Play Poker: No More Alzheimer’s Seniors Scene By George "The Engineer" Epstein
That’s right folks... If you are a senior citizen, playing poker will help you ward off the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia or mental deterioration that often come with aging.
Dementia is but one form of mental disease. (About ten percent of people become mentally ill at one time or another.) Mental illnesses involve structural changes in the brain which affect the mind, human behavior, and the emotions. Of these, Alzheimer’s disease is probably the most devastating. It is progressive. Those affected experience ever greater memory loss as well as deteriorating language, judgment, and visuospatial skills. It usually starts at age 65, although it can begin as early as age 40. Not only does it affect the person suffering from the disease, but virtually every member of his/her family and others who deal with him/her are placed under great pressure. If you have ever had a member of your family who suffered from Alzheimer’s, you know exactly what I am talking about. As the disease progresses, the person may even forget how to swallow food and walk, and need assistance in all daily activities. Eventually, the person may require being placed into an institution to care for him/her on a full-time basis. And there is no known cure.
All the more reason, it is important to understand how we can ward off mental illnesses as we age... I’ve said many times that playing poker is good for our mental health; but I it was really just my opinion based on personal experience. I was so certain of the validity of my opinion that it’s a full chapter in my book, The Greatest Book of Poker for Winners! But now we have hard evidence based on extensive scientific study by qualified doctors and scientists.
Scientific Study Proves the Point.
The highly respected Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York conducted an extensive study, recently reported in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine, involving 469 people aged 75 or older. The people selected all showed no signs of dementia at the start of the program. Researchers at the College followed these people over an average of five years. During that time, some of those in the study did develop dementia — 124 in all.. But those senior citizens in the study who engaged in mentally demanding leisure activities like playing poker and other games of cards were much less prone to develop mental deterioration. Other activities were also found helpful, including playing chess, checkers, playing a musical instrument, and reading. On the other hand, most physical activities like group exercise did not prevent dementia, although ballroom dancing did help, probably because the mind was challenged with remembering the dance steps, acting in response to the music, and coordinating with the dancing partner. Doing crossword puzzles regularly is effective — once a week isn’t enough to ward off dementia, according to the study.
The Bottom Line: Looking Ahead.
Participating in mentally demanding or challenging activities – such as playing poker – especially as we get older (and we all do), seems to provide a measure of protection against mental deterioration. One day your doctor will recommend that you play poker regularly to help keep your mind healthy. What’s your opinion? George “The Engineer” Epstein is the author of The Greatest Book of Poker for Winners! (T/C Press, PO Box 36006, Los Angeles, CA 90036) A retired engineer who received many industry and government awards and commendations, he continues to be active by consulting, editing an international technical newsletter, teaching an engineering course at UCLA, and serving as an officer in a professional engineering society. One engineering society has a scholarship in George’s honor.
George “The Engineer” Epstein is the author of The Greatest Book of Poker for Winners! (T/C Press, PO Box 36006, Los Angeles, CA 90036) A retired engineer who received many industry and government awards and commendations, he continues to be active by consulting, editing an international technical newsletter, teaching an engineering course at UCLA, and serving as an officer in a professional engineering society. One engineering society has a scholarship in George’s honor. In writing his poker book, he applied the lessons learned and experience while working as an engineer to solve problems. He is currently writing his next book on The Four Rules for Success in Life and Living. Reach George by e-mail: geps222@msn.com.
This article was published in the July 14th 2003 edition of Poker Player
George “The Engineer” Epstein is the author of The Greatest Book of Poker for Winners! (T/C Press, PO Box 36006, Los Angeles, CA 90036) A retired engineer who received many industry and government awards and commendations, he continues to be active by consulting, editing an international technical newsletter, teaching an engineering course at UCLA, and serving as an officer in a professional engineering society. One engineering society has a scholarship in George’s honor. In writing his poker book, he applied the lessons learned and experience while working as an engineer to solve problems. He is currently writing his next book on The Four Rules for Success in Life and Living. Reach George by e-mail: 
