According to a study done over 12 to 14 years in the U.S. and summarized in a BBC article, smoking in mid-life increases one's chances of developing dementia. High blood pressure and diabetes also significantly increases one's chances of developing dementia. Similarly, another study done in the U.S. and summarized in a Reuters article determined that high cholesterol in study participants at ages 40 to 45 greatly increased those people's chances of developing Alzheimer's Disease or vascular dementia within 30 years. Researchers pointed out that changing behaviors and addressing risk factors, to help keep a healthy heart, seem to be important for people's brain health through their lives.

A recent University of Michigan study, as reported in an article for AARP, has found that walking in a natural setting, no matter what the weather, is good for people's attention and memory spans.

Read about the program that two financial planners have designed to prepare their clients for retirement. Lasting about a year, this "retirement boot camp" focuses on financial matters but also helps to prepare people for the feeling of retirement, such as suddenly having weekdays lose structure, having less income to use, etc. Issues covered in the program include increasing savings before retirement, figuring out whether quarterly tax payments should be made after retirement, setting goals and structuring one's time, and updating an estate plan. So far, the majority of people who go through the program decide they aren't ready to retire!