By Adriane Berg
I make no secret of the fact that I will turn 62 in September, officially becoming a senior citizen. Like most Boomers I do not plan to go quietly into that good night—above all, I want to make sure I keep my brain sharp as I age. When I was selected as the spokesperson for Cognifit, the brain fitness company, I had no doubt that brain exercise could keep me driving safely and thinking sharper.
What I wondered was, would I actually stay on the program?
My first experience with Cognifit was the baseline assessment. I admit I was a little afraid that it would not match up with my sense of self, and my own view of the strengths and weakness of my mental prowess. I see myself as having great long-term memory; good smarts, but lousy short-term memory. Where are the keys? Where are my glasses? Where are my gloves? These are the three questions, often unanswered, THAT RULE MY LIFE.
What I got back in the assessment comforted and challenged me. I was good at the stuff I called mental, but really lousy at the functions that involve hand eye coordination. Tracking my mouse through a maze with a steady hand did me in.
It made sense. I can’t hit a ball with a stick-no golf, no soft ball, no tennis. But in later years, would this mean no driving?
Cognifit also has a Drivers program, but I decided to stick with the Personal Coach, as it trains 14 instead of 10 brain activities, and covers hand-eye material, sending me to higher and higher levels as I use the program.
I get the feedback from continuous assessments every 24 sessions, but I like empirical evidence. The way I test is to have someone throw a ball and see if I am getting better at catching. In the summer, I’ll go to a carnival and play Whack-a- Mole.
Did you Cognifit Today?