REAL ESTATE NEWS

There may be no cure for dementia, but early detection and daily brain engagement can make all the difference, according to a group of senior housing operators speaking at the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC) spring conference this week in Nashville. From specialized virtual reality testing to ketogenic diets and simple memory exercises, panelists said that proactive strategies are helping residents maintain cognitive function longer—and in some cases, even improve it.

Amber Evans, Vice President of Memory Care and Resident Engagement Services at LCB Senior Living, is using technology to get ahead of the disease. Her residents don virtual reality headsets as part of the REACT program, a cognitive assessment platform that measures a person's baseline through a series of tests gauging memory, attention, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

"We measure the cadence in their voice and check for tremors or pauses," Evans said. "This gives us a baseline to track. There's no cure for this disease. It must be caught early. Our special sauce is brain prevention programs given by our engagement directors. We try to empower them to play a role in their brain health."

Evans said about 80 percent of her residents show improvement after participating in the program.

For Hal Cranmer, Owner of A Paradise for Parents in Arizona, wellness starts in the kitchen—and the gym. His three 10-bed homes are fully occupied with waiting lists, a testament, he said, to the success of his hands-on approach. "We focus on a ketogenic diet to reduce the carbs for our residents," Cranmer said. "Our low-carbohydrate meals are created by our nutritionists who have learned to make things like bread and lasagna with fewer carbs."

Cranmer's team also prioritizes reducing sugar intake. "There are 65 types of sugars out there, and you don't always know which ones are in which foods, so we're learning to use sugar substitutes," he said. Exercise, he added, offers emotional as well as physical benefits: "Hiring trainers to create workouts for the residents makes them feel good about being able to accomplish something."

His houses also incorporate technology-driven brain training through LearningRx, which pairs residents with personal trainers for customized, game-like exercises that target memory, logic, and attention. Residents even receive homework to keep their minds active. Complementing the cognitive work are wellness therapies such as red light therapy, saunas, and hyperbaric oxygen treatments—all aimed at boosting physical energy and brain function. "We're teaching our residents and their adult children not to accept dementia as a diagnosis," Cranmer said. "It's not terminal."

At Goodwin Living, CEO Rob Liebrich said brain health begins with the basics. His team uses StrongerMemory.org, a free program that encourages older adults to read aloud, write by hand, and do basic math for 30 minutes a day. Developed to strengthen the brain's prefrontal cortex, the program has shown measurable results across cultures and languages.

Liebrich partnered with George Mason University to validate its impact and found that improvements in brain health were statistically significant. "Over three years, we've had 862 residents participate in the program, and 76% of them showed improvement," he said. Liebrich has since extended the program internationally, confirming that "it could work for anyone, regardless of their language."

The consensus from the panel was clear: while dementia may not yet be curable, it is far from unmanageable. With consistent monitoring, the right kind of stimulation, and a commitment to early intervention, senior housing operators are creating pathways for residents to live fuller, sharper lives.

Source: GlobeSt/ALM