We are a business based in Perth Western Australia, despite being located in the most isolated city in the world we market and sell successfully around Australia. The prime motivation is to provide those who work and spend time with our aging population with purposeful activities and user friendly resource books to help them with their invaluable task.

Wisdom Activities is managed by an Occupational Therapist who has had over ten years experience working in aged care, specializing with those who are in middle to late stage of dementia.

'Maintain your brain' is a common catchcry aimed at warding off dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The idea is that dementia is not an inevitable part of aging but it can be fought against, prevented and contained through early diagnosis and correct management.

The focus now is on retraining or establishing back up pathways within the brain, which compensate for any damaged brain cells as a result of the dementia process. Alzheimer's disease causes damage to the brain cells as a result of plaques and neurofiblially tangles within the complex 'wiring system' of the brain.

Stimulating the brain with continued learning, puzzle solving and connecting with society help ensure new pathways are constantly made and nurtured. In conjunction with this, regular (daily) moderate exercise and a varied, healthy diet help the brain by increasing blood flow and circulation.

Studies have shown that those elderly people who add memory games, puzzles and a variety of stimulating activity to their daily schedule maintain a better brain for longer. Researchers Access Economics recently estimated that nearly 52,000 Australians will be diagnosed with dementia over the next twelve months --- that's nearly 1,000 people a week.

Dementia is a term used to describe the symptoms of a group of illnesses which cause a progressive decline in a person's mental function. These symptoms include the loss of memory, intellect, rationality, social skills and normal emotional reactions. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia and accounts for up to 70% of all cases. Dementia can also be caused by Parkinson's disease, vascular dementia (multiple strokes), and AIDS.

For further information call : Alzheimer's Australia 1800 639 331

• May forget part or all of an event.
• Progressively forgets words and names.
• Increasingly unable to follow written and verbal directions.
• Progressively looses ability to follow stories on TV, in movies or books.
• Over time, looses known data, such as historical or political information.
• Looses capacity to perform everyday tasks.

• Memory sometimes vague.
• Sometimes forgets, or "on the tip of the tongue"
• Able to follow written and verbal directions.
• Able to follow stories on TV, in movies and books.
• Though recall is slower, information essentially is retained.
• Retains ability to perform everyday tasks, unless physically impaired.

quoted from "The West Australian" Health and Medicine section 2005