INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you don't use your cognitive abilities and practice them routinely, you will eventually lose those abilities.If you can, try to learn something new, like a language, a musical instrument, or even a new skill set. If you can't pick up something new, you can alter your daily routine in simpler ways to strengthen your cognitive abilities, like doing a word puzzle, reading parts of the newspaper you normally don't read, or taking an alternate route you wouldn't normally take while driving. Other ways to use your cognitive abilities include reading, joining a book club (which incorporates social interaction), playing strategy games like chess, or taking classes to learn something new. When people are alone for long periods of time, they become prone to depression, stress, and anxiety, and these symptoms can contribute to confusion and memory loss over time. A great way to ward off confusion is to spend time with other people. Being around others encourages you to recall past events and process current events to carry on a conversation, which is a great way to stay mentally sharp while also enjoying other people's company. Having great social support is especially important when dealing with confusion in elderly people. Try spending time with friends, relatives, or even strangers through volunteer work. Do not isolate yourself. Stay engaged with life and your social surroundings. Try writing down appointments, errands, chores, and things you'll need to pick up when you're at the store. Make a habit of carrying that list with you everywhere you go and checking it on a daily basis. Try keeping these lists on your smartphone for a convenient way to check them. Journaling may be a good way to keep your thoughts organized and keep track of your day-to-day life and obligations. Stash items like your wallet, keys, and mobile phone (if you carry one) in the same location in your home every day. That way you'll never waste time looking for the things you need before you leave the house. Organizing your environment will help you avoid confusion about your immediate surroundings while also strengthening your memory and thinking skills. If you're not hyper-organized, that's okay you can start in little ways. Studies show that taking the guesswork out of day-to-day chores and events can help you focus and concentrate more on learning new things and remembering important events/memories. Tidying up your home, especially by reducing clutter, can help to make it easier to find things and accomplish tasks. Go through old papers, notes, and to-do lists and throw them away if you no longer need them. Ask friends or family members to help you tidy up if you are overwhelmed by the process. Using more than one sense when you learn or experience something new helps keep multiple parts of your brain active and may help retain memories and learning abilities. Studies have shown that experiencing something with only 1 sense makes you less likely to remember or retain that information/experience than experiencing it with 2 or more senses. Try challenging your senses in little ways every day. When you try an unfamiliar dish at a restaurant, notice the smell before and after you taste the food. Challenge yourself to identify certain ingredients, or practice your cognitive abilities by reading a newspaper or book while you savor the smells and tastes of an unfamiliar dish. Having a routine can help with memory and cognitive ability. Any time you maintain a routine, your brain has an easier time making connections and recognizing patterns of your own behavior. It sounds simple, but just having a regular day-to-day routine may help reduce the effects of confusion and memory loss over time. For instance, make sure you get up and go to bed at the same time each day, which can help improve your sleep and overall health. Mnemonic devices are used to help you remember lists, orders of operation, and musical scales, but you can also make your own mnemonic devices to help you remember anything from your daily life. Try writing out the steps of something you need to do, then take the first letter of each word and try to put it in a related word or phrase. For example, the musical notes E, G, B, D, and F is easily remembered with the sentence, "Every Good Boy Does Fine." Creating and using mnemonic devices helps you strengthen both your thinking abilities and your memory. Finding ways to remember the steps of a certain process may also help free up your memory to process and retain new information.

SUMMARY: Learn a new skill or challenge your brain to keep it stimulated. Be socially active to promote long-term memory. Write down important information so it is easy to access. Choose a designated place for items you need every day. Tidy up your home to make it easier to navigate. Use all of your senses to better stimulate your brain. Develop a routine and stick with it for improved memory and cognition. Use mnemonic devices to strengthen the connections in your brain.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you're going to be a volunteer firefighter, you'll need to commit to hundreds of hours of training. You must be prepared to step up for your community and take action when there is a fire. Volunteer firefighting can be a rewarding way to spend your time, but you will need to be focused and committed to the role. Visit a local fire department, if you haven't already. Ask the firefighters about what it's like to work there. If you personally know any paid or volunteer firefighters, ask them to explain the risks and rewards of volunteering. Read articles and expert columns at sites like http://www.firerescue1.com/volunteer/. It's important to visit the local fire station. Every fire department is different, and you should make sure that this is a place where you want to spend your time. Go for a ride-along, if possible. If you're serious about volunteering, most fire departments will allow you to ride along in the fire engine for a day while firefighters are responding to emergencies. This might help clarify your decision. Most fire departments require that you sign up for a volunteer schedule or pledge a certain amount of hours to the program. The training is difficult and expensive, so try to make it count. Be realistic with yourself. If you won't be able to commit to the life of a volunteer firefighter, consider other ways to give back to your community.

SUMMARY:
Get serious. Research the role. Make sure that you have enough time.