We at the Mower County Senior Center have been focused on exercise for many years. Many of the programs we offer at the senior center involve exercise.

This article was published to support our claims. Seniors can stop cognitive decline — even those diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) — with an exercise program of moderate intensity, according to a new study. It is the first to discover that exercise and improved fitness can impact cortical thickness in the brains of older adults diagnosed with MCI.

The recent study finds that older adults that improved their fitness through a moderate intensity exercise program increased the thickness of their brain’s cortex, the outer layer of the brain that typically atrophies with Alzheimer’s disease, according to research from the University of Maryland School of Public Health.

These effects were found in both healthy older adults and those diagnosed with MCI, an early stage of Alzheimer’s disease. Many people think it is too late to intervene with exercise once a person shows symptoms of memory loss, but this data suggest that exercise may have a benefit in this early stage of cognitive decline.

It is never too late to start exercising. The Mower County Senior Center hosts over 15 exercise classes per week. Come down and check us out. We have something for everyone.

We look forward to seeing you at our many programs at the senior center. Don’t forget our coffee shop where every day you can have homemade soup for $1 and a sandwich for 50 cents. Tuesday we are having scalloped potatoes and ham for only $2.

Upcoming events

Monday: Bone Builders, 9 a.m.; Blood pressure checks, 9 a.m.; Cards (Pinochle, Duplicate Bridge), 12:30 p.m.; Exercise with Evie’s Friends, 1 p.m.; Zumba 6:15 p.m.

Tuesday: Silver Sneakers, 8:15 a.m.; Exercise with Evies Friends, 9 a.m.; Grief Support Group, Mary Kittelson, 10:30 a.m.; Scalloped potatoes and ham, 11:30 a.m.; Cards (Pinochle, Duplicate Bridge, 500) 12:30 p.m.

Wednesday: Tai chi, 9 a.m., Wood Carvers, 9 a.m.; Weight Watchers, 12:15 p.m.; Cards (Duplicate Bridge, Pinochle, Cribbage), 12:30 p.m.; Stitching Bees, 1 p.m.; Open chess, 1 p.m.; Weight Watchers, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday: Silver Sneakers, 8:15 a.m.; Exercise with Evie’s Friends, 9 a.m.;

Cards (Pinochle), 12:30 p.m.; Bingo, 1 p.m.; Open chess, 1 p.m.; Zumba, 6:15 p.m.

Friday: Bone Builders, 9 a.m.; Cards (Duplicate Bridge, Pinochle, Cribbage, 500), 12:30 p.m.; Ping pong 3 p.m.

Weekly Card Results

Monday Bridge

No Results

Tuesday Duplicate Bridge

Jan. 19, five tables

1st Gene Muchow, 1st Ron Peters; 2nd Millie Seiver,

2nd Joyce Crowe; 2nd Ray Schmidt, 2nd Gail Schmidt;

4th Jim Fisher, 4th Larry Crowe; 5th Barb Engebratson, 5th Orrin Roisen

Tuesday 500

Jan. 19, three tables

1st Carol Hamilton, 2nd Wayne Chilson, 3rd John Karnes

Wednesday Cribbage

Jan. 20, one table

1st Hilton Henschen, 2nd Barb Dickman

Friday Bridge

No Results

Pinochle

John Karnes

Friday 500

Jan. 22, three tables

1st Dennis Bray, 2nd Barb Dickman, 3rd Russ Vaale

Friday Cribbage

No Results