The Five Pillars of Brain Health

AARP volunteer Elsie Wood presented the Five Pillars of Brain Health to a crowd of 17 people in the chapel at Friendship Manor in Roanoke, on Friday, Feb. 29. Passing out literature and freebies was fellow volunteer, Erm.

Many of the attendees asked thoughtful questions and provided personal observations when prompted by Wood, humorously, that her presentation was an “audience participation” event. Some of the questions asked related to supplements for brain health and if one should request that brain wellness checks be done annually during a routine physical exam.

When prompted for ways people relax at bedtime, one participant cautioned against the blue rays emitted by devices (filters exist to shield those). Other pre-bed suggestions included reading the “old-fashioned way,” listening on a device with a timer set, cool and dark rooms, and relaxation exercises.

The program concluded by Erm offering AARP freebies of pens and hand sanitizer.