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Home My WebLink AboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1990-11-07, Page 14The''Senior Oirktht Larcknow Central' Public School were wwneirs sit the regional Cross Country- meet hdd °recently; in Members of the team hielade back row, left to ,.might, Dawne Rhody, Heather :Ashes:and Brendle ie Morrison. Front row,, T MAW mid Amy Sutherland. (Pat Liviiigston photo) Study finds memory does. not need to deteriorate with age Sy John Eba*ee yclwlogisis at the University of %clone have found that mamotry doesn't always decline with age, Older people oftent1a n their money is worse .than it .really the reseatchers found; at its extreme, tink mgthiscouldbecuine a self-fulfilling prophecy. In ad- drtion, it's possible to 'exercise' one's memory by doing intellectual tasks, they bound. •. Professors David JIultschand Huger Dixon also /Mild thatheal- thy elderly peeple geneirolly per- form some memory tasks boner than college ' age students, some tasks worse, and other .tasks just us well, - Their studies',involving more than. 300 elderly volunteers, ASO reveal tremendous differences in the • memory capacity of different in- `dividtmis. "Older° persons are not all alike." says Hultsch, Igor example, many aging doctors.: and executives routinely .perform .extremely demanding tasks. "It's simply -not the case that as you get older your memory, inevitably declines," Hultsch says. He adds that most 'older people retain the 4 ability to retrieve facts. "Very often, 'they'lldo better than younger ° people on Trivial, Pur- suit -type tests." , 'In addition, most older people match younger .people at remem- bering information they've just looked up, such as; telephone: num- exwe megeo& g2zferveitael. wedv4P4 mad cs8'.2ele° 0.4.0 eilAsit4v aha' ooa uxeeZa"Cioia `. to Joao, air r.1i•22�ers, to 6vieexi"e "ear boat s Ara/ WiesAiZater4, Wist,'.e 8a us, ttaiie ad ' "air mast inernarat9ee gi4aotas,'/ ealenas as a a/ de. or "% oats cours444 ede to rim Ta lave/mei/la09ur 41,14ssmoa oats i:3/inas edercaA azc Oeeam ,e90 e ,~40 /tame cake h sa,Cs ed e:et our elate Am '8124 Wie0V4tieeitati, emiff ��1f3 sed ek4 is ✓refleIniee,f/91 g. Q Jaw, ire Maallsola 479r9-J8,�'.P \ . , bels. However, they're more prone forgetting what was on their mind i# they re interrupted.* Hultsch says eltletiy people also tend to hrave more problems recal- ling information relevant to a sperm time and place, such as the lead story iii yesterday's newspaper. But he emphasis the these problems aren't universal for some seniors, the amount of memo Loss is negligible. Hultscht.and Dixon are now trying tit figure out what accounts for the differencea between older in, dividuals,"by exploring "tib factors associated with both good .and, not -so -good perfomiancee For example, they're examining the relationships between how _elder people perceive -their own memories, how actively they exer- cise their memories, and their objec- . tive performances on various memory tests. So far, they've. discovered that most' elderly people ' believe their memories are worsethan they really are. 'We heard'manypeople, say their memory was terrible when it really wasn't all that bad: com- ments Hultsch• More significantly,, those who held' the highest` opinion of their memories tended to fare the best on memory tests. The researchers ,also found that people who participate in a lot of mentally demanding activities, such as reading, playing: chess or doing crossword pug, ply perform better on tests than time who have Noir doing these sorts o}f� tthisgs.."� `?t4P Pwsible. therefore, that memory loss is a wit -fulfilling ply. Yt weld be that people who lack confidence in their memory are rewoving ,ihcroselves from situations', involving 'vigorous "mental exercise", argues Hultsch,. Whist evidence inay, in turn; be causing a real loss,rrt IMMO. Be cautions, however, that the opposhe could be happening. "'We're now trying to pinpoint exactly what comms first. the decline in =emery performance, or the belief that memory is declining and the subsequeqwithdrawat from activities. Funding for this research comes from the Social Sciences and; `Humanities Research Council, the Natural Sciences. and Engineering Research Council and the U.S. National Institute On Aging --(Canadian Science News) MOST MEN ARE TAUGHT.. - To appreciate solitude by:living in a city.. - To value their health only after theyhave lost it- ,: The t.--.The meaning cif friends *hen .they _ have been without thein, You and your "green" house Do you leave lights on in your house when you go out? Open windows during the winter to get fresh air? Or leave water running while brushing your teeth? Your house probably is not as "green" as it could be. By learning a few simple ways to conserve, you can help our planet every day at home and at work. Here are 14 easy tips about ener- gy efficiency you can practice every day. You will be sure to have one of the "greenest" houses on the' block if you follow these tips. If everyone did, imagine -,the dif- ference we would make. Energy Efficiency Turn off all lights, heaters and fans when you are not using them, or before going out. If you are concerned about home security, put a few lights on timers. This saves energy, and actually looks more authentic than leaving one light on in the same room all the time. Install dimmer switches on household lights, and replace regular lights bulbs with energy- efficient products such as compact fluorescents. Initially they may be more expensive, but they last ten times longer than conventional bulbs and save energy dollars. Upgrade your home's insulation to the highest levels. Don't forget to insulate your hot water heater and pipes, too. Because less energy is being consumed and produced, this will`save on 'heating bills and help the environment at the same time. Guard your house against air leakage by sealing windows and doors with ' caulking and weatherstripping. Don't forget to check the existing 'caulking and weatherstripping for leaks. Watch for other areas where air leakage can occur, such as up the chimney of a fireplace. Consider installing high -efficiency windows when replacing old windows to increase your energy savings. Use a ceiling fan instead of an air conditioner.. If it's absolutely neces- sary to use an air conditioner, set the thermostat at 25 degrees C (77 degrees F) or higher. Install plug guards to help reduce household drafts. Also, remember to use socket insulators behind light switches on outside walls -- it will reduce airleakage. • Keep your furnace in tip-top shape by cleaning or replace the air filter once a month. Reduce your energy consumption by installing a programmable ther- mostat, which automatically turns the heat down when it's not needed, Lower 'the temperature of your hot water tank, and wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. Your clothes will last longer and you'll save money. Wash clothes, water your lawn and run the dishwasher in off-peak hours. This- reduces the overall stress on water reserves and spreads out the demand for energy more evenly. If your area by-laws permit it, put up a clothes line in your backyard. Not only are you saving money on energy bills, but you're helping the environment. When buying appliances, choose the most efficient one that meets your needs. Check the appliance's Energuide label; which indicates its electricity consumption per month. The lower the Energuide rating, the more efficient the appliance. It takes about 2 to 4 hours to preheat your car's engine. A car plugged in all night wastes energy. Install a timer to power the block heater only when necessary. Turn off the television, stereo and radio when you're not using them. For more information on energy conservation, write to Energy Mines and Resources Canada Com- munications Branch at 580 Booth Street in Ottawa, Ontario, K1A OE4. Environment Canada also has information on what you can do for the environment. Contact the In- quiry Centre at 351 St. Joseph Blvd. in Hull, Quebec, K1A OH3,