Dementia expert warns of ‘stressful’ careers that increase your risk

An expert has revealed how certain jobs can help lower the risk of developing dementia later in life.

Kevin Jameson, the president, CEO and chairman of the Dementia Society of America, warned lifestyle factors cause at least 90 percent of symptoms.

Jameson explained that jobs which require a lot of mental effort, like those involving lots of reading and writing, can reduce the risk of dementia.

However, he warned that jobs with high physical stress could lead to higher rates of dementia in older workers.

The dementia expert told The Mirror: “Reading is a fantastic thing for your brain.

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“Picking up a newspaper, reading the newsprint – or even doing it online or electronically – but feeding yourself new and valuable and hopefully positive news can do wonders for your brain health.”

He also mentioned that jobs which involve reading the news, such as journalism, politics, finance, and school boards, can be beneficial for the brain.

However, he warned that reading or reporting negative news can have harmful effects on the brain.

Jameson suggests that being social in jobs can help keep the brain active and reduce the risk of dementia.

He continued: “Chatting with groups of people helps your brain because when you’re having a chat with someone, you not only have to listen to what they’re saying but then you also have to think of a response so there’s a conversation.”

Jameson added that being curious and keen to learn new things are also good for the brain.

These traits, along with being social and reading the news, don’t necessarily need to be part of a job – they can become daily or weekly habits.

Jameson stressed the importance of reading and mental stimulation for older folks, suggesting it’s crucial to look after your senses – by getting glasses as eyesight worsens and hearing aids as hearing declines.

He added: “Hearing loss, vision loss, sensory loss – like the ability to touch or smell – these are all linked to a decrease in brain stimulation. Basically, if you don’t use it, you lose it.

“It may not be that you’re going to stop dementia from coming your way in the future, but you can do a lot to lessen the risks so you can hold off and possibly outlive it.

“You basically want to live the best possible life you can before [degeneration] happens.”