The Villages - January 2018 - 9

Ageless Grace
Instructor: Teri Lee

rowing older is a given, but aging with grace is a
choice.
It's also a class. Just ask Teri Lee, a certified
educator teaching Ageless Grace to rooms full of intrigued
Villagers.
The cutting-edge brain fitness technique uses the science of neuroplasticity to promote brain health and improved memory. And while the concept sounds advanced,
Lee said her course is simple, fun and surprisingly playful.
"People are concerned about cognitive decline," Lee
told a seated group of participants during the first class
at Lake Miona Recreation Center. "Cancer is scary; heart
issues are, too. But Alzheimer's disease - aren't we all
afraid of it? My mother passed away with it three years
ago, and I can tell you how difficult it was when she could
no longer recognize me."
After having her own memory tested, Lee discovered
that her brain was healthy, but she continued to wonder
what more she could do to maintain her mental acuity.
"I heard about Ageless Grace and was intrigued," Lee
said. "So I studied it and became a certified educator."
Lee warns students that her class is not a cure for cognitive defects.
"You don't go home cured of anything. You have to
practice this daily," she said. "But it only takes 10 minutes,

and you're definitely going to enjoy it."
The music begins and Lee instructs the class to remove their shoes, wiggle their toes and practice a series
of movements. Other exercises have students rowing
through ripples of imaginary water and writing words in
the air with their elbows, feet and noses. These silly games
have a purpose. They help build new neural pathways in
the brain.
"When we learned to walk, talk and ride a bike, our
neurons were firing and we were building new connections in the brain," Lee said.
She explains that as adults we stop learning at such a
rapid pace. As a result, our brains aren't being stimulated in ways that benefit and protect them. Ageless Grace
offers 21 physical skills to activate five key areas of the
brain: analytical, strategic, kinesthetic learning, memory/
recall and creativity and imagination.
Village of Liberty Park resident Joe Cohen said he thoroughly enjoyed his first class.
"I think in theory it's a wonderful idea," he said.
Cohen admits it has taken him close to five years to get
used to not working, but tai chi and a variety of classes
keep him busy.
"I'm interested in anything that addresses the aging
process," he said. "I look forward to the next class."

MAGAZINE

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Villages - January 2018