Promoting cognitive health and vitality: a review of clinical implications.

To maintain cognitive health and vitality, multidimensional cognitive structures must be developed and preserved. With a focus on patient education and health promotion, nurses in general, and geriatric nurses in particular, can proactively address concerns and fears that their patients have about dementia-related illnesses through strategies geared at promoting cognitive health and sustaining abilities. A clinical review of the research literature on the topic of cognitive health revealed the transdisciplinary nature of research on this topic. Effective strategies identified for promoting cognitive health and vitality are categorized as follows: prevention and management of chronic conditions, nutrition, physical activity, mental activity, and social engagement. Current research findings on the promotion of cognitive health and vitality are explored, and research-based implications for geriatric nursing practice are discussed.