CNBC (1) has a recent piece on a neuroscientist who is 101, the “world’s oldest practicing doctor.” How do you keep your brain sharp? Dr. Howard Tucker says keep your mind engaged through work, stay social and read for entertainment. Let’s dive in further.
My job requires me to review a number of medical subjects and think through problems. Staying up to date with the latest advancements in neurology keeps my brain busy.
Dr. Howard Tucker
- Volunteering, pursuing a hobby and learning new skills can provide great mental stimulation.
- Dr. Tucker passed the Ohio Bar Exam at the age of 67.
- Research has indicated that strong relationships may help maintain our memory and cognitive function.
- This involves building relationships with younger colleagues, having dinner with people in the community, dinner with family, and trying new restaurants with friends.
Immersing yourself in a good book, fiction or non-fiction, requires your brain to process a bulk of new information.
Dr. Howard Tucker
On this blog, we have advocated for greater incomes, reducing the wealth gap for minorities and women, and having a plan for retirement. Ageism exists as a discriminatory practice. Not all those that want to work as they get older will be in a position to work. They may have parents or children to take care of, physical disabilities, illness or mental deterioration from a neurodegenerative disease, or physically worn out.
Given that, working for longer and doing work you want has many benefits. You’ll need less money for retirement, able to invest for longer, take Social Security later with more money, donate more to charity, your mind will be more engaged working through problems, and the social connection can prevent loneliness. We are coming around to the view on smilingdad we should work longer before retiring. And retirement is a chance for rewirement, doing what we want to do rather than what we have to do. Dr. Tucker gave us a lot to think about.
Some days, we feel it is built-in social pressure to aim for retirement. It’s certainly good for banks and wealth management industries to push that narrative. It may have made sense for people in labor-intensive industries to retire. Our main work at smilingdad is office work, sitting on a chair. It’s not much physical work. smilingmom and I want to keep our health sharp to make aging more rewarding, reduce the pain on themandalorian and themandalorian’s elder sibling to take care of us, and be independent.
What are your thoughts on working longer, reading more, and being socially active as we get older to keep our minds sharp?
Sincerely yours,
smilingdad
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