Aging Does Have Its Impact

(Disclaimer: I know I'm not OLD, old. I'm only 66 and NBC News on Wednesday clearly pointed out that for many reasons 60 IS the new 40. But let me talk about it anyway.)

I did the online Jeopardy! test the other evening. I have probably done it a half-dozen or more times over the years. I have been a fan of Jeopardy! since the original Art Fleming days. I am a fountain of trivial information- and always have been. But as one watches the show it isn't hard to see that there are very, very few older people as contestants. I know that part of the reason is no doubt that older people (in their 60s and up) may have given up on being contestants. The pace of the show, the ability to ring-in quickly enough takes a little more speed than we may have as we get older. There is no doubt, neuroscience tells us, that our reflexes slow down.

And, as I found out the other day, so does our quickness of memory. There were several questions in the online test that I KNEW the answer to. They were, in general for me, very easy questions. In one I could even see the person who was the answer.

But I couldn't bring the answer out in the allotted 15 seconds. The speed (i.e. 15 seconds) wasn't the problem- most of the ones I was sure of the answer I got within the first 3-5 seconds. Typing didn't slow me down- I do a lot of that.

But that razor-sharp memory? Not what it used to be.

Not that it's bad, it is just a little more spotty than it used to be.

Maybe Jeopardy! should bring back the Senior Tournament they used to have! I'll be waiting for the call.