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Dementia & Alzheimer's Disease Crisis

  • As of today, over 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. Note that Alzheimer's typically accounts for 60%–80% of total dementia cases.

  • Approximately 514,000 new dementia cases are diagnosed annually in the U.S. (all types combined), projected to rise to 1 million per year by 2060.

  • Americans aged 55 and older have a 42% lifetime risk of developing dementia.

  • It’s estimated that 12 million Americans will live with dementia by 2060

Research shows regular physical activity can reduce dementia risk by up to 45%. *

This Became a Personal Mission

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My mom was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2023, and I’ve seen firsthand how important it is to keep the body and mind active.  Fireweed NeuroMotion Training was born out of my passion to help individuals and caregivers build resilience, hope, and joy through movement.  The best way to do this was to become a Certified Brain Health Trainer.

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What is a Brain Health Trainer?

A Brain Health Trainer is a certified fitness professional who designs and delivers exercise programs specifically aimed at supporting and improving brain function. Drawing on research in neuroscience and exercise science, a Brain Health Trainer uses movement to strengthen areas of the brain connected to memory, attention, processing speed, and executive function. Through carefully planned workouts that combine physical activity with cognitive challenges, Brain Health Trainers help individuals reduce dementia risk, enhance daily mental sharpness, and build “cognitive reserve” — the brain’s resilience to aging and disease. Whether working with adults who want to stay mentally sharp, or those experiencing early signs of cognitive decline, a Brain Health Trainer provides science-based, personalized strategies to move better, think clearer, and thrive longer.

NeuroMotion Training

As a Brain Health Trainer, I will create a Brain Health Exercise & Physical Activity Plan (BH-EPAP) incorporating Resistance Training (a.k.a. Strength Training), Aerobic Training, and NeuroMotor Training that is customized to you as an individual. While all three exercise modalities are important, Dual-Task Training, a subset of NeuroMotor Training, has shown to greatly improve cognition.  There are a variety of ways we can work together to include in-person Resistance Training, Individual Dual-Task Training, and Dual Task Training Group Classes to name a few.

Brain Health Exercise & Physical Activity Plan

Resistance Training

What it is: Exercises that use weights, resistance bands, or bodyweight to build muscular strength and endurance.
Brain Benefits: Resistance training has been shown to improve executive function (planning, decision-making, problem-solving) and memory, while also promoting the release of growth factors that protect brain cells and support neuroplasticity.
Examples: Dumbbell squats, resistance band rows, bodyweight push-ups, or TRX training.

Aerobic Training

What it is: Continuous movement that elevates heart rate and breathing, also known as “cardio.”
Brain Benefits: Aerobic exercise increases blood flow to the brain, stimulates the growth of new blood vessels (angiogenesis), and supports the hippocampus — the part of the brain critical for memory and learning. It also improves processing speed and attention.
Examples: Walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, or dancing.

NeuroMotor Training

What it is: Activities that challenge balance, coordination, agility, and reaction time — often involving complex movement patterns or multiple senses at once.
Brain Benefits: Neuromotor training enhances communication between different brain regions, boosting attention, reaction time, and problem-solving. When combined with dual-task training — pairing a physical task with a mental challenge — it maximizes brain stimulation and builds “cognitive reserve,” which helps protect against dementia and cognitive decline.
Examples:

  • Balance exercises while naming categories (e.g., fruits, animals).

  • Agility ladder drills combined with memory tasks.

  • Tossing and catching while answering math problems.

  • Stepping over cones while reacting to different colored lights.

NeuroMotion Training

My NeuroMotion services use dual-task stations — combining movement and mental challenges — to train the brain and body together. Every session is designed to improve memory, attention, executive function, and processing speed.

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In-Studio Training

NeuroMotion drills are built into your strength sessions, pairing exercises like squats with ball catches, balance tasks with problem-solving, or agility ladders with number cues. A personalized way to build strength while sharpening the brain.

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You can also book a stand-alone NeuroMotion session.  These are usually 30-minute sessions.

2

Small Group Classes

Move through fun dual-task stations using things such as cones, hurdles, light pods, and colored bean bags. Activities like obstacle courses, reaction drills, and memory challenges keep workouts engaging, social, and brain-focused. The circuit stations change often to keep it exciting!

3

Mobile Classes

I bring portable NeuroMotion stations to your community space, library, or care facility. Sessions feature stations such as balance plus math problems, reaction drills with visual or verbal cues, and movement patterns that build independence and confidence.  If you have a space for a class, I'll come to you!

* References

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Alzheimer’s Association. (2020). Exercise and its effect on cognition: Science summary. Alzheimer’s Association. https://www.alz.org/getmedia/71082c97-12af-4c79-ae1a-4214bfcf143a/ph-bold-center-science-summary-exercise.pdf

 

Barnes, D. E., Santos-Modesitt, W., Poelke, G., Kramer, A. F., Castro, C., Middleton, L. E., & Yaffe, K. (2013). The Mental Activity and Exercise (MAX) Trial: A randomized controlled trial to enhance cognitive function in older adults. JAMA Internal Medicine, 173(9), 797–804. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.189

 

Gomes-Osman, J., Cabral, D. F., Morris, T. P., McInerney, K., Cahalin, L. P., Rundek, T., ... & Pascual-Leone, A. (2018). Exercise for cognitive brain health in aging: A systematic review for an evaluation of dose. Neurology: Clinical Practice, 8(3), 257–265. https://doi.org/10.1212/CPJ.0000000000000460

 

Levin, O., Netz, Y., & Ziv, G. (2017). The beneficial effects of different types of exercise interventions on motor and cognitive functions in older age: A systematic review. European Review of Aging and Physical Activity, 14(1), 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11556-017-0189-z

 

Livingston, G., Sommerlad, A., Orgeta, V., Costafreda, S. G., Huntley, J., Ames, D., ... & Mukadam, N. (2017). Dementia prevention, intervention, and care. The Lancet, 390(10113), 2673–2734. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)31363-6

 

World Health Organization. (2019). Risk reduction of cognitive decline and dementia: WHO guidelines. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241550543

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