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Senior Living Provider Offers Innovative Brain Training to Residents
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NASHVILLE, TN
11/12/2008 |
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Brookdale Senior Living is pleased to announce a new addition to complement its Optimum Life® philosophy - [m]Power by Dakim, Inc., the Brain Fitness Company. Optimum Life® is exclusive to Brookdale Senior living communities, and is a lifestyle where whole person wellness is achieved through fulfillment in six key dimensions of wellness – physical, emotional, purposeful, spiritual, social and intellectual.
Select Brookdale Senior Living communities now offer the Dakim [m]Power® Brain Fitness System, a tool designed specifically to help seniors maintain mental acuity through proprietary brain-building activities presented in a game show-like format. [m]Power’s interactive puzzles, stories, word scrambles and other activities utilize pre-1950s film clips and other senior-friendly references, are updated frequently, and are played on a touch screen computer appliance that requires no mouse, keyboard or computer knowledge.
"As one of the nation’s leading providers of senior living communities, our mission is to ‘enrich the lives of these we serve,’" said Sara Terry, vice president of Optimum Life® for Brookdale Senior Living. "[m]Power makes it simple and easy for our residents to unleash the power of cognitive exercise to enhance quality of life and well-being for our residents."
"Our mission at Dakim is to work as partners with senior living providers to help them achieve their resident wellness and quality of life objectives," said Dan Michel, founder and chief operating officer of Dakim. "Brookdale’s Optimum Life is an outstanding example of the kind of approach that can make a real difference in the life of seniors, so we are thrilled to work with Brookdale and to be part of Optimum Life."
"[m]Power is perfectly suited for our current generation of residents who may have varying degrees of exposure to technology," said Terry. "They find it easy and enjoyable, but appropriately challenging, which means they will return to it often and reap the powerful benefits for brain health."
Communities have had the [m]Power units for 60 to 90 days. "Residents response has been overwhelmingly positive," said Terry. "In addition, staff is thrilled to offer this new tool to residents."
Ed Silva, executive director of Ocean House, a Brookdale independent and assisted living community in Santa Monica, Calif., said, "[m]Power is part of Brookdale’s better and different story for current and prospective residents."
[m]Power is designed for use by virtually all seniors, from those with the sharpest minds to seniors who have mild cognitive impairment, those at risk for Alzheimer’s disease, and even those with moderate dementia.
"The program has many uses and successes at our community," said Karen Daniels, director of Lifestyles Programs at Heritage of Raleigh, a Brookdale independent living community in Raleigh, N.C. "Our speech therapist within our onsite therapy offering has had success incorporating [m]Power as part of therapy for residents. In addition, memory care specialists are using it with residents displaying mild dementia, and are having positive effects."
"Research has confirmed the importance of lifelong learning and intellectually stimulating activities to maintain a healthy brain," said Dr. Kevin O’Neil, a geriatrician and national medical director for Brookdale Senior Living. "Computer-assisted cognitive stimulation programs such as Dakim’s [m]Power program are an exciting new approach to brain health."
"What I especially like is that [m]Power encourages conversation about interesting topics among our residents, thus providing not just an intellectually stimulating challenge but social engagement as well," said Dr. O’Neil. "Brookdale communities can use [m]Power in conjunction with regular physical activities, such as walking, swimming, and dancing, as well as social interaction to cross train your brain for the most benefit."
Grand Court Tampa, a Brookdale independent and assisted living community in Tampa, Fla. already has a success story. A resident was diagnosed with early onset of Alzheimer's, but after using the [m]Power program in the community, has been showing marked improvement with short term memory loss. In fact, family members of the resident are commenting that the resident now remembers what happened that day in detail, and showing much greater attention to detail than before.
"The well-being of our residents is our number one priority," said Terry. "[m]Power gives them a unique, new opportunity to exercise and enhance their brain and overall health."
Brookdale Senior Living communities provide programs and services that focus on maximizing quality of life for seniors at any stage in life, including independent living, assisted living, and supportive services such as rehabilitation, Alzheimer’s/dementia care, skilled nursing and more.
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Contact: Holly Botsford, Public Relations Manager, 414-918-5314,
hbotsford@brookdaleliving.com
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