Growing older hasn’t improved Dr. Robert Wallace’s memory, and he’s doing something about it.
For the last two months, the resident of Alexandria’s Goodwin House Incorporated has participated in StrongerMemory, a memory care program designed to combat memory loss in seniors. Goodwin House started the program in January 2020, with a handful of daily activities that encourage working memory and triggering brain activity in the prefrontal cortex.
“I never felt I had a strong memory,” said Wallace. “This deficit progressed a bit with age. So when the program became available, I thought it was worth trying.”
Wallace said reading the newspaper and doing math exercises helps, and that subjectively he noticed changes between when he was and wasn’t doing the memory care exercises.
The program has even received the endorsement of U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), who virtually celebrated Goodwin House’s work in being dementia-friendly at an event today (Friday).
City Council member Amy Jackson said that Alexandria will need more memory care-type programs in the coming years.
“[With my mother-in-law] I saw a decline in cognitive abilities,” said Jackson. “Stronger Memory would have helped her longevity. Our city’s senior population is growing every day, and as our senior population grows, we’re relying more on programs such as these so we can have important human interactions to continue to relate to each other on a personal level.”
There are nearly 5.8 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s, and 5.6 million of them are seniors, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Photo via Goodwin House Inc./Facebook
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If you had a chance to enhance a child’s future with a time commitment of less than 2 hours a week, how would you respond? You have that opportunity right now to join over 200 Alexandrians as a reading tutor volunteer with the Alexandria Tutoring Consortium (ATC).
ATC tutors work with one child in kindergarten, first, or second grade in Alexandria public schools who need extra help with reading. Tutors meet with their Book Buddy 1-2 times each week for 30 minutes October-May at school, during school hours. Many struggling readers only receive one-on-one instruction through this program, and it makes all the difference. Last year, ATC served 195 children, of whom 82% ended the year reading on grade level and 96% made substantial reading gains. But the need is great, and we are still seeing learning lags from the pandemic.
This year, ATC plans to significantly increase the size of the program to reach over 250 students and to serve every elementary school in Alexandria. This is very exciting news, but we will only succeed if we can recruit more tutors. ATC trains you, matches you with a child, and provides ongoing lesson materials and support.
If you have been thinking about buying your first home or haven’t owned one in the last three years, THIS IS FOR YOU!
In the DMV area, it can be difficult to save the downpayment necessary for you to get into your own home. We have a solution. The Funder’s Summit!
We have assembled a summit with different municipalities to tell you how to access their funds for your home purchase.
Family Fun Fall Fest
Mark your calendars and join us for the Family Fun Fall Fest on Saturday, October 7, 2023, from 11am – 2pm!
This FREE in-person event will be held at the Shoppes at Foxchase, located at 4641 Duke St, Alexandria, VA
2023 Alexandria Fall Festival
Food trucks, bounce houses, pony rides, magic shows and more at the 2023 Alexandria Fall Festival, an Alexandria Living event presented by The Patterson Group. Join us at River Farm on Sunday, Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
