Aging: It Happens

Brain Science:

Brain-scan technology reveals aging can cause the brain to shrink. Nerve tracts in the brain shrivel, making the cerebrospinal fluid cavities larger and even leaving gaping holes in the brain. Shriveling occurs in the neuron terminal branches that form the contact points among neurons.

Brain facts:

    •    Age is the strongest known risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer’s.

    •    The incidence of Alzheimer’s or other vascular dementia increases exponentially after 65, nearly doubling every five years.

    •    Among people who are 85 years old 30% will have developed some form and degree of dementia.

    •    That doesn’t mean the issue takes root in these decades. For 30% of those who have developed dementia, the signs of decline began between 55 and 65.

    •    Contrary to what you might think, statistically we don’t get much slower until we reach 70.

    •    Men and women aged 45 to 79 who are physically active, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, do not smoke, and consume alcohol moderately have on average ¼ the risk of death during a given year.

So What:

As we get older our conversations change! Below is a typical 8:00 morning coffee and conversation at Java Haute.

Six of us at the table:

Chris: “Boy I played like dog meat yesterday!”

Jerry: Where did you play?

Chris: Hulman

Denny: Elbows Sam in the arm and says; “Sam shit, didn’t we play at Idle Creek yesterday?

Sam: Oh yes, Chris we played at Idle creek yesterday.

Chris: Is that right!

Mick: Who all played?

Chris: Let’s see Sam, Denny and Mark. I forgot who the other one was.

Denny: Elbows Sam in the forearm again and says “He forgot himself!”

Everyone: laughs! Except Chris

Jerry: Sam How’s your daughter Nikki in San Antonio doing?

Sam: “My daughter in San Antonio, Missy is doing fine. My Daughter in      Terre Haute, Nikki, is doing fine also.”

Denny: Elbows Sam again. Says “Jerry now get your shit together” He Laughs. We all laugh. Jerry doesn’t.

Mick: Well how are the twin granddaughters doing, Jerry ?

Jerry: fine.

Mark: How Is Sam coming along with her hip surgery?

Jerry: No, that was Emily. She is doing fine.

Denny: Elbows Sam in forearm and says: Sam I didn’t know you had hip surgery!

Sam: To clarify… Oh, how is Sam getting along with her move to Chicago?

Jerry: No Sam, Emily is in Chicago and Sam is on the east coast

Denny: Elbows me on the arm and Says: “Sam when did he say you were going to the East coast. Kathy and I might want to go along.

Everyone; Rolls their eyes and looks strangely at Denny. Denny is just puzzled.

Jerry: Sam, How did you say your daughter Melinda is doing?

Sam: I don’t have a daughter Melinda.

Sam: How’s your daughter Helen doing? They were best of friends.

Jerry: I don’t have a daughter Helen. I have a daughter Holly.

Denny: To move things along he says: Sam you know who I saw the other day. It was Lynn.

Sam: You know I saw her too at the shopping center the other day. For the life of me I could not remember her last name. Harvath, right?

Denny: Elbows Sam and says “No Sam the last name is Hargus.

Sam: oh!

Mark: Which shopping center?

Sam: I don’t remember maybe meadows.

Chris: I don’t believe I know her.

Denny: Elbows Sam and says; Oh yes you do Chris. She was the hairdresser that had a shop on Margaret Avenue.

Chris: Still don’t remember

Jerry: They don’t call themselves hairdressers anymore. Sam, what is it they call themselves at Ivy Tech?

Sam: Cosmetologists!

Mark: I will never remember that!

Sam: When trying to recall that word just think of “cosmonaut”. Russian cosmonauts fly into deep space.  A Cosmetologist flies deep into hairdos.

Denny: Elbows Sam and says: “What the hell are you talking about?”

Sam: Oh hell I don’t know!! I do know you elbow me one more time and I’m not going to be able to play golf today. Besides it's 10:00 it’s time to get out of here!

From the John Mellencamp song, “Jack and Diane”: “Oh Yeah, life goes on, long after the thrill of livin is gone. They say, ``Oh yeah, Life goes on, long after the thrill of livin is gone …”

Brain Fact:

Not True!!!!! .  The thrill of living life is never gone!

Coming up super agers!

Oh! did you notice Chris forgot to show up at Java Haute for the picture.