What
do businessmen Warren Buffett and Bill Marriott; entertainers Paul Simon and
Bob Dylan, Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, and
Anthony Kennedy, plus fourteen US Senators including John McCain and Bernie
Sanders have in common? They are all working past the age of 75.
And
yet the Oregon Constitution requires all judges to retire at the end of the
calendar year in which they turn 75.
We all
know as we age we encounter common age-related physical changes. Our hearing
and vision may get worse and there is the increasing probability of arthritis,
hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis.
Cognitively
there may also be changes - both negative, the speed in which information is
processed may decrease, and we may become more distracted; and positive, wisdom
and creativity often continue and grow throughout our adult years.
But
most importantly, we all age differently. As Elizabeth L. Glisky, University of
Arizona professor at the Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, states “Although
there are clear generalities and common principles that can be demonstrated in
cognitive aging, what is perhaps most compelling about age-related cognitive
change is its variability. Cognitive decline is not inevitable. Some older
adults retain excellent cognitive function well into their 70s and 80s and
perform as well or better than younger adults.”
Ballot
Measure #94 acknowledges this variability - and the research regarding age and
cognitive functioning that has occurred since 1960 when Oregon voters passed the
constitutional amendment requiring mandatory retirement for judges.
Age
should not be a consideration for employment whether you are old or young. It
should be competence and ability. Adults older than 75 can still be mentally
sharp and can still contribute. And the wisdom and perspective of older adults
is needed now more than ever.
Lisa
Gambee, Wasco County Clerk, and her Chief Deputy, David McGaughey, spoke at the
Center last Tuesday offering a fascinating look inside our local election
process. But next Tuesday all the shouting will be over, thankfully, and to
make sure your mail-in ballot arrives at the Courthouse by Tuesday, Lisa
suggested you consider mailing it before Thursday (election day postmarks don’t
count). You can also drop off your ballot at the Courthouse, or even more conveniently,
Lisa and David will return to the Center on Friday between 11:30 and 12:30 with
a ballot box to collect your ballots. (And contrary to the rumor circulating, you
only need one stamp to mail in your ballot.)
Remember
Tuesday Night Music at the Center is now starting at 6:30 during the winter
months. And on November 8th, Martin and Friends will be playing their country
favorites. Doors open at 6:00 and donations are always appreciated.
And
speaking of time, we gain an hour next Sunday, November 6th when
local Daylight Savings Time ends. Sunrise and sunset will be one hour earlier which
means more light in the morning and less in the evening. So this Sunday at two
o’clock in the morning, I expect you to wake up and change the time on all your
clocks; and then go back to bed and savior that extra hour of sleep.
Continuing
the countdown of “40 Great Things about Growing Older”: #5 “You have time for
your favorite hobbies.” Because of family and careers, we usually didn’t have
the time to pursue what seemed like selfish interests - whether it was
quilting, writing a bestseller, painting, or restoring an old ’63 Buick Skylark
convertible. But with fewer responsibilities and more time, these retirement
years are a perfect time to discover new interests or rediscover the hobbies we
enjoyed when we were younger. (Does anyone want to start a LEGO Club?)
Peter
Lawford played Nick Charles in The Thin
Man television series that aired on NBC from 1957–1959? (This week’s winner
of a quilt raffle ticket is Tina Castanares.)
While
growing up, I learned a children’s rhyme that often forced me to zig-zag down
the sidewalks where I lived. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what
would happen if you stepped on a crack? Email your answer to
www.mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or deliver it to
the Center with a portrait of your mother.
Well,
it’s been another week, watching the river flow. Until we meet again, if you
find a dog in the doorway, step over it.
“I
love my age. Old enough to know better. Young enough not to care. Experienced
enough to do it right.” Anonymous
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