Exclusive | New brain gym at Upper East Side assisted living keeps seniors minds sharp

Brain drain? Not for these seniors.It’s a no-brainer that the risk of cognitive decline increases as we get older, with about half of Americans expected to start experiencing worsening memory or thinking skills after age 55.So residents at The Bristal at York Avenue, a luxury assisted living community on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, are keeping their noggins in tip-top shape with BrainFit, a first-of-its-kind brain workout system.The BrainFit gym uses gamified, arcade-style targets to train things like memory, coordination and decision-making.Think “Dance Dance Revolution,” but instead of keeping rhythm with your feet, a giant wall with flashing LED lights uses pattern recognition, reaction time, hand-eye coordination and agility to hit illuminated targets.Using drumstick-like controllers, participants can play various games that focus on memory matching, pattern recognition, sequencing activities, balance and agility exercises, dual-tasking challenges and even team competitions.For Richard Stapen, a Bristal resident who was the first to use the technology, the sleek machine simply looked like a fun way to scratch a nostalgic itch while also playing to his competitive side.“I’m an athletic person, and I used to play the drums,” the 78-year-old told The Post.“It just brings me back to my high school days.”Since the machine was installed six months ago, Stapen has been playing twice a week for around 30 minutes a session.

He likes that it “enhances memory,” which “plays a very big part in using the machine.”But… is it working?“I think I’m a little sharper,” he said.“It’s hard to really judge, but I know I enjoy it more than when I first started to use it and I’m certainly no worse off.”Stapen’s certainly not the only resident who’s gotten a kick out of the game.Mary-Ann Caws was drawn to the program to improve her strength and reflexes, but ended up getting a lot more out of it.“It’s a fun way to do both,” the 93-y...