Home health aides have the privilege of seeing, interacting with and providing personal care for the same set of patients on a regular basis. For home bound elderly residents with compromised cognitive, mental and memory functions, this type of familiarity can be a blessing in disguise.

In addition to familiarity, new research has proven that certain leisure activities combined with cognitive exercises can help to improve brain health and possibly prevent memory loss. Home health aides are in an excellent position to initiate these activities with their home health clients.

Recommended activities include: reading books or having newspapers and books read to them, playing games, doing crossword puzzles, participating in outdoor activities, doing crafts like pottery and quilting and putting together puzzles. The research was presented by the American Academy of Neurology at their recent annual meeting in Seattle. Their study showed that those participants, who took part in cognitive activities such as the ones listed about, showed a 30-50 percent decrease in their risk of developing memory loss.

Many home health care teams, led in part by registered nurses, are now incorporating cognitive memory exercises into home health patient care plans. Since home health aides generally see home health patients the most frequently, they play a vital role in making sure that these exercises are carried out. Home health aides are also encouraged to discuss current events with their clients for mental stimulation.

This is an excellent time to train for a career as a home health aide. This is mainly due to the growing population of elderly individuals, the rise in chronic disease and conditions, and tightening personal finances (that make staying home a more attractive financial option than entering a long term care facility). Now, in light of this research, home health aides also have the opportunity to make more of a difference than ever in maintaining their clients’ memory and quality of life.