Last month a 95-year-old woman with dementia, died in a hospital after being tasered by police in an aged care facility.Her name was Clare Nowland.Clare suffered from dementia and was receiving end-of-life care, weighing only 43 kilograms (ABC, 2023).
In 2008, Clare shattered the limits of what was expected, embracing life with unwavering determination. Filmed by ABC, she fearlessly marked her 80th birthday by plunging into the open skies with a skydive. She was still in her prime.
This tragic occurrence prompted me to write about what I’ve been reading for most of the year; the aging brain. I was initially seeking ways to rewire my own brain and stumbled on the concept of neuroplasticity—the brain's remarkable ability to adapt and reorganise itself.
For centuries, we believed our brains peaked at 18 and deteriorated by 25, disregarding neuroplasticity as a childhood phenomenon. (Mateos-Aparicio & Rodríguez-Moreno, 2019). This belief system has influenced our current societal structure.
At 4, we start school, absorb knowledge like a sponge, and have meltdowns over the crusts being left on our Vegemite sandwiches. At 18, we face a test that determines whether we’re destined for brilliance or mediocrity while navigating careers and Maccas drive-thru runs. Fast forward to 25, and society expects us to have it all figured out: career, ladder climbing, a million-dollar mortgage for a one-bedroom apartment, marriage to someone you met on the Barcelona Contiki tour, and baby plans.
By 25, we're supposed to have our shit sorted. The brain has explored its limits. It is what it is. When I was 25 I used to play a game with my mate to see who could do the most vodka shots in one night. On my 25th birthday, I somehow cut my hand open on the filthy floor of Cherry Bar after doing these vodka shots.
If we are saying that is where my brain peaked and that my shit was meant to be sorted, I’d be pretty worried. What I will say is that this is when my brain learned what it felt like to get a tetanus shot directly into an open wound (ie. no good).
But, there is good news for society and folks like me. Our understanding of neuroplasticity has advanced significantly in the last twenty years. It's now widely accepted that the brain remains flexible throughout our lives, though more so in our youth (Doidge, N 2007).
Our improved understanding of neuroplasticity means that anyone can learn, rewire their brain, and achieve remarkable medical transformations.
Neuroplasticity has enabled:
* Mora Leeb, who had half her brain removed in surgery, to rewire the remaining half to function as a full brain (NPR, 2023)
* Linda Radestad, a stroke survivor, to rewire her brain and regain the ability to speak and walk
The existence of neuroplasticity in old age emphasises the need for nurturing environments that promote the well-being of older adults.Especially because lifespan is expanding. Australia ranks third globally in life expectancy, with an average lifespan of at least 84 years. In 1850, the average lifespan was ten.
We’re really good at prolonging life, but we’re not very good at making the most of that extra time. Despite ranking third in global life expectancy, Australia has the highest percentage of older individuals living in institutional care, with 20% of people over 80 living in an aged care facilities(Dyer, S., Valeri, M., Arora, N., Tilden, D., Crotty M., 2020).
To be honest, I’m not surprised by these numbers. Spend some time in Spain or Korea and you’ll see senior citizens everywhere just living their best life. They can be seen walking with their grandkids, socialising in senior playgrounds, or commuting to the market on buses. This way of living is deeply ingrained in their respective cultures.
I’m half Greek and had it drummed into me pretty early on that if I planned on buying a house, my Dad would need a house out the back to live in too. Growing up, all my Greek and Italian mates had Yiayia, Pappous, Nonna, and Nonno living out the back making biscuits, growing tomatoes, and absolutely owning at Tavli. Closing out life the way you should; surrounded by family and life’s simple pleasures.
Other cultures don’t seem to leave their elderly in homes like we do in Australia. Out of sight, out of mind.
Neuroplasticity is also closely linked to dementia, which is the second leading cause of death and affects two-thirds of aged care residents in Australia. While neuroplasticity cannot completely prevent or reverse dementia, early intervention can slow its progression and improve cognitive function (Hill, NL., Kolanowski, AM., Gill, DJ., 2011).
This is because the brain operates on a "use it or lose it" principle, where actively engaging and stimulating specific areas helps maintain their health and connectivity. Neglecting parts of the brain can lead to degeneration and challenges in reactivating those neural pathways we’ve built over time (Shors, TJ., Anderson, ML., Curlik, DM., Nokia, MS., 2012).
Placing seniors in care homes accelerates the "use it or lose it" process, as they often spend significant time isolated in their rooms with limited social interaction (The Conversation, 2022). Socialising plays a vital role in stimulating attention, and memory, and reinforcing neural networks which is something that we see incrementally reversed in the cutest show ever, Old People’s Home For Four-Year-Olds. Loneliness increases the risk of dementia by 40% (Harvard, 2021).
It's crucial to prioritise mental stimulation and foster social connections in caring for seniors to improve their overall well-being. This requires a shift in perception and reinvention.
Perception
Age is a privilege, but our culture sees it as a burden. To age is to live, and to live is to age yet popular media portrays a different narrative. Only 11% of film characters in any given year are over 65, and only 2% of them are the main character. When older characters are portrayed, they are often depicted as frail or senile, perpetuating the notion that they are no longer healthy and a burden on everyone around them.
Popular media says you're as good as dead.
Let’s take a look at some of those core films with over 65s as the main characters. Gran Turino, A Man Called Ove, and Still Alice. All people with racist views or facing age-related diseases that hinder their ability to live fulfilling lives.Want to go deeper down the sadness hole? Watch Amour and Vortex. Curse me later.
What if we could just not look old though? Would that help with ageing?
Maybe. Long-term search trends for ‘anti-aging products’ and ‘botox’ are on an upward trajectory. Look at that red botox line go as high as the latest cast of MAFs unmovable eyebrows.Apparently aging is the worst thing that can happen to us. We hit our prime the minute we emerge from the womb. Anytime beyond that requires fillers.
Re-invention
Valuing aging as a privilege means prioritising spaces for older adults to explore and grow, similar to how we do for children. Embracing the neuroplasticity of the aging brain requires reinventing our cities and shifting the focus of digital applications toward promoting brain flexibility rather than addiction.
This means digital products need to remove exploitative features like FOMO, real-time notifications, instant gratification, and infinite scroll. They instead need to use what is called a closed-loop system. This system finds the right balance of engagement, avoiding excessive rewards or low cognitive engagement in order to optimise cognitive enhancement and neuroplasticity. (Zielger, D., Anguera, J., Gallen, C., Hsu, WY., Wais, P., Gazzaley, A., 2022).
Luckily, there are dedicated legends creating these types of products. Here are a few examples:
Geocaching
Seniors who age in place can benefit from neighborhood outings, both physically and mentally. Geocaching, a GPS-based activity, is a great way for seniors to explore their surroundings, meet new people, and enhance cognitive fitness.
Labyrinth VR
UC San Francisco's Neuroscape created this VR game for seniors where they wear a VR headset, complete tasks in different neighborhoods, and progress through 42 levels. The game involves physical movement, improving blood flow to the brain and cognitive performance.Research shows the game enhances high-fidelity memory, the ability to distinguish new objects from similar ones. This suggests positive effects on seniors' long-term memory.
Access Map Seattle
Elderly citizens already use mobile phones and connected devices, including watches, to navigate the city. In Seattle, data from these devices is used to create an access map for elderly citizens, including details on path incline and accessibility, the location of toilets, water fountains, shaded areas, and public benches.
Veteranpoolen, Sweden
Veteranpoolen is basically Airtasker, connecting people with individuals that are retired, capable of doing odd jobs, and want to stay active in their community. Imagine spending a cute day with a retired gardener learning all their knowledge about planting veggies and having a cup of tea when you’re done. Cute.
These solutions focus on connecting aged citizens to the real world and reimagining age-friendly public spaces. Through the meaningful application of technology, these solutions foster meaningful connections with society.
It is important to challenge the misguided belief that the brain deteriorates with age. In reality, each day presents new opportunities for our brains to thrive.
I don’t want to spend my final days in the metaverse, having to scroll through a Roblox experience just to catch a ride to the fake library in a digital Balenciaga hoodie. I want to spend it in the real world - making shit jokes with everyone else in the self-driving car on the way to the library. To read a real book before I go off to meet some friends at the park and walk my real dog.To keep enjoying the world, and the people I find in it.
Vale Clare Nowland. And may we all find ourselves aging to live.
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