When words become medicine, how to protect the silver haired brain through reading

Grandpa always says that reading is the 'brain gold' he must eat every day. "This sentence comes from an elderly person at a Nanjing community reading club. On World Book Day in 2025, we should not only talk about 'there is a golden house in books', but also pay attention to how words can become a shield against the erosion of time.   

The anti-aging secret of the brain: the scientific power of reading

A research team from Rush University in Chicago tracked more than 1900 elderly people and found that those who persisted in reading and writing had an average delay of 5 years in the onset of Alzheimer's disease. This is not accidental - words are like the brain's "fitness equipment", constructing a "moat" of cognitive reserves through continuous stimulation of neuronal connections. As the neurologist at Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital said, "Reading a few pages of a book every day is like doing aerobic exercise for the brain

Even more surprising is that reading is not only about prevention, but also a part of treatment. A study by the University of Nottingham in the UK reveals that the focus and thinking generated during reading can promote the secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone, which is a "natural brain gold" that can repair damaged nerves and alleviate memory decline. In a rehabilitation institution in Nanjing, elderly people with dementia were able to gradually retrieve lost fragments by reading old photo story collections together - words became the gentle key to unlocking the lock of memory.   

From Book Pages to Life: Stories of Reading Healing

Grandma Wang from Suzhou was once an early patient with Alzheimer's disease, and her family noticed that she always stared at an old diary. Community volunteers sent her a large print version of 'Old Stories from the South of the City' and accompanied her to read and chat about childhood anecdotes. Half a year later, she was able to retell the details in the book and even started writing short life essays. The words made me recognize myself again, "she said with a smile. Such stories are quietly happening in countless elderly reading communities.   

2 Age friendly Reading Guidelines to Help Every Book Understand the Elderly

Not all reading is suitable for silver haired people. Blurred vision, stiff fingers, and scattered attention... These challenges require more thoughtful solutions.

Font and Media: Reducing the Burden on Eyes and Hands

Paper book: Choose large font size ≥ 4 and line spacing 1.5 times to avoid reflective paper.

Electronic devices: It is recommended to use a reader with an e-ink screen, which supports voice page flipping, night mode, and can also switch to book listening mode with just one click.

Reading scenario: It's better for a group of people to chat than for one person to read

Community Reading Corner: A community in Nanjing combines a book corner with a tea room and holds a "Afternoon Storytelling Party" every week. Elderly people take turns reading aloud while drinking tea, and at the end, they can also take away the recipe for health tea.

Family Reading Together: Grandson teaches grandmother to listen to books with voice assistant, grandmother tells grandson about red family history - this intergenerational interaction itself is the best cognitive training.   

3 Warm Trailers for Future Elderly Care Life at Jiangsu International Elderly Expo

The Jiangsu International Senior Expo in October this year will no longer be just a showcase for technology products, but a collective reflection on "how to age gracefully".   

The Temperature of Technology: The Invisible Guardian

You will encounter such a future:

✔️ The smart desk lamp on the desk can automatically adjust the light according to the reading time, and when the elderly sit for a long time, it will softly remind them, "It's time to get up and have a cup of tea

✔️ The 'Sleep Book Boy' on the bedside table monitors breathing rate and plays sleep aid audiobooks during light sleep, allowing insomnia sufferers to fall asleep with the sound of 'Walden Lake' flowing water.

The original intention of service: Understanding is more precious than technology

Exhibitors are redefining 'aging friendly'——

❌ No longer pursuing cool feature stacking, but focusing on "how to let my 90 year old grandfather complete the borrowing operation alone";

❌ No longer emphasizing "designing for the elderly", but inviting them to participate in product testing, making the grandmother in the wheelchair a user experience officer.   

When AI starts reading 'Dream of the Red Chamber' to the elderly, and VR takes bedridden elderly people 'into' Dunhuang murals, technology is reshaping the boundaries of reading. But what remains eternal is that the moment we open the pages of the book, we are forever young.

In the golden autumn of October, let's meet at the Jiangsu International Elderly Expo to write a more calm and fulfilling story of our later years together——

Because the best retirement is never waiting for time to pass, but making every moment full of surprises of discovery.