Menorah Park’s Center 4 Brain Health Receives Award for Excellence The International Council on Active Aging® (ICAA), a professional association that leads, connects and defines the active-aging industry, has selected Menorah Park’s Center 4 Brain Health as a recipient of its 2016 Innovators Achievement Award. Presented annually, the ICAA Innovators Awards recognize those in the industry who are leading the way, setting new standards, and making a difference in the lives of older adults. The Achievement Award category showcases programs and concepts that advance active aging. Eligible offerings can target any or all of seven wellness dimensions – social, emotional, vocational, spiritual, intellectual, physical and environmental. Winning entries also highlight people’s potential to live well at any age. Center 4 Brain Health Director Krystal Culler said of the distinction, “We recognized a strong need for a non-pharmacological approach to brain health and wellness in the community and created the center to address it. Our center’s success demonstrates people’s interests and engagement in brain health programming because brain health is an important aspect of people’s daily lives,” she said. “For a program in its infancy, it has been humbling to watch the program grow over the past year and to be so well received by the local community. We are providing an innovative service to meet the demands for the brain health interests and needs of the community. Brain health is at the forefront of active aging, and we are leading the way by having a non-pharmacological, non-hospital-based center with low-cost programming and services available to community adults who are concerned about their brain health,” she added. According to Culler, the health and wellness approach taken by the center offers a supportive environment for participants to learn, share and discuss brain health concerns. She said brain health and wellness education can be a powerful tool to support engagement in a brain health lifestyle. For more information, contact Krystal L. Culler, M.A, at 216.839.6685 or kculler@menorahpark.org, center4brainheath.org. What are participants saying? “By attending these classes with my husband, I can much better understand what he is going through and I can now relate to him with his recent dementia diagnosis.” – Jane B., 61 “Ever since attending your Brain Teasers class, my mind has felt sharper and I feel wittier. I have begun doing some of the logic puzzles at home.” – Eleanor M., 84. “I am sleeping so much better now as a direct result of your class. I wake up energized and ready to go. I’m using the breathing exercises and oils and am really sleeping great now.” – Judy K. 40 Beachwood Buzz n December 2016