Staying sharp in my 70s

I’ve been reading a lot about how to keep our memory functioning well. A few times lately I’ve completely drawn an embarrassing blank when about to introduce one good friend to another when I’ve completely forgotten their name. Oops. Do you remember in the old days when you could ‘defrag’ your computer. It was so satisfying – deleting all of the old redundant files and sorting the others into neat little rows of categories. And then I would enjoy lots of free space and my computer would love me. I’d feel calm and satisfied with a job well done as I like an organised life.

Well, not sure I can defrag these modern ones, but I’d love to ‘defrag’ my mind. Get rid of all of the old useless files of names, memories and events that are best forgotten, and just keep the rest in neat and orderly little boxes – ones that are easy to access. I’d never forget my PIN number at the supermarket, I’d remember the grandkids birthdays and easily recall where I parked my car. I’d love to introduce people with confidence, never forget to pay a bill on time and I’d always remember to get my car serviced.

Thankfully I have an online calendar and a diary. I do write things down, and check them regularly. Most medical services send you a reminder and now my mechanic does too. Bills can be paid automatically – I just need to remember to transfer the money to the correct account.

By the time we have gone through a few decades, most of us have coped with traumatic events. Medical challenges, the deaths of loved ones and even relationship breakdowns. Natural disasters and bewildering losses we cannot fathom. We bravely weather these storms but they do tend to chip away at some of our faculties. Something we all have in common as we age is our life experiences. We have good memories and also sad ones. Being able to access these, and still maintain a resilience to life’s challenges isn’t always easy.

So what to do. Well, I guess we all know that exercise and healthy eating are keys to retaining healthy memory, but I also think that reading and doing puzzles really help. I’ve loved the new Starts@60 online puzzles and crosswords. They help to keep me thinking and questioning. I challenge myself daily with online crosswords, trivia, and code crackers. Along with my coffee they are part of my daily routine. I try to get a perfect score, but have to giggle when it tells me I have achieved my personal best when I’ve got three out of ten. I excel at food and dictionary words but geography and sport leave me back at the starting line. However, I enjoy the ‘trying’ to get ten out of ten. If I’m watching a tv quiz show I belt out the answer to an empty room and a contestant who cannot hear me – but it does tell me that my brain is doing OK.

As we age, and the world seems even more crazy and the current cultural climate also even more baffling, we oldies need to maintain our relationship networks, keep up with our bookclub, bowls and bingo, anything that gets us talking, laughing and thinking. Play on the swings with the grandkids, smile at babies in prams and be open to learning new things. Teach myself Italian online. We also have so much to give, and being an active part of our families and communities seems to be a positive way to keep our minds alert and active. Let’s stay sharp.