by Nancy Linenkugel
Contributor
"This morning I put my other sock on first," the person sitting next to me said. "I'm trying to hold off dementia." That spawned a conversation about the scourge of dementia and how we've each known persons affected by it.
He went on, "I recently read a study from London that cab drivers have less incidence of dementia compared to bus drivers. Presumably, bus drivers drive the same route over and over, know all the stops, know the usual passengers, and automatically know the fares. In contrast, cab drivers have to think more about each customer, where they want to go, and the most efficient routes to get there. And cab drivers have constant variety in customers and trips. I guess there's something to be said for maintaining active thinking."
That got me thinking. Are my daily activities more like those of a bus driver or more like a cab driver? Are my days filled with activities that challenge my brain and thus challenge me? Or is my daily activity repetitive, requiring little thought, and thus stagnating me?
[Nancy Linenkugel is a Sylvania Franciscan sister and chair of the department of Health Services Administration at Xavier University, Cincinnati Ohio.]