In 2005 Gene Cohen presented scientific evidence that reminiscence and life review are part of successful and normal aging. In his book The Mature Mind, he explains that there is brain and psychosocial development beyond the age of 65 as:
- the brain has the capacity to “remodel” itself through the activation of new genes as we ageÂ
- it can “recruit” underused parts of itself, which compensate for the effects of aging on other parts of the brain
- it is in the later stages of life aged 60-80 that the brain’s “information processing centre” achieves its greatest density and reach
- the aging brain creates a kind of backup copy of the lifelong memories of an individual on the less-dominant side, meaning that there are two identical copies of lifetime memories on each side of the brain, thus protecting them for further use.Â
Although we live in an aging society, the positive aspects of aging are rarely talked about, and our potential to grow and evolve towards our highest level of development in later life has been unsupported by an ageist culture. What would a society look like in which products and services are created that not only respond to the needs of an ageing population, but also celebrate the wisdom of maturity in ways that benefit future generations?
