Keeping Your Mind Sharp: Brain Health as We Age and how the BrainHealth Project can help
As we get older, it’s natural to notice changes in our bodies—but not everyone thinks about the changes happening “upstairs.” Brain health is just as important as heart health or joint care, especially for seniors. Advances in medicine and awareness mean more of us are living longer, but we want those years to be full of vitality, not just longer days.
Aging can bring subtle shifts in memory, focus, and mental speed. Forgetting where you put your keys or taking a bit longer to recall a name is common—and usually nothing to worry about. These changes are often due to the natural slowing of brain processes, not necessarily a sign of decline. In fact, our brains remain capable of learning, adapting, and even growing new connections throughout life, a quality known as “neuroplasticity.”
However, age also brings a greater risk of conditions like Alzheimer’s or other dementias. While not everyone will experience these, it’s wise to be proactive about brain health.
The BrainHealth Project is a landmark, long-term initiative designed to transform how people think about and manage their brain health throughout adulthood, with a special focus on making research-driven strategies actionable and accessible for seniors.
What the BrainHealth Project Offers
The BrainHealth Project is a 10-year, longitudinal study enrolling up to 100,000 adults, tracking participants over time to understand how lifestyle, cognitive training, and biological factors combine to impact brain health. Nearly all participation happens online, making it easy for seniors across the country to join.
Key features offered include:
BrainHealth Index: A detailed, multidimensional assessment that measures cognitive health, emotional balance, social connectedness, sleep quality, and more. It helps participants track their brain health objectively over time.
Personalized Coaching: Every few months, participants have access to one-on-one virtual coaching sessions with trained brain health professionals. These sessions are designed to help participants interpret their BrainHealth Index, set achievable goals, and use tailored strategies for improvement.
Science-Backed Training: The program features online training modules, including the well-researched SMART (Strategic Memory Advanced Reasoning Tactics) program, which teaches practical cognitive strategies that bolster reasoning, memory, stress management, sleep hygiene, and information management.
Self-Paced Courses: Training resources and videos are designed to be accessible in short, manageable segments, generally taking only about ten minutes a day, making them particularly suited for older adults.
Ongoing Assessments: The platform guides participants through regular (twice yearly) check-ins via assessments and questionnaires covering learning capacity, emotional well-being, social support, and sleep. Some participants may also take part in heart-rate variability monitoring or, for those in the Dallas area, brain imaging.
Community and Continued Learning: Studies and training are updated, and new research and resources become available over time, so participants benefit from cutting-edge brain health science throughout their involvement.
Benefits for Seniors
Participating in the BrainHealth Project offers several unique advantages for seniors:
Personalized, Actionable Insights: Participants receive individualized recommendations based on their holistic BrainHealth Index, rather than relying solely on standard cognitive tests that only detect decline.
Convenience and Accessibility: Everything can be done from home online, with no fees for participation, removing barriers related to mobility or travel.
Proven Gains: The SMART training series and other project interventions have shown benefits for gist reasoning, executive function, memory, and stress reduction—skills that are especially important as people age.
Motivation and Support: Regular coaching sessions, self-paced learning, and a structured schedule give participants the motivation and social engagement necessary to build and maintain positive brain health habits over time.
Contribution to Research: By participating, seniors help advance scientific understanding of brain health in aging, ensuring that future seniors benefit from improved, evidence-based strategies.
Summary
The BrainHealth Project is more than a study—it’s a practical, empowering program offering education, coaching, self-assessment, and real strategies to help seniors preserve and even improve their cognitive abilities, emotional balance, and quality of life as they age.