Cognitive Wellness Starts with Living Well

Jun 30, Alissa Sauer

June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, a time set aside to raise awareness and an opportunity to talk about the everyday habits, relationships, and experiences that support cognitive wellness long before a diagnosis ever enters the conversation.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, an estimated 1 in 9 adults aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s disease, while millions more experience mild cognitive impairment or other changes in memory and thinking as they age. 

At MacKenzie Place – Colorado Springs, a Leisure Care community, we believe cognitive health deserves attention at every age. That’s why supporting the whole person – mind, body, and spirit – is woven into everyday life throughout our community. Whether residents are enjoying a fitness class, sharing a meal with friends, participating in a favorite hobby, or benefiting from personalized memory care through Opal by Leisure Care, every experience is designed to foster connection, engagement, and overall well-being.

While memory may change over time, the need for purpose, belonging, and meaningful relationships never does.

Opal by Leisure Care at MacKenzie Place – Colorado Springs

For residents living with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, MacKenzie Place offers specialized memory care through Opal by Leisure Care.

Built on Teepa Snow’s GEMS® model, Opal focuses on a resident’s strengths and abilities rather than their limitations. Because cognitive abilities can fluctuate throughout the day, team members adapt their approach based on each resident’s needs, preferences, and abilities in the moment.

Our person-centered approach begins before move-in through a Life Story assessment that helps the team understand a resident’s background, interests, routines, and values. These insights guide individualized care plans, activities, and daily interactions.

Most importantly, Opal recognizes that while memory may change, a person’s identity, emotions, and need for connection remain. Every interaction is designed to promote comfort, dignity, and meaningful moments throughout the day.

PrimeFit Wellness + Opal by Leisure Care

Supporting cognitive health involves more than memory care alone. Research continues to show that physical activity, social connection, lifelong learning, emotional well-being, and a sense of purpose all contribute to overall brain health.

At MacKenzie Place, these opportunities are encouraged through PrimeFit Wellness®, a unique approach to wellness that supports residents holistically. Whether participating in a fitness class, attending a social event, learning something new, pursuing a favorite hobby, or spending time with friends, residents are encouraged to stay active and engaged in ways that are meaningful to them.

For residents living with cognitive impairment, Opal by Leisure Care builds upon that foundation. By tracking participation and sharing observations across the care team, Opal helps identify changes earlier and allows support to be adjusted as needs evolve. Together, PrimeFit and Opal help ensure residents receive personalized support while remaining connected to the people, activities, and experiences that matter most.

Innovative Tools for Cognitive Wellness

Supporting cognitive health means providing opportunities to challenge the brain, learn new skills, engage with others, and continue experiencing the world in meaningful ways.

BrainHQ

Leisure Care was among the earliest senior living providers to introduce Posit Science’s brain-training program, now known as BrainHQ, to residents, recognizing nearly two decades ago the potential benefits of cognitive exercise as part of a comprehensive wellness program. Today, residents have access to BrainHQ, a science-based cognitive training platform designed to strengthen skills such as attention, memory, processing speed, and problem-solving through personalized exercises that adapt to individual performance levels. The program provides residents with another way to stay mentally active while complementing the social, physical, and intellectual engagement already built into daily life.

Rendever

Residents may also have opportunities to participate in Rendever, an immersive virtual reality platform that allows older adults to explore destinations around the world, revisit meaningful places from their past, experience cultural events, and share new adventures with friends and family. Beyond the technology itself, Rendever helps spark conversation, encourage social connection, and create moments of joy, curiosity, and discovery. 

Community Living and Cognitive Health

One of the most significant benefits of community living is something that can be easy to overlook: daily social connection.

Research continues to show that older adults who maintain strong social relationships and stay actively engaged with others tend to experience better cognitive health, emotional well-being, and overall quality of life. Meaningful conversations, shared experiences, group activities, and a sense of belonging all provide important mental stimulation while helping reduce the isolation and loneliness that can negatively affect both brain and physical health.

Community living also provides another important advantage: the ability to recognize changes early. Because residents are surrounded by caring team members and neighbors who know them well, subtle shifts in participation, mood, routine, or social engagement are often noticed sooner. 

Looking Beyond Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month

While Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month helps bring important attention to cognitive health, supporting brain wellness is built year-round, through the choices we make, the relationships we nurture, and the experiences that keep us engaged with life every day.

Supporting cognitive health isn’t simply about preserving what has been. It’s about continuing to create moments of joy, purpose, connection, and possibility for today. Contact us today to learn more!