Have A Life Goal? The Effect Can Lower The Risk Of Dementia By Almost 30 Percent

JAKARTA - Recent studies reveal that having a life goal that can definitely reduce the risk of dementia. Dementia is a health problem that causes a decrease in memory, logical thinking skills, and other cognitive functions.

Dementia can make people experience a decline in quality of life and affect relationships with those around them. This disease usually attacks the elderly, but it is also possible for young people to experience it.

Therefore, it is important to prevent dementia from an early age. Starting from consuming healthy food, keeping the brain active, exercising, and spending time with other people.

In addition, another way to reduce the risk of dementia according to the latest study is to have a definite purpose in life. Having a purpose in life is said to reduce the risk of dementia by almost 30 percent.

The study was published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatyr, which analyzed more than 13 thousand adults aged 45 years and over. It was found that participants reported their life goals of approximately 28 percent were less likely to develop cognitive disorders such as dementia.

Tastes of having a goal can encourage healthier behavior, such as increased physical activity, better sleep, and social engagement," said executive director of geriatric doctors and senior service at MedStar Health, Dr. George Hennawi, quoted from Huffpost, Monday, December 1, 2025.

This can happen because it aims to live, be lonely and reduce the risk of stress in a person. This has a good impact on the brain, resulting in a decrease in the risk of dementia.

"It naturally reduces loneliness and symptoms of depression and increases stress resistance, all of which are known to support cognitive health and reduce dementia," he added.

By having a purpose in life, one is also increasingly actively interacting with their environment. This interaction functions to train cognitively, so that mental conditions are better and avoid dementia.

Such interactions can serve as cognitive or training exercises, keeping a person in good mental condition, concluded professor of neurology at the University of California, Dr. forced Voskuhl.