As an illustration of what one of OPAL's members is doing I asked U3A Hawthorn's Secretary, Derek Readman, for some news. Hawthorn is offering about 100 courses a year to its more than 1000 members and among the highlights are a 34 member chamber orchestra and a 45 strong choir. In June 2000 Hawthorn members combined to put on a celebration of Shakespearean scenes, speeches, poetry and songs - more is planned. Hawthorn also runs a series of monthly talks by visiting speakers and a summer school. If other OPAL members have news of their activities, let's hear it and make this site a forum for sharing news and ideas.
Research shows mental and physical exercise keeps old brains fit.
Western Reserve University Medical School in Cleveland, shows that it is never too late for an old brain to start jogging. So much so that Case Western plans to study whether people who contract Alzheimer's disease watched more TV throughout life than healty seniors. But we also have to get physical. Researcher Mary Haan, of the University of Michigan, studied people who have a gene that increases the risk of Alzheimer's. Brain function of gene carriers declined four times faster with age if they also had hardened arteries or diabetes.