A Happy Meal: Casual Eateries May Provide Cognitive Benefits for Older Adults

A University of Michigan (U-M) study published in Health and Place found that older adults' regular visits to casual eateries may have a protective effect on their cognitive health comparable to marriage, reports University of Michigan News . The researchers interviewed and observed 125 older adults aged 55 to 92 in the Minneapolis metro area and found they valued such venues as places of familiarity and comfort; were physically and economically accessible; and offered opportunities to socialize with family, friends, staff, and customers. Participants living in the most spartan retail food environments had cognitive scores that were modestly lower — roughly 0.1 points — than those residing in the highest density environments. The difference in cognitive well-being between individuals in high-density and low-density neighborhoods was equivalent to about a year's difference in age, which is strongly associated with age-related cognitive decline in seniors. "As these 'third places' close for business during the pandemic, the opportunities for social interaction for older adults are constrained," said U-M Professor Philippa Clarke. "This research highlights the importance of informal places for social interaction for maintaining cognitive health with aging, and raises important questions about the impact of their closure for the future rates of dementia in older Americans."