Learn More About The Program Call 352-505-5198, or visit: vitalitymind.phhp.ufl.edu The Village is located at: 8000 NW 27th Boulevard, Gainesville, Florida
GRAY MATTERS
New Hope for the Brain The Village and UF Health Partner to Help Seniors by Ellis Amburn
H
elp is on the way for Seniors who want to enhance the health of their brains and preserve them as they continue to age. Classes to maximize brain functioning began at The Village in the summer, thanks to a new partnership between the Gainesville retirement community and the University of Florida. The Village designated the Vitality Suite in its Cypress Building for classes, UF researchers, and equipment, and also funded an $80,000 research grant for the UF Health Vitality Mind program to maximize brain health in older adults. “Our program is not exclusive to The Village’s residents but is open to all over 60 in the community who have not been diagnosed with dementia,” said program coordinator Dr. London Butterfield in a June telephone interview. “We’re starting to enroll now. If you’re interested in hearing about what we’re offering at the present time, please contact us.” Jim Antonucci, executive director of The Village, explained in a telephone interview that the program developed after they had studied the retirement
PHOTO COURTESY OF UF HEALTH
community residents and decided they would benefit from cognition training. Cognition, according to Webster, is “the mental faculty or process by which knowledge is acquired.”
“Just like when you go to the gym only three or four times, you don’t notice much improvement, so there’s got to be real commitment involved for brain improvement.” “We contacted the University of Florida and put together a program [for our] residents,” Antonucci said. “Twenty people signed up, and we expect 75 to start classes next month [July 2014]. The goal is to keep them independent longer.” “Village residents come several days a week for brain exercises —games on computers that exercise the brain — August 2014
15 15