Hands and minds

There's an article today on Science Daily about the value of hand gestures. I knew about this already but it's good to see more work being done on the topic. Gesturing with our hands helps us to think and learn.

This is something we all should be familiar with, and it's a useful bit of information to pass on to others. When you speak with an older person who is having memory difficulties, encourage them to use their hands as they speak. It will help them connect with the words and ideas they're searching for. I've done this with my mother and it works. According to the article (which you can read by clicking on Science Daily, here or above), it also should work for kids who are trying to learn new things. (It will work for anyone, of course, not just old people and kids. They're just focusing on learning environments in this article.) So spread the word. Tell people about this.

While I'm at it, here's another useful nugget of information. If someone has a stroke in your presence, tell them first what you're going to do (so they don't freak out) and then gently touch their lips, their face and their fingers. Stroke them ever so lightly and keep doing this, moving from area to area (fingers, lips, face). You may prevent brain damage with this simple act so it's a great thing to do while you're waiting for the ambulance.

Here's a link to the study. Couldn't hurt, right? And it might really help. I'm certainly going to do it if someone has a stroke in my vicinity.