Article from May 2023 PROGRESS magazine, written by Tiffany Hoeft.

Every day, I work towards “building a stronger foundation” for my clients.  I specialize in neurocognitive rehabilitation.  This basically means rewiring the brain.  I work to build neural pathways and connections to prevent or slow cognitive changes. 

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, “It is estimated 12% to 18% of people age 60 or older have MCI (mild cognitive impairment). While some individuals with MCI revert to normal cognition or remain stable, studies suggest 10% to 15% of individuals with MCI go on to develop dementia each year. About one-third of people with MCI due to Alzheimer’s disease develop Alzheimer’s dementia within five years.” 

To change these numbers and work to prevent the decline from mild cognitive impairment to dementia, early intervention is the key.  I work with adults of all ages, but my favorite clients are in their 40s and 50s and just noticing “something isn’t quite right” with the way they are thinking.  In therapy I evaluate multiple factors that can affect cognition.  I then help clients understand how making changes can improve their quality of life and independence and even work productivity. 

If we have a bad knee we have no issue talking about it or seeking out medical treatment.  However, if our brain isn’t quite as sharp as we would like it to be, we start to isolate ourselves and try to avoid situations where our deficiencies could be exemplified.  We avoid groups of people; we don’t seek out new adventures; we stop playing cards or activities which might make our issues stand out. 

If you have a knee replacement, you wouldn’t dream of getting through the process without a good physical therapist.  In the same light, if you notice changes to your attention or memory as you are aging, or after experiencing a concussion, West Nile, COVID , cancer, menopause, stroke, hearing loss or other significant illness, you shouldn’t expect to  regain your mental functions without therapy to guide you through that process as well.

We used to think we had a finite amount of brain cells and we could never grow or change our brains.  As kids we all heard, “Don’t kill your brain cells, they’re the only ones you’ve got.”   Ever-changing research tells us otherwise.  We can not only generate new brain cells in the hippocampus (memory area) of our brain, but we can also teach our brains to rewire and make stronger connections.  In therapy I target that kind of growth to change the trajectory of your cognitive future. 

So this May, in honor of Better Speech and Hearing Month, try to build a stronger cognitive future.  And if you are noticing any changes in your thinking, visit with your physician see if an evaluation at Minds Matter might be right for you.