Page 144 - Mind Games The Aging Brain and How to Keep it Healthy

128 • Chapter 5

seniors do not compete or try as hard as the younger partic-
ipants, who may have participated more recently in test sit-
uations in school.
Many studies concentrate on anticipated declines of abil-
ities. Researchers feel the need to find declining abilities to try
to prevent or minimize these declines. “Information about
cognitive abilities that remain stable or increase with age, al-
though perhaps desirable to provide a more balanced por-
trayal of the true capabilities of older adults, has a lower
priority among many researchers because it has been pre-
sumed to be of less value in contributing to the ultimate elim-
ination of age-related cognitive problems.” 1
Thus, many of the results of aging that have been pub-
lished are disheartening, to say the least. However, retirement
also would be distressing if we were not fully prepared with
compensation strategies (part-time jobs and mortgage pre-
payment to stretch our dollars) and accommodations (volun-
teer work and travel to fill free time). So let’s take a hard look
at aging’s effect on our bodies and minds. Then you can begin
to prepare compensation and accommodation strategies to
have enjoyable and successful senior years.
Retirement is an accepted, normal part of aging, and if
prepared for properly, a time of life we cheerfully anticipate.
We prepare for retirement by evaluating present circum-
stances and anticipating future changes in our economic sit-
uation. Some individuals start earlier preparations, use
better strategies, and thus are more prepared than others.
Just as we want to be one of the more successful design-
ers of our economic future, we want to be one of the more ef-
fective analyzers of our physical and mental supply and
demand. It is critical to our successful aging to be aware of
potential changes in our bodies and mental supply and de-
mand. You must prepare to maximize the good and mini-
mize the bad effects of the aging process.

“Old age is like everything else. To make a success of
it you have to start young.” — Fred Astaire