11 “Brian Health and Aging Positively” Laura K.M. Donorfio, Ph.D. “Brian Health and Aging Positively” Laura K.M. Donorfio, Ph.D. September 11, 2012 CEA-Retired Fall Issues Conference

2 GOALS FOR TODAY “Brain Health and Aging Positively” “Brain Health and Aging Positively” 1.How Aging is Making History 2.How this Impacts You and the World 3.How “Protecting” Your Brain can Enhance Brain Health Positive Aging Role Models

3 OPENING HUMOR

4 1.Individuals Are Getting Older AGING IS MAKING HISTORY 2.The World Is Getting Older For the first time in human history, we are living longer than ever before and the rate of growth of the older population is unprecedented! For the first time in human history, we are living longer than ever before and the rate of growth of the older population is unprecedented! Longevity Revolution

5 Life Expectancy Has Increased

6  By 2017—1 in 5 in U.S. will be 65+  Florida is already there!  Italy, Japan, & Germany are already there! By 2017, the United States will be a giant state of Florida! Life Expectancy Has Increased

77 U.S. 48 th in world Life Expectancy Around the World Source: United Nations 2010

8 Jeanne Calment 122 years and 164 days France Christian Mortensen 115 years 252 days United States Documented – World’s Oldest

99 Maria Gomes Valentim 115 years & counting Lives: Brazil Born: July 9, 1896 Jiroemon Kimura 114 years & counting Lives: Japan Born: April 19, 1897 Documented – World’s Oldest Still Living

10  Fastest Growing Age Group Worldwide  450,000 Worldwide  76,000 in U.S.; 4 million by 2050  80% are Women  78% are White & 16% African American  Married: 1 in 25 Women & 1 in 4 Men  Super-Centenarians: 100 Worldwide CENTENARIANS—100+ Get a letter from President on your 100 th birthday!

11 Aging Pyramid—450,000 worldwide 2050 Reach Upwards to 4 Million

12 Scientists— Robert Butler ….believes in the next years we can live to 150 Graham Pawelek ….believes in the next years we can live to 200 “Aging is just a series of diseases.” CAN WE LIVE FOREVER…

13 What Does It Mean To Be An Older Adult Today? We Are Not Quite Sure! How Will Aging Change the Way We Live?

14 “Our general confusion is compounded by a new kind of ignorance. Until late in this century, we humans spent time with people of all generations, but today we aren’t likely to have much contact with old people until we are relatively old ourselves.” Mary Pipher Another Country PERSONAL AND SOCIAL LEVEL?

15 “The trouble is, old age is not interesting until one gets there. It’s a foreign country with an unknown language to the young and even to the middle-aged.” May Sarton As We Are Now PERSONAL AND SOCIAL LEVEL?

 Retirement? Leisure? Grandparenthood? 16 Why is Aging a Foreign Country?  Added decades to life  Ageism & Negative Stereotypes  Healthier than ever before “50 is the new 40” (Google: 5 million hits) “50 is the new 40” (Google: 5 million hits)  Age is no longer used as a marker of where and what you should be doing in life

17 How will Aging Impact the World? Healthcare Road Structure Housing Needs Older Workforce Young & Old Competing for Resources Transportation Assisted Living Law Reform Euthanasia Leisure Activities Building Structure Social Security Caregiving TOTAL IMPACT Government/Policy Making Progress Medicare

18 Gerontology Making Progress Stages Age 1.Young Adulthood Middle Adulthood Young Old Middle Old Old Old Centenarians Super-Centenarians100+

19 Writers Making Progress “Third Chapter”—Life After 50

20 “Pop Culture” Making Progress Mrs. Beasley Grandma Barbie

21 Neuroscience Making Progress

22 Neuroscience & Brain Health  Has made tremendous strides in understanding the capacity for brain plasticity… “The ability of the brain to change with learning” Discovered a connection between brain health and life style

23 Neuroscience & Brain Health Risk for Brain Aging 1/3 Genetics 2/3 Lifestyle Choices

24 Neuroscience & Brain Health