As someone who has cared for two people with dementia, I know how difficult the journey can be.

Since one was my mother, the thought that I, too, might be genetically predisposed to dementia has me doing all I can right now.

So, I was thrilled to learn that the Alzheimer’s Association is also researching ways to help people prevent Alzheimer’s disease and its related dementia.

The Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2025 took place in July in Toronto. Results of the U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk were released.

This two-year, multi-site clinical study, also known as U.S. POINTER, looked at two different lifestyle interventions in older adults at risk for cognitive decline. One group had a more structured program and the other used a more self-guided approach.

This study, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, is the first large-scale, randomized controlled trial to demonstrate that accessible and sustainable healthy lifestyle interventions can protect cognitive function in diverse populations across the United States.

“As the burden of dementia grows worldwide, U.S. POINTER affirms a vital public health message: Healthy behavior has a powerful impact on brain health,” Alzheimer’s Association President and CEO Joanne Pike said in a news release.

The study found that no matter one’s sex, ethnicity, genetic risk or heart health status, the intervention worked.

“The positive results of U.S. POINTER encourage us to look at the potential combination of a lifestyle program and drug treatment as the next frontier in our fight against cognitive decline and possible dementia,” Pike said.

Both the structured intervention and the self-guided one focused on physical exercise, nutrition, cognitive challenge and social engagement, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Participants in the structured intervention attended 38 peer team meetings over two years and were given a prescribed activity program with measurable goals for aerobic, resistance and stretching exercise; adherence to the MIND diet; cognitive challenge through BrainHQ training and other intellectual and social activities; and regular review of health metrics and goal setting with a study clinician.

Participants in the self-guided group attended six peer meetings to encourage self-selected lifestyle changes that best fit their needs and schedules. Study staff provided general encouragement without goal-directed coaching.

Although the structured group did see greater improvement in global cognition compared with the self-guided group, both groups saw improvements. That means that the possibility of tailoring a program to an individual may be something that’s possible, as well.

“The potential to improve cognition with fewer resources and lower participant burden is compelling. It highlights that while not everyone has the same access or ability to adhere to more intensive behavior interventions, even modest changes may protect the brain,” said Laura D. Baker, professor of gerontology and geriatrics, and internal medicine, at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Advocate Health, and U.S. POINTER principal investigator.

No doubt we’ll be hearing more about the results of the U.S. POINTER study in the future. In fact, the Alzheimer’s Association plans to build on it by launching several programs and initiatives, including:

A personal brain health assessment tool.

A virtual brain health training program for health care providers.

A community recognition program for organizations championing brain health.

A brain health roundtable that will unite leaders across health care, public health, community and corporate sectors to accelerate impact.

To learn more about this and other dementia-related topics, visit alz.org. The results of the study were also published in The Journal of the American Medical Association.

As for me, I’m hopeful and relieved that by making positive lifestyle changes, I might be able to reduce my own risk of dementia in the future. It’s worth a try.

• Joan Oliver is the former Northwest Herald assistant news editor. She has been associated with the Northwest Herald since 1990. She can be reached at jolivercolumn@gmail.com.