In the higher echelons of politics, there is no shortage of men and women who work well past the conventional retirement age.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who turns 90 next month, has said she will not seek re-election in 2024, but she remains the oldest member of the U.S. Senate. despite a recent extended medical absence and questions about her mental acuity. In the 2024 presidential election, voters will likely face a deadlock between President Biden, who turns 82 in November, and former President Trump, who turns 78.
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Experts have said that working into old age can be beneficial and improve longevity – but only if it is a choice; being forced to do so for financial reasons has the opposite effect. Yet many Americans are opposed to letting elder statesmen do the decision-making. 41% say old age is hurting members of Congress by making their jobs “more difficult” instead of helping them with “wisdom and experience,” a recent poll found.
So what are the cognitive challenges of working as an older adult – and what can older professionals bring to the table?
What happens to the brain as we get older?
The National Institute on Aging says that as we age, it’s not just our bodies that start to look different; physical changes also occur in the brain. Certain parts of the brain begin to shrink, “particularly those areas important for learning and other complex mental activities”; communication between nerve cells in certain regions may not be as effective; there is more inflammation; and “blood flow in the brain may decrease.”
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These physical changes may also correlate with changes in mental functioning, but experts say there is no set, universal standard when it comes to aging.
“I saw someone in my clinic yesterday who was 86, and she really looks like she’s in her late 60s or early 70s,” said Dr. Sharon Sha, a clinical professor of neurology and chief of the Memory Disorders Division at Stanford University. Yahoo News. “I’ve met 90-year-olds who run ultramarathons, so their joints, their cardiovascular function and their brain do not reflect that of a typical 90-year-old. So yes, brains can behave very differently.”
Sha also notes that while some changes in mental function are to be expected, not all of us are destined to experience dementia as we age.
According to a recent study from Columbia University, nearly 10% of American adults aged 65 and older suffer from dementia, and another 22% have mild cognitive impairment. The number of cases of cognitive impairment increases with age, although they are still in the minority; While 3% of people aged 65 to 69 have dementia, that number rises to 35% of people aged 90 and over.
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What are some of the challenges of working as an octogenarian?
Even for an otherwise healthy individual, some cognitive changes are to be expected. Sha said that for many people this means changes in the following:
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Processing speed: “As we age, the speed at which we think slows down somewhat.”
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Working memory: “The amount of total information we can retain may decrease somewhat, but not to a significant amount.”
Decreased attention and the ability to multitask can also be affected.
“Our bodies are not what they once were,” David Myers, an 80-year-old professor at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, said in an email to Yahoo News. ‘The stairs have become steeper, the newsprint smaller, the voices of others have become fainter and our sleep has become more disturbed. Our memories and reasoning are slower. We experience brain freezes more often when we’re trying to figure out someone’s name or the next point we wanted to make.”
What benefits can older workers bring?
Still, Myers said there are plenty of benefits as well as challenges as a working octogenarian. As a social psychologist, Myers defies many of the conventional stereotypes associated with aging in the US; he has recently published a book of essays on ‘curiosities and wonders of the human mind’ – the last of the eighteen books he has written.
“The temptation is to lump 80-year-olds together, when in reality their endurance and abilities vary much more than those of, say, 8-year-olds,” says Myers. “At eighty, some approach death, while others remain energetic, purposeful and quick-witted.”
He said there are several advantages to being an older working professional:
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Crystallized Intelligence: “Although we octogenarians don’t think as quickly (our ‘liquid intelligence’ is declining), our ‘crystallized intelligence’ – lifelong knowledge and the ability to apply it – remains strong.”
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Wisdom: “Older adults often benefit from a greater ability to keep things in perspective, to manage conflict, and to appreciate the limits of their own knowledge. It takes experience to know what you don’t know.”
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Emotional stability: “As teenagers and young adults, we rode an emotional roller coaster. As we get older, our feelings become milder. We better look beyond the moment. Compliments reduce elation, criticism reduces despair or irritation. So when we are confronted with the problems of the day, we are better off taking a big picture perspective.”
The National Institute on Aging says there may also be some positive cognitive changes, with many studies showing that older adults “have a more extensive vocabulary and greater knowledge of the depth of meaning of words than younger adults.”
How to keep your brain healthy and vibrant as you age
Although genes and family history can play a role in how well you age, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that “up to 40% of dementia cases can be prevented or delayed.”
A big part of brain health comes down to lifestyle choices, and Sha shared some of the advice she usually gives to her patients for better brain aging – with one tip ranking highest.
“Exercise, exercise, exercise. Research studies really confirm how much aerobic exercise is important for brain health,” said Sha. “I think it’s important to get your heart rate up for 30 minutes a day, if you can at least do that.”
A heart-healthy Mediterranean diet — rich in plant foods like seeds, vegetables, whole grains and fish — can also do wonders for the brain.
While there are no specific “brain games” that offer a surefire way to improve brain health, cognitive stimulation also plays an important role.
In addition to daily exercise, Myers says it’s this “active involvement” that has helped him stay sharp into his 80s — “through reading and writing and interactions that keep my brain alive and growing, and my life still alive.” always has a goal.’
