Mental Sharpness at its Height for the Elderly in the Morning
As you age, one of the biggest concerns you will likely have is not being able to remember the “small” things. For many, this is completely true. Mental sharpness can decline as a person ages; however, there is some information that may surprise you. For example older adults are mentally sharper in the morning. This means that they should try to handle all of their most taxing activities during this time. This includes taking driving tests, paying bills, visiting the doctor, etc.
The recent findings related to this topic align with the previous conclusions that all ages of people experience variations in attention and energy levels during the day, with evident dips in overall brainpower after a meal or in the afternoon hours. However, it is thought that the effects of an afternoon fog might impact an older adult more significantly. This is because the elderly are more focused and more equipped to ignore various distractions in the morning hours, rather than the afternoon.
A recent test performed by John Anderson who holds a Ph.D from UT showed that in the morning, all age groups performed relatively well on a test that had a number of distractions. However, during the afternoon hours, the elderly test takers seemed to go into a state of “auto pilot” becoming distracted by these distractions. This test has made some professionals question if dementia test results can be changed for the same person if the test is administered at different times of the day. When older adults are able to schedule their harder and more complicated tasks in the morning, chances are they will have much more success when trying to get them done. Additionally, since elderly individuals tend to be a more morning type of person, not considering the time of day when they are tested may create a less than accurate picture of he age differences in the overall brain function. As it is becoming more prevalent for doctors to administer routine dementia exams in older adults, it is important for doctors, patients and their caregivers to remember the potential affects that the time of day that test is administered can affect the test results.
If you are in need of caregiver services for a senior loved one, contacting Comfort Keepers in Santa Clarita should be your first move. Our knowledgeable and experienced professionals can ensure that things such as doctors’ appointments and other complex tasks are handled in the morning hours, rather than later in the day.
Comfort Keepers
23900 Lyons Avenue
Santa Clarita, CA 91321
661-286-4200
