Having friends and family may help keep the mind sharp

Staying social, especially through marriage, may keep our minds sharp in old age, according to a University of Iowa study. Dr. Carolyn Turvey is a psychiatry professor at the U-of-I and the study’s author. She says keeping “engaged socially” seems to help people keep their minds sharp.
The U-of-I study focused on people who were at least 70 years old and still live in their own homes or that of a relative. More than 800 people took part across the U-S, including some in Iowa.
The study looked at people with Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementia. If they lived with other people and had consistent social interaction, they were less likely to have psychotic symptoms like hearing voices or seeing things that aren’t there. Dr. Turvey says the goal is to learn how people can age more successfully.
The findings are being published in the journal “International Psychogeriatrics”.