Seems like everyone and their dog who is over 80 is getting dementia these days. Though I'm vaguely somewhere between 18 and 78, I figure it's never too early to worry about a potential problem. Besides, I do have some circumstantial evidence that my grey matter may be on the decline. For instance, at work I more and more find myself wandering through the Internet with no idea of why I’m there or what I was looking for.

It's some small comfort to know that I'm not the only one worried about my brain eroding into a slithering mess of confusion and incomprehension.

In fact, noticing changes in memory and concentration and worrying about work performance and early signs of dementia is the "quintessential middle-aged worker's bugbear," write Dr. Fergus Craik and Dr. Donald Stuss in this article in The Globe and Mail.

But Craik and Stuss, part of the Cogniciti science team that created the Memory@Work product, say older workers can take measures that support focused thinking. They advocate a little cardio exercise, some cognitive training, a new and complex activity or two, and a low-fat diet. Even my traipsing through virtual space has some benefit -- UCLA scientists recently found that searching on the Internet can stimulate brain function.

Barbara Strauch, author of The Secret Life of the Grown-Up Brain, is a rousing cheerleader for the middle-aged brain. "The brain, as it traverses middle age, gets better at recognizing the central idea, the big picture," she writes in this article in The New York Times. "If kept in good shape, the brain can continue to build pathways that help its owner recognize patterns and, as a consequence, see significance and even solutions much faster than a young person can."

In the final analysis, we geezers have the potential to mentally soar, if we take concerted actions to improve our brain functioning. I'm not much for half-marathons or one per cent cottage cheese (as per Craik and Stuss), but I could happily squeeze in some more Googling now and again if it means sparking new life into my tired neurons.

kathyo

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I can't remember when exactly Betty White started showing up all over the entertainment news, but it was recently and it coincided with her 88th birthday. Yes, she's been around for a long time but suddenly, again, her fame seemed to skyrocket, rivaling that of the other famous white-haired lady, Gaga. White went on to successfully host Saturday Night Live in May, and won an Emmy for it, her sixth. She won her first Emmy in 1952.

Recently, White simply announced that she has no plans to retire. Currently, a star of Hot In Cleveland, White is saying, "[Retirement] is not a dirty word, I am just enjoying what I am doing. If they want me to retire, then stop asking me. Ask and I will say yes unless it is something I really don't like."

People are thrilled with White's attitude and her continuing success. Hopefully her popularity in Hollywood, that relentless supporter of youth, will bring on the change that's needed in how North Americans see their seniors (if it sees them in the first place). Closer to home, Mississauga Mayor, Hazel McCallion, 89, announced that she would seek a 12th and final term on Oct. 25. And here at Poss.ca we're paying attention to those changes: our gerontology article is all about the older population influencing changes in the career world.

Jowita

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Having seen my fair share of retirement ads, I know that reaching age 65 is the worker bee's ultimate destination. That's when you leave the rat race behind and transition to a life of casual strolls on a sandy beach.

Or at least it used to be. From what I've been reading, retirement is going out of style. A 2009 Sun Life Financial survey reports that a majority of Canadians are planning to work past 65. The Globe and Mail also notes that a growing number of retirement-age Canadians are trading in their longtime careers only to pursue new jobs. And it's not financial necessity that's keeping them tethered to the workforce. These people actually want to keep working.

Stretching employment past 65 can be a good thing. Sarah Hampson observes that "An appreciation for work as a lifelong endeavour, like exercise, may encourage people to take a few more risks -- switch careers at 40 if they're not content with the one they have, for example." I also wonder whether this change in thinking will affect ageism in the workforce -- perhaps eliminating the discrimination that 50- and 60-year-olds sometimes face. With more and more people rejecting retirement, we may start noticing that older employees still have a lot to contribute.

I've always thought that a 30-to-40-year stint in the work world is ample. But that's not because I'm hoping to spend my retirement years sitting in a rocking chair. Finances permitting, I see retirement as an opportunity to take longer vacations, volunteer with local organizations, fully pursue an interest or hobby, and live life without being tied down to a work schedule. With so many ways to keep busy, who has time to work past 65? Lawn bowling league, here I come!

Veronica

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