It's an occupational hazard, but I spend a lot of time thinking about aging. I'm really not a fan, but as my patients point out on a daily basis, "the Golden Years stink, but they're better than the alternative."Recently I read an article on the biopsychosocial care model by Natasha Emmons in Today in PT. Sounds complicated but basically means looking at the whole picture and targeting therapy to each person. The article briefly addressed psychological issues and memory. This made me wonder how much of "the mind goes the older it grows" is scientific truth versus media hype or old people gripe. Here's what I found out.
Reaction time and cognitive speed do decline as people get older. This is probably related to a dozen factors, including loss of brain cells, decreased production of neurotransmitters, genetics, hormone changes, and cumulative side effects from all the other stuff we've done such as medications and smoking. Incidental memory, or things learned without meaning to recall them, fades with time. Fluid intelligence, or the ability to solve problems using reason and abstract thinking also declines. (Sigh.)
However, not all is lost. As adults age, the ability to use skills, knowledge & experience is actually enhanced, with continued learning capacity throughout life. Intentional memory also stays intact with healthy aging. This means calendars, lists, and memory strategies become really important. All is not lost. We may just have to work a little harder to remember the new neighbor's name. Or which nursing home we just moved into.
A retentive memory may be a good thing, but the ability to forget is the true token of greatness. -Elbert Hubbard
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