Page 13 - Mind Games The Aging Brain and How to Keep it Healthy

xii • Preface

If you are a sequential learner (one who starts at the be-
ginning and performs each step along the way), you will
progress through the chapters, and by the time you reach
Chapter 6, you will fully understand the relevance of the
games, exercises, projects, hobbies, and activities the text
recommends. Nonsequential learners (those who look for a
specific topic and start there) who skip directly to Chapter 6
will discover many references back to explanations in earlier
chapters. As you become more interested in the material
presented, you easily can refer back to the applicable foun-
dation theory.
Whether you are a sequential or nonsequential learner,
we strongly recommend that you eventually read all of the
chapters to receive the full benefit of the information.
We present key concepts at the beginning of each chap-
ter. After you identify a favored learning style, icons direct
you to the appropriate learning activity. For example, nu-
merous diagrams, photographs, and illustrations guide the
learning for readers who have difficulty visualizing infor-
mation from text. Inserts highlight special enrichment con-
cepts and role-model experiences.
To support the text, we have set up a Web site with ani-
mations that are keyed to text explanations. Interactive
games for mental exercises described in the text also are
available on the Web. All of the exercises, games, and learn-
ing strategies directly affect specific areas of the brain and
allow for growth and development of widely applicable
learning and retention skills. You will find a supplement at
the Web site with teaching strategies and ideas applicable
for a classroom setting or discussion group. Visit www.
mentalagility.com.

MIDDLE-AGED ADULTS, SENIOR
CITIZENS, AND ELDERS
If you want to dust off your brain cells and fine-tune your
thinking processes, you can practice these learning strate-
gies anywhere at any time. You may initially read and prac-