SHARE Club North helping seniors exercise their brains
Exercising your brain is as important as exercising your body, especially for seniors, said Dena Kiltus, assistant program coordinator at North Fort Myers SHARE Club North.
The Seniors Health Activities Resource Education Club is a two-tiered program through the Lee Memorial Health System, providing wellness services for area seniors for the last 20 years. Members 50 and older are provided community discounts, social and educational activities and more.
More than 1,200 local area residents belong to the club, which is now offering high tech, yet simple-to-use software that was designed to help prevent cognitive decline.
The software is called Dakim Brain Fitness, which parent company Dakim states is the only clinically tested brain fitness software designed specifically for active adults over 60.
“Studies have shown that just like exercising your body, exercising your brain is just as important, that’s why we now have this new software available,” said Kiltus.
“The software is through our older adult services memory clinic, part of Lee Memorial Health System. We have two Dakim touchscreen computers – you don’t have to be savvy using a computer mouse or keyboard, it’s all touch screen.”
The software walks you right through the exercises, she said. “Right now we are offering a demonstration and a week free to try it.”
Lynn Barber of North Fort Myers has been using the computer technology that helps exercise the brain. “I think it is excellent,” she said. While varied on subjects, it is not a dry experience. “They have a variety of objects they work with, not all math or one specific subject.”
“People at SHARE Club are using it a lot.” said Kiltus, which is important. People are living longer, and brain function aids the aging.
It isn’t just seniors that are using like technology.
“Lots of younger people are realizing the benefits of exercising your brain by doing some type of brain exercise. You do want to work six different cognitive areas of your brain.”
The company designed the software for long-term use, she said, developed by working closely with brain researcher Dr. Gary Small, medical director of the UCLA Center On Aging and who is now chief scientific advisor for Dakim.
Sessions run 20 to 25 minutes -then overnight, an update is given.
“How did they do in math, short- term or long-term memory problem solving and then the program will adjust for their (specific individual) next challenging session.
“I have people that keep a running tally of how they are doing. Everybody should be doing this,” she said.
For SHARE Club members. you make an initial appointment where they take down general information Kiltus puts in a database. Then for $10 a month or $25 for three months there are is one daily session, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“We also do the Healthy Brain Initiative through Lee Memorial Health Systems older adult service, another option. It is a 4-hour class that uses innovative strategies and exercises to help participants help remember everyday things. This is not for those already diagnosed with memory loss,” she said.
You can learn more about that program at HealthBrainFL.org.
Membership to SHARE Club Plus is $25 a year plus $10 for a pool pass to the North Fort Myers Community Pool, which many use for various classes including water aerobics and arthritics exercise.
For more information on all the program’s offerings, go to leememorial.org/shareclub/ or call 772-6765.
SHARE Club Plus North is located at 5170 Orange Grave Blvd., in North Fort Myers. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The phone number at the center is 656-7760.