It's All About the 'Tude

Got a bad attitude about aging? The aches and pains wearing you down?  Afraid you won’t make it past 80? Is that what’s bugging you bubby?

A recent article in the NY Times extols a change of mindset. When you read that you may be thinking, “well if I could change my mindset that easily, I wouldn’t be depressed about aging.”

Sure, the experts say, having a positive mindset is conducive to aging well. The article cited a study that showed that those with a positive attitude about getting older lived seven and half years longer than those with a bad (read that as negative) attitude. Crikey. If it’s that easy to pick up seven years, why isn’t everyone doing it?

Ahh – that’s the crux of the problem right there. It’s not that easy to have a positive attitude when your hip hurts, your knee creaks, your hearing is fading, and your blood pressure is rising.

Platitudes don’t work, that’s for sure. When someone who has not seen you in 10 years tells you that you haven’t aged a bit, feel free to kick them in the shins and see if they think you still have a great attitude.

What does work? You need to actively promote positive aging beliefs according to experts. Start analyzing your own beliefs about aging. Do you moan about the bad knee, the hair loss, or the tennis game that’s not what it used to be? Find some role models of positive aging. You know they are out there. There’s the 90 year-old diver, a rare case for sure, but there’s also the 80 year-old who is still going to yoga classes. You can’t force positivity or paper over the genuine health issues, but experts believe that positive images of aging can improve your attitude and your physical function.

One example that hit home is the man whose left hip was aching much of the time, which in turn made him cranky about aging. When it was pointed out that his right hip was as old as the left and it was pain-free, it made him think that maybe his physical condition wasn’t so bad after all.

That’s a segue to the last advice for aging boomers. Try to remind yourself that with age comes the acquisition of useful information and wisdom.

That never gets old.

Jay Harrison is a writer and creative consultant for DesignConcept. His newest mystery novel, Rio Puerco Demise is available on Amazon. His first mystery novel, Head Above Water, is also available on Amazon. But that’s not all. You can also purchase the Best of BoomSpeak on Amazon.

Don’t get me wrong. I think Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are a good thing. Loads of communities are altering their zoning to permit ADUs so that aging boomers can live in their kids’ backyard. So that’s a good thing, yes??

Hmm, maybe. Questions: Would the ADU go next to the grandkids’ swing-set or in the middle of the dog run? Will it be in the way when Sonny wants to hook up the big camper? Will it have a view of the neighbors’ yards (on three sides)? And speaking of neighbors, how are they going to feel about the new tiny home that’s now part of their backyard view?

That’s just the list of physical placement issues. What about the psychological pitfalls of having Mom and Dad in the backyard? Are they parents or tenants? Babysitters or more like AirBnB travelers?

You would be fooling yourself to believe that an ADU for one or more parents will have little to no effect on your lifestyle. Just the movement of your “guests” in and out of the property will take some getting used to. Will they have a vehicle? If so, where is it going to be parked? Can you picture Dad sideswiping your car trying to get out of the shared driveway?

Lastly, and it’s no small matter, your children have been out on their own for years. They broke free from the family home but here they are, many years later, pulled back into the fold. It may feel like you’ve exchanged roles; you’re more like the child and they are more like the parent. It could be mind altering (not in the good way).

No doubt ADUs will work for many families but I think that having a truly large yard and empathetic neighbors will be prerequisites for those considering this route. That and an endless amount of patience throughout the adjustment phase.

On the plus side (See? It’s not all bad) your offspring can make sure you are physically and mentally stable because they are going to see you every day. The ADU option can facilitate the transition to more intensive assisted living alternatives when the time comes.

Jay Harrison is a writer and creative consultant for DesignConcept. You can also visit his author page here. His newest mystery novel, Rio Puerco Demise is available on Amazon. His first mystery novel, Head Above Water, is also available on Amazon. But that’s not all. You can also purchase the Best of BoomSpeak on Amazon.

Fogyism

Want to feel really out of it? Like an old fogy? Even the word fogy is old school for God’s sake!

But if you really want to feel out of it, check out the New York Times best albums of the year.

There were 25 artists listed in total and I only was familiar with 7 of them (see my list at end). See if you can do any better:

Charli XCX, ‘Brat’ and ‘Brat and It’s Completely Different but Also Still Brat’

Brittany Howard, ‘What Now’

Vampire Weekend, ‘Only God Was Above Us’

Billie Eilish, ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’

Kali Uchis, ‘Orquídeas Parte 2 (Deluxe)’

Willow, ‘Ceremonial Contrafact (Empathogen Deluxe)’

Beth Gibbons, ‘Lives Outgrown’

Elucid, ‘Revelator’

The Cure, ‘Songs of a Lost World’

Nala Sinephro, ‘Endlessness’

Arooj Aftab, “Night Reign”

Les Amazones d’Afrique, “Musow Danse (Bonus Edition)”

Beyoncé, “Cowboy Carter”

Chat Pile, “Cool World”

Dawes, “Oh Brother”

English Teacher, “This Could Be Texas”

Angélica Garcia, “Gemelo”

Orla Gartland, “Everybody Needs a Hero”

Ka, “The Thief Next to Jesus”

Michael Kiwanuka, “Small Changes”

Kendrick Lamar, “GNX”

Charles Lloyd, “The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow”

Laura Marling, “Patterns in Repeat”

Residente, “Las Letras Ya No Importan”

St. Vincent, “All Born Screaming”

Yes, we had bands with funny names in the 60s and 70s, but I’m not sure they topped Vampire Weekend, Chat Pile, or English Teacher.

It’s all good. They have their music and we have/had ours. We had mix tapes and CDs, they have Spotify and Apple Music. They can follow the lyrics and I’m not sure we ever could (and there was not Internet where we could look them up). On the plus side, the group English Teacher called their album “This Could Be Texas” which I’m hoping is apocryphal (because the real thing is scary enough).

Maybe we should jump on Apple Music and sample some of this music to see if we’re missing anything. Worse case we waste an hour and can go back to our ancient playlists. Best case, we like some songs very much and become new music converts. You never know.

[I knew of Brittany Howard, Billie Eilish, Beyonce, Michael Kiwanuka, Kendrick Lamar, and Charles Lloyd (if he’s the same jazz saxophone musician from my era), and St. Vincent]

Jay Harrison is a writer and creative consultant for DesignConcept. You can also visit his author page here. His newest mystery novel, Rio Puerco Demise is available on Amazon. His first mystery novel, Head Above Water, is also available on Amazon. But that’s not all. You can also purchase the Best of BoomSpeak on Amazon.

Stuff Avalanche

I love the title and the concept. Boomer offspring are going and maybe have already started to navigate the avalanche of stuff that baby boomers have amassed over the years.

Do you try to separate the good stuff from the mediocre or just get a removal company to haul it all way (sound of hands clapping…well, that’s that)? If the boomers are dead and gone, the process is unsentimental (dictionary sez it’s a word). But what if we’re alive and kicking and it’s time to downsize with the help of your offspring.

Keep in mind that baby boomers were raised by parents that went through hard times (the depression, duh!) and years of uncertainty. That translates into behaviors that included saving every rubber band, balls of twine, newspapers, and much, much more. On top of having “save everything” parents, most boomers have lived in the same house for twenty years or more. Things come in the door but rarely go back out.

Organization professionals advise boomers and their children to start in the most unsentimental places. Think under the sink, in the linen closet, and down in the basement. There will be less emotional attachment there than with the china cupboard or the photo albums. And don’t even think about the bags full of photo slides that you can’t sort because no one has slide projectors anymore. [Moment of truth: After stalling for years, I finally tossed all my slides from vacations and family events. It was impossible to cull them down to those worth saving, and what would I do with them in any case.]

If you have children or do not, you would be doing everyone a big favor if you started the winnowing process on your own. Make friends with everyone down at the Goodwill store as you make your weekly deposits of furniture, clothing, appliances, books, records, tapes, CDs, and so much more. After you unload everything you can treat yourself to a used flannel shirt or silk blouse. That seems fair, doesn’t it?

Your children/executor will thank you many times over if you make their job easier. I can honestly say I have had very little donator’s remorse whilst thinning out the avalanche. Can’t remember even one time that I thought I should not have tossed/donated something. But we are having fun rummaging through what everyone else has given. The trick is not to come home with it.

Jay Harrison is a writer and creative consultant for DesignConcept. You can also visit his author page here. His newest mystery novel, Rio Puerco Demise is available on Amazon. His first mystery novel, Head Above Water, is also available on Amazon. But that’s not all. You can also purchase the Best of BoomSpeak on Amazon.

Gen Alpha?

What? We’re going back to the beginning of the alphabet?? I can’t keep track of who is in Gen Z and the only reason I know who millennials are is because it’s right there in the name.  Gen X, Gen Y, Gen Z, and now Gen Alpha? I guess it would have helped if there were more letters after Z but so be it.

Anyway, the Alphas are those born between 2010 and 2024, the first generation to be born entirely in the 21^st century. Maybe that’s how they got the Alpha handle. They are practically born with smartphones in their hands (and can type on them with 2 thumbs) and have been in front of computer screens or tablets for their entire life. That makes them super-empowered and quite likely to lord it over us until baby boomers are just a memory.

The amount of time they have already spent online will unquestionably exceed all prior generations. This constant exposure to technology is a bit of a social experiment, in that no one knows the consequences of such intensive experience.  Experts surmise that such a concentration could reduce their attention spans and make social interaction problematic.

Oh, and remember the pandemic? So does Gen Alpha and they remember virtual learning and Zooming giving them an unprecedented close-up view of how the educational system has changed. For the better or the worse? Who knows, but Gen Alpha will find that answer. It is predicted that 1 in 2 Gen Alphas will get a university degree. Ironically, many Gen Zers are forgoing college to pursue trades such as plumber, electrician and welder. Wish I could be around to see how that works out.

It’s been said that Gen Z is using technology as “an escape,” while Gen Alpha uses technology “to live and enjoy their life.” Rather than viewing learning and gaming as two separate activities, Gen Alpha sees them as the same thing. You could say they are experiencing gamified learning.

So, our future, in the short time we have left, may ultimately be in the hands of gamers with short attention spans. What could go wrong? At least they are avid environmentalists.

Jay Harrison is a writer and creative consultant for DesignConcept. You can also visit his author page here. His newest mystery novel, Rio Puerco Demise is available on Amazon. His first mystery novel, Head Above Water, is also available on Amazon. But that’s not all. You can also purchase the Best of BoomSpeak on Amazon.

What's The Word?

No seriously. What is the word I was thinking of not more than an hour ago?

Has this happened to you? Does it worry you? Do you think it’s early onset Alzheimer’s?

How do you differentiate normal brain aging from dementia?

I’m glad you asked. Loads of boomers are freaking out when they can’t find the book they had in their hands just minutes earlier. You forgot why you went into the kitchen? We’ve all done that. Can’t find the car fob? No biggie. Finding the fob in the refrigerator and not recognizing what it’s used for? Uh-oh. Senior moments can morph into Alzheimer’s but you need to know the difference between that and normal cognitive aging.

Normal cognitive aging starts at age 40 and affects 3 areas of cognition, and they can shift at different rates.

Processing speed is how long it takes you to see something, think about what it is and respond.

Crystalized intelligence is the knowledge, vocabulary and skills you’ve acquired over a lifetime of experience and education.

Memory is the ability to recollect from your past and learn new information now.

In normal brain aging, the crystalized intelligence stays intact. However, processing slows down – as much as 50 percent by age 80. Memory decreases as well and can fluctuate from one day to the next.

Forty percent of us will experience memory impairment by age 65, but not go on to develop dementia. You might not be able to retrieve someone’s name when you see them but you still recognize that you know them.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a term to describe more significant memory loss. About 16 to 20 percent of Americans over 60 have MCI and about 10 to 20 percent of them develop dementia each year.

Want to check for MCI?  Take the free Self-Administered Gerocognitive Examination (SAGE), developed by Ohio State University. It won’t give you your results but you will probably have a pretty good idea how you performed. If you’ve been able to understand what you’ve read here, odds are you don’t have MCI.

Want to help prevent MCI? There’s lots of steps you can take. Aerobic exercise and lifting weights aids your brain. Treat your blood pressure and other medical issues. Stimulate your brain with games and puzzles. Try continuing your education. Have a sense of purpose. Socialize often. Get treatment for depression.

None of these things will guarantee you will be MCI free or not succumb to Alzheimer’s, but doing nothing won’t help either. Just don’t forget to do them!

Jay Harrison is a writer and creative consultant for DesignConcept. You can also visit his author page here. His newest mystery novel, Rio Puerco Demise is available on Amazon. His first mystery novel, Head Above Water, is also available on Amazon. But that’s not all. You can also purchase the Best of BoomSpeak on Amazon.

Myth vs Truth

In case you missed it, we’re approaching “peak 65” which marks the ascension of the youngest baby boomers turning 65. Why is that a big deal? For one thing, it may set off a huge wave of retirements. Good, say younger workers. Get out of our way so we can take those jobs.

Not so fast. Don’t believe the hype. All baby boomers are not rich. In fact, most of these retirees coming up soon are financially unprepared to stop working. According to the latest analysis, these retiring boomers may risk living in poverty.

In the aggregate, boomers are rich, or at least the wealthiest slice of the generation. That is if they are White and have a college degree. Boomers who are women, people of color and who only have a high school education are lagging way behind and will soon realize that their resources are inadequate for retirement. How bad off are they? One in four workers nearing retirement have zero dollars in savings. And with little time to make up that shortfall, their situation only grows worse.

We are facing that all too familiar situation where the common misconception is that all baby boomers are filthy rich slugs who are sucking the economy dry while younger workers suffer. The reality plays out much differently. Peak boomers with only a high school degree have saved a median of $75,300 for retirement, compared with $591,158 for college graduates. Social Security is designed to replace only 40% of a person’s working income, while the average benefit is about $23,000 per year — far from enough to provide a comfortable retirement.

The only upside is that younger workers such as Gen X, millennial and even younger workers will finally get what they have been clamoring for – the vacated jobs of baby boomers. The hidden cost of this labor transfer may be higher social security taxes to support struggling boomers.

You can’t say you didn’t see this coming if you read this or followed the news. Boomer poverty is in our near future and it’s real.

Jay Harrison is a writer and creative consultant for DesignConcept. You can also visit his author page here. His newest mystery novel, Rio Puerco Demise is available on Amazon. His first mystery novel, Head Above Water, is also available on Amazon. But that’s not all. You can also purchase the Best of BoomSpeak on Amazon.