Computer programs help exercise brain
FITNESS FOR LIFE / Jan Burkhart, 50
Updated 3:28 pm, Thursday, November 8, 2012
Baby Boomers are increasingly turning to brain exercises to improve their memories, concentration and ability to solve problems. No longer content with crossword puzzles, aging adults are turning to their computers and mobile devices to give their brains a workout. After Jan Burkhart suffered a stroke last year that affected her speech and coordination, she wanted to create new neural pathways in her brain as part of her recovery. Burkhart downloaded games from the brain-training program Lumosity -- www.luminosity.com -- on her iPod Touch because her right hand was impaired and the device was easier than using the computer. After playing the games every day for a month, she noticed that it was easier to retrieve information. "You just feel clearer after you play these games," she says.
Residence: Morgan Hill
Occupation: Hairdresser, a profession she hopes to return to after she regains mobility in her hands.
Describe the games: "I mostly do the math game. Raindrops of equations fall down and you have to put in the answer before it hits the bottom of the screen, and eventually the equations move faster and become more complicated. I also play a memory game that asks you to match shapes and another one called memory matrix, where you have to memorize which boxes are blacked out on a grid before they are cleared from the screen. I have gotten up to remembering the locations of 10."
Benefits: "I've had some problems with word retrieval, and the games have made that easier. My brain seems sharper after I play. I just wanted my brain to be really sharp again."