People from long distances stayed days or weeks. Whatever work needed to be done, everyone pitched in. Harscher talked about the seamstresses in her family and about ironing a big pile of uniforms from her days as a nurse. I love their stories there's such wonderful wisdom that comes out of the stories. They don't see the value in it, but I see huge value in it.'' Staying mentally active Frederick Schmitt, a UK memory researcher and co-director of the UK Memory Disorders Clinic, said the value of such reminiscing isn't just in companionship or the sense of community and belonging that it brings.
Memory is something that needs to be fostered.
Schmitt mentioned a large study of people who avidly do crossword puzzles, which found that the puzzlers retained their memory more efficiently. Just like any challenging task, it keeps the brain active. Herald-Leader news researcher Linda Niemi contributed to this story. It's free and open to all seniors. To find out more, call the center at 278-6072, or sign up for its monthly newsletter, the Eldergram, at the same number.