Thursday, June 9, 2011

A recent Op-Ed article in the New York Times, Our Irrational Fear of Forgetting by Margaret Morganroth Gullette, published on May 21, caused Norma Roth, author of Aging Gracefully With Dignity, Integrity and Spunk Intact: Aging Defiantly and Aging Activist, to re-explore all the aspects of a issue that is impacting sometimes dreadfully, on many aspects of American society. Ms. Roth acknowledges that forgetting is, for the most part, a factor of in the aging process, but how people do we know we are just plain forgetful. There is the story of a famous research scientist who got so wrapped up in his work he would forget to eat or bath, or is this absent mindedness? His wife would leave a tray of food and a bottle of Scotch at the top of the stairs for his late night meal and a drink before sleeping.

The essential theme of the New York Times article was that we have become for too paranoid about forgetting, especially when it is a "factor" of age, but not a life-altering one—it is not a sign of "loosing it (Also these normal changes are not indicative of Alzheimer's or Senile Dementia which are diseases). Changes that take place as one grows older are annoying, irritating, uncomfortable, often embarrassing—certainly merit attention—but need not be a reason to panic and run for the hills.

Such a state of paranoia is also effecting how adult offspring deal with aging parents, with doctors also jumping to the most fatal conclusion with little or no reason. One wonders how much doctor paranoia is driven by fear of being sued.

A recent example is a woman who visited a neurologist at the request of her daughters. Well, after two visits the doctor reported her to the Department of Motor Vehicles and, quite unnecessarily, her driver's license was suspended. This woman is now negotiating the shoals of government bureaucracy to recover her license, giving us a sad example of institutional paranoia fueled by family paranoia that runs amok and destroys a person's independence. And once your info gets into the system it can be difficult to get out from under a misdiagnosis, leading many to avoid doctors rather become branded by a doctor or government bureaucrat who comes to conclusions often based on subjective observations rather than scientific testing.

Roth offers solutions in her book and in articles showing how one can compensate for many of the changes involving slightest diminished capacities. In Aging Gracefully With Dignity, Integrity and Spunk Intact; Aging Defiantly, she reveals strategies and techniques to minimize the specter of forgetting and build a cadre of responses to those well-meaning (or not so well meaning people) who make those changes seem a major catastrophe leading to "you know what...."

Roth urges members of the Silver Generation, those entering "that age" and Baby Boomers (the first of whom turned 65 in January) to remember many of the things you now "obsess" over as you enter "that age," you have done most of your lives. Why the dreaded fears after 55? Perhaps the annoying behavior patterns happen with more frequency; perhaps you worry about them more because of the social stigma, perhaps others make you much more self-conscious. The anxiety you feel from the social pressures added to your own may well produce the panic result, and thus a self-fulfilling prophecy. The author suggests that current concerns are exaggerated and ought to be put into perspective.

And not only do family and institutional paranoia impact, but our own paranoia is fueled by fears of dreaded results like dementia or Alzheimers. Stories are seeping out of people, at the slightest hint of diminished capacity, contemplating suicide rather become a burden to family and friends, or just from the burning fear of knowing what some conditions might mean long term. We have become a society of panic mongers, and not just about medical issues.

One chapter on her book, Don't Panic, Deflecting Panic, Entering that Age, Absentmindedness as a Positive, Debunking Myths and Intimidation Management, discusses the fear of forgetting and exposes hoaxes based on outmoded social attitudes and behavior patterns. Roth explains how to handle new situations that come with age: afraid of burning down the kitchen, don't leave a pot on the stove; can't find your keys, put a table by the door, your keys on a large, a colorful key ring (maybe with your initial in a bright color); can't find a word, use another (what the author calls 5-and-10 cent words); find yourself wandering aimlessly into rooms, not knowing why: Go back to the room you had that thought and find it!

As to loosing a thought—which invariably happens in social situations, Roth suggests: Don't let people interrupt you. There are simple ways to combat so many of the issues you face after 55.

Before you run for medical tests, before you buy countless books on exercising the mind, ways improving your mental capacities, before you count yourself out, the author suggest you start using your own common sense, become conscious of what is really happening here, and learn how to, as suggested in the New York Times article, to compensate, minimize, and get past the panic and hysteria that appears to be becoming "an epidemic of anxiety around memory loss." Roth agrees with Gillette that there is little scientific or medical basis for considering normal forgetfulness as one gets older as a chronic symptom of Alzheimer's.

Roth also suggests that those over 55 learn the difference between short term memory failure—where many of these issues arise—and long term memory where much of your knowledge, experience and more is stored for a lifetime. According to increasing studies, that knowledge base can be accessed throughout your life: The power of the brain to continue to function well is where science is taking us. Not brain drain but brain power. Chapters in Aging Gracefully...Aging Defiantly on Treasure Hunts within your brain and Your Personal Retrieval System, (a computer-like system within the brain) should give those over 55 a boost as to their memory storage capacities as well as access that data, potentially, throughout life.

Aging Gracefully With Dignity, Integrity & Spunk Intact; Aging Defiantly "helps mature adults deal with the complications of aging."(NY City Strand Review). A good road map to begin the process of getting a handle on the changes you notice after 55+, putting issues in perspective, and starting to learn how to deal with these situations. Suggested strategies and techniques will start you off in the process of handling normal changes you experience as you get older, and help get you past panic—back on track charting your own course in an age heralded to be an incredible age of science, medicine and technology working for you.

All kinds of new sciences are springing up: bioengineering, biomedical research, biologically inspired engineering that support a massive effort to avoid deterioration and rehabilitation and usher in an Age of life-expanding opportunities, which will bring— and already is bringing—infinite possibilities for members of the Silver Generation, those entering "that age" and Baby Boomers.

Yesterday's scourge of "forgetting" as one ages signaling a significant sign of losing the mind's ability to function resulting in brain loss is out; opening new pathways to Brain power is in! There are so many interesting and significant suggestions being heralded by research to enhance brain power. "Use It or Lose It" is but one of an arsenal of potential tools believed to increase the retention of a well-functioning brain well into the 80's and 90's.

Becoming known as the Age of Biology, the sciences are moving rapidly in the research on and application of life-extending and life-enhancing technologies. And from the micro-and nano-biotechnological world, precise control of cells will become available too. Regarding increasing, improving, and repairing brain cell function, contrary to what has been thought, research is beginning to show that the brain may continue to generate new cells throughout life for new learning. (Scientific American).

So what is the problem? Certainly it is plain from what is on the horizon, what is already here, that forgetting is many things: annoying, irritating, confusing at times, unsettling, but it is not a cause for panicking. "Forgetting" is not life-altering"—unless this newly developing generation, allows new fears to get out of hand.

Alzheimer's and Dementia affect few in our society. Yet, according to the recent NY Times Op-Ed article, "the mere whiff of perceived memory loss" appears to be causing an "epidemic of anxiety" rising to a "clinical symptom for those over 55. Roth has studied this for 20 years and she emphasizes that there is no basis for this in fact. The fear of old age being focused upon does not fit the rapid development of science, medicine and technology that is warding off the signs of aging.

There is a difference between normal physiological changes and the scourge of Alzheimer's and Senile Dementia. Those are diseases that affect a small percentage of the population (and generally over 65). Why worry about what you may never have to concern yourself with. Science has already started to tackle these diseases and in the last few years have made remarkable progress in both diagnosing and describing medication that slows the process and exercises that help keep the mental faculties well functioning. Those who know friends or relatives with Alzheimer's are seeing remarkable strikes in staving off of the dreaded effects.

Roth sees this "epidemic of anxiety" as a new hoax on the horizon with the potential to be unnecessarily destructive to members of the Silver Generation and Baby Boomers alike. Why is the fear of forgetting, losing a train of thought, not finding keys, leaving water boiling, going into a room and not knowing why starting to be considered signs of irreparable memory failure when they are not? Will the 55 plus allow get caught up in new phobia?, for the health of our society it is imperative they don't.

Aging—should and can be—with dignity, integrity and spunk intact, and, when needed, defiantly is fully within our power. The Silver Generation, those entering "that age," and Baby Boomers alike must learn to separate the wheat from the chaff, to ask the right questions about those concepts that would limit them: Is it correct? Does it have a scientific basis or is it one of exaggerated fears pretending to be fact, or based on subjective observations? If there is any basis, can't it be overcome? Can't I learn to compensate? What can I do to maintain, retain, retrain?

There is so much progress affecting both cell deterioration and physical deterioration, the world has begun to spin with limitless possibilities. The amazing gifts of science, medicine and technology: longevity and health and no limits except the ones that are self imposed. Truly for this generation, as Ralph Waldo Emerson noted, "The only person you are destined to be is the person you decide to be." The choice, it would seem, is yours.

For more about Norma Roth go to www.normarothbooks.com

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