often hurt those with Alzheimer’s unknowingly and cause them to retreat. Many suffering from Alzheimer’s retreat from social contact and isolate themselves. This may further develop into depression! Photography helps those with Alzheimer’s to break out of their shell and instead focus on their hobby and expressing themselves. The joy of photography is also in the sharing of photographs, many conversations about the moments captured in photographs often take place organically amongst family and friends. Furthermore, photography employs a variety of techniques that requires hand-eye and mental coordination, memorization, and using mental models to visualize a photograph’s composition and color, thereby making it the perfect memory care option to stave away Alzheimer’s.
Our Memory Care community provides wonderful retirement and care options for you. We plan a wide range of Celebration Activities and Events to keep you fit and active with exposure to different kinds of activities and potential hobbies. Contact us today for a tour, our friendly team is ready to assist you on your retirement and care journey.
