Somerset County Health Department Hosts Brain Health Workshop
Princess Anne, Md. — The Somerset County Health Department brought residents together for a brain health workshop focused on Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, providing information about healthy lifestyle practices and the impact of several factors that impact brain health.
The presentation room at the Princess Anne Library was packed with interested residents looking to learn. The program was part of healthy aging month, and the goal was to connect the community with resources and give them tools to live healthy and high-quality lives.
“These events are very helpful in connecting people with resources and just letting them know what we have to offer, because a lot of people don’t know until they come and meet us,” said Jenna Peace, a community health outreach worker.
Attendees learned about lifestyle elements impacting brain health, including exercise, diet, sleep, and cognitive engagement. Health department officials also explained the importance of quitting smoking and maintaining a personalized healthy weight in maintaing brain health.
Another major factor was preventing head injuries like concussions and maintaining cognitive engagement through activities like hobbies, learning new skills, or engaging in various forms of art.
Health department officials then guided the group through goal setting and creating action plans.
Princess Anne resident Laura Polk says she took a lot away from the session that she can start incorporating into the healthy habits she already practices.
“I wish we had done it even earlier. This was good. They did a wonderful presentation on the things that it takes to keep the brain active and to keep us active,” Polk said. “Anything that we can do to improve our lives and improve the lives of others around us, we should do.”
Polk said she recognized the importance of the session and invited several people, who all showed up.
The Health Department emphasized that healthy brain habits are for people of all ages and it’s never too late to get started.
“Hindsight is often 20/20, so we don’t want people to get to the point where they’re like, ‘I wish I had done this.’ It’s never too late to start. So that’s one of our important messages for today. Being physically active, eating healthy, challenging your brain, these are all things that you can start today,” said Elizabeth Justice, health department prevention supervisor.
The department added individuals can make a few small changes to things like diet, exercise and sleep to create big changes. But officials wanted people to know that they don’t have to start fully reworking their lives overnight to gain the benefits to brain health.
“We don’t encourage you to try and tackle all of those things at once, but pick one thing that you think you might be able to focus on and then, you know, start with that and then try to add to your action plan,” Justice said.
