Keystone Woods Installs [m]Power Brain Fitness System

SPRINGFIELD — The Cottage, a specialized care neighborhood for individuals with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia located within Grayson House Assisted Living Residence at Keystone Woods in Springfield, has become the first senior living community in the area to offer the new [m]Power brain fitness system from Dakim Inc. as part of its programming.

The fully automated system supplies a constantly changing menu of challenging activities that are scientifically designed to maintain brain health as well as combat the onset and effects of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

“Senior living facilities have an obligation to do everything they can to maximize their residents’ quality of life, and a big part of that involves providing mental stimulation to help keep brains agile,” said Deanna Lawrence, executive director of Keystone Woods. “Dakim’s [m]Power system combines decades of brain health research aimed at preventing or delaying memory loss with enjoyable activities that encourage the consistent use necessary for maximum effect, and we believe it will make a big difference in keeping our residents happy, productive, and mentally fit.”

The [m]Power system is the result of six years of development in consultation with top senior care providers and brain health researchers, inspired by studies indicating that regular cognitive stimulation can help fight memory loss and related ailments. One 21-year study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, for example, linked a 63{06cf2b9696b159f874511d23dbc893eb1ac83014175ed30550cfff22781411e5} decreased risk of dementia to frequent participation in stimulating mental activities.

Each [m]Power unit presents thousands of games, puzzles, and other brain-building activities on a user-friendly 17” touch-screen appliance with no mouse or keyboard, enabling use by individuals with no computer skills. Activities incorporate the most current neuroscientific and gerontological knowledge about maintaining brain wellness with colorful screen images, stories, voiceovers, and age-appropriate film and music clips to keep users engaged. Exercises range from anagrams and name-that-tune challenges to TV-style scenes and narrated literary passages complete with special effects that include follow-up questions requiring use of short-term memory and deductive reasoning.

The system recognizes users automatically as soon as they touch the screen, greets them by name, and self-adjusts for ability levels ranging from active seniors to early-stage Alzheimer’s patients, enabling most seniors to use [m]Power without assistance. Content is updated automatically every 24 to 48 hours.