When: Wednesday, May 8, 2019, 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m.
Where: Heaslip House, 7th floor, 297 Victoria Street, Toronto
Brain fitness is similar to physical fitness, but instead of exercising your body, you are strengthening your mind. Optimizing mental abilities is not a new concept, but the information available is often vague and repetitive: stay active (mentally, physically, and socially), be mindful of what you consume (food, alcohol, and tobacco), and seek novelty. While these tips are 100 percent accurate, their ambiguity leaves little direction on the actionable steps needed to exercise one’s mind in a personally meaningful way. At this talk, you will learn about the fundamentals of brain plasticity – the brain’s ability to change itself – and the science behind how to best optimize brain fitness. Most importantly, you’ll leave with take-home strategies on how to create personally meaningful brain boosting goals that will help you to improve your overall brain health.
Speaker: Andrea Wilkinson
Andrea holds a PhD in Psychology, with a specialization in cognitive aging. She has been studying brain fitness and cognitive maintenance for over 15 years. Her studies identified the limitations of using computer-based games to enhance mental functions in healthy older adults. This work laid the foundation for her interest in brain fitness. Since completing her doctorate, Andrea has worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Bridgepoint Collaboratory for Research and Innovation, the Ontario Long Term Care Association (OLTCA), and the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto. In 2014, Andrea founded BrainShape.ca – a community for adults who are 60 and older and want to stay mentally and physically active. Through this platform, Andrea shares brain health research and inspiration for aging adults.
This event is free with registration.