Lifespace Communities Plans National Rollout of Dakim BrainFitness

DES MOINES, Iowa, Nov. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Lifespace Communities (formerly Life Care Retirement Communities), headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, announced today that it has become the first senior living provider to adopt the Dakim® BrainFitness(TM) System nation-wide for its 4,500 residents in 11 communities across the U.S. The Dakim BrainFitness System, which has already been implemented in three of its continuing care retirement communities, provides opportunities for daily cognitive stimulation for its residents. The program will be implemented in eight additional communities over the next few months. The entertaining touch screen-based system from Dakim, Inc. is specifically designed to help seniors strengthen their brain health and fight the threat of memory loss and dementia.

Earlier this year, Lifespace Communities began using the BrainFitness Program in three communities including Claridge Court in Prairie Village, KS; Friendship Village in Bloomington, MN; and Beacon Hill in Lombard, IL. Staff and resident feedback have been extremely favorable. Thus Lifespace Communities decided to incorporate the Program into its wellness programs at its eight additional communities.

"Dakim BrainFitness is a perfect fit for our communities. Our recent brand change to Lifespace Communities means more choice in wellness programs for our residents. Choosing an engaging brain fitness program to help residents fight the threat of memory loss is yet another compelling advantage our residents have access to in our communities," said Scott Harrison, President/CEO of Lifespace Communities. "Since day one, our residents at Claridge Court have lined up to participate in the BrainFitness Program. The participation and interest among our residents, at all levels of care, has continued to grow. The residents, staff, and therapists have spoken and we've listened!"

"Brain fitness has become a cornerstone of wellness programming for senior care providers," said Dakim CEO, Dan Michel. "Lifespace Communities' commitment to offer this program to its residents, in all eleven of their communities, is another indicator of the national focus on senior brain health."

About Dakim BrainFitness

Each 20-minute Dakim BrainFitness session exercises short- and long-term memory, critical thinking, visuospatial orientation, calculation and language for a thorough brain workout. Activities range from anagrams and name-that-tune challenges to interactive puzzles and narrated literary passages with follow-up questions. Friendly and frequently humorous voiceovers explain each challenge and offer encouragement, even if users give wrong answers.

Played on a special touch screen computer that requires no mouse, keyboard or computer knowledge, Dakim BrainFitness offers entertaining, original brain-building activities filled with colorful images, stories, humor, and senior-friendly pre-1950s film and music clips that are updated every few days to sustain interest. The system self-adjusts the level of challenge for users ranging from active seniors to early-stage Alzheimer's patients.

The emphasis on promoting sustained use - unique in the brain fitness market - is based on numerous studies demonstrating a substantial reduction in dementia risk with consistent, long-term mental stimulation. One 21-year study published in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that the risk can be lowered by as much as 63%, apparently by building a cognitive reserve that can help compensate for brain aging.

The Dakim BrainFitness System is available at a number of senior living communities across the U.S. and can be purchased for home use. Call 800-856-5502.

About Lifespace Communities

Lifespace Communities, Inc., headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, is the seventh largest not-for-profit leader of independent senior living communities in the U.S. Founded in 1976, Lifespace Communities owns and manages 11 continuing care retirement communities in seven states including Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska and Pennsylvania. It provides services to more than 4,500 residents and has more than 2,000 employees nationwide. For more information, visit www.lifespacecommunities.com or call 1-515-288-5805.

About Dakim, Inc.

Dakim Inc. is the leading provider of brain fitness programs that provide rigorous cognitive stimulation to help reduce the risk of memory loss and dementia, as well as expedite the process of regaining cognitive function after a stroke or traumatic brain injury. The company's flagship product, Dakim BrainFitness, is an entertaining multimedia touchscreen-based system that is the #1 brain training program in the senior living market because of its innovative format and ability to be used with virtually no caregiver assistance. The system is also sold for home users. The company is headquartered in Santa Monica, CA. For more information, visit www.dakim.com.

    Lifespace Communities Contact:
                   Marisol Molstre
                      515/282-7145
    m.molstre@essmanassociates.com