Hollywood, CA

Monday, February 20, 2012

Norma Roth, author of Aging Gracefully With Dignity, Integrity & Spunk Intact, has been touting the fact that Baby Boomers, and those "approaching that age," will be able to take advantage of some amazing new advances in brain knowledge and technology. We will be living longer and sometimes that prospect holds daunting challenges in terms of living a coherent and active life, especially when it comes to brain health.

Ever-widening reports are that Baby Boomer generation are beginning to panic over growing older: The group that has gone the furthest in throwing off social barriers, in never accepting "No!"; in making society over as they go; in successfully changing the game of life to suit themselves?that generation!?has started to panic over, of all thinks, memory.

Before you panic or start loading up on those memory exercises, brain games that are proliferating as well as obsessing over whether or not you have early dementia or Alzheimer (becoming a critical concern), Norma Roth, a lawyer and recent recipient of the National Association of Professional Women's award for Outstanding Professional Women of the Year 2010-2011, suggests that Baby Boomers would do better in understanding the brain; becoming aware of the medical and scientific findings regarding age that fly in the face of memory loss; and learning the techniques and strategies to deal with, handle and dispense the memory issues that stress you and feed into the fear that you are losing it.

The author also suggests that much undue stress and panic work towards self-fulfilling prophecy. In other words, if you stress out, worry, or panic, you are more likely to find yourself behaving in the manner you fear: "not remembering that word"; loosing a "thought"?and all of the other behavior patterns that you fear point to loss of memory and thus, the beginning of mental disintegration and degeneration. "Hogwash," says Roth who advises instead that Baby Boomers: recognize the issue; deal with the issue; and handle these normal physiological issues like the Baby Boomer generation has been known to do throughout their lifetime. In other words: bring to bear your strengths, attitudes, and intellect and?cast off this unnecessary panic. Do your own thing, advices Roth. And know science is on your side!

"Brain power" is the name of the game?not brain drain! Roth points out a few factors regarding memory that Baby Boomers should know: Baby Boomers are expected to have longevity and use of memory facilities throughout their lifetime. The gift of the 21st Century not only opens up the probability of the functioning of that brain over a lifetime, but also highlights the ability to access long-term memory (the full spectrum of personal knowledge base and experience and more gathered throughout a lifetime). The gift of science to this generation is the scientific basis for the ability to use the mind indefinitely!

At a time scientific proof is building on the ability of the mind to function well into the later years?almost, in fact, until the end of a lifetime, Baby Boomers should not be growing increasingly and unnecessarily panicky over the forgetting of a word or losing a train adding to the growing concern regarding loss of mental faculties.

Know the difference between long term and short term memory. In Part I of the author's book Aging Gracefully With Dignity, Integrity & Spunk Intact: Aging Defiantly, Ms. Roth deals with the elements of short term memory ("forgetting a word," "loosing a train of thought" etc.), and the very quickly-learned ways of effective compensating and dealing with situations that are normal changes, but are not indicative of memory loss and certainly not early Alzheimers.

She urges Baby Boomers to pause, back-up, take a deep breath and refrain from entering into a panic that is avoidable by drawing on the resources that have put them where they are: handling situations and creating new paths! That is what Baby Boomers do so well!

Long term memory, on the other hand is the full spectrum of knowledge, experience and more that you have learned throughout your lifetime and generally stored in your memory banks where they remain can be accessed almost throughout a lifetime. In Part II of Aging Gracefully-Aging Defiantly, Roth deals with the vast wonders of that long term memory ability.

Roth asserts that what Baby Boomers should be spending their time acquiring knowledge instead of needless stressing and panicking over memory issues that can be compensated. Concentrate, says the author on both storing data and accessing data in your PRS (Personal Retrieval System) from your long term memory cells. There is a dramatic opportunity now to store more data in your own brain than was ever thought possible: the limits are not known; the challenge? a gift to Baby Boomers to store, access, and utilize more data for indeterminate amount of time .

If this storage system sounds like a computer, it is meant to: Computers, the author reminds us, are modeled after the human mind, not vice versa. And here, she says, it is Baby Boomers who have the greatest opportunity to store more information in a Personal Retrieval System (PRS) for continued use than any other generation since they are still in active professional lives or, as Roth puts it:"a learning and storing mode."

Personal Retrieval System (PRS): In Part II of her Aging Gracefully, Aging Defiantly, Roth unveils an original theory that comports with the latest findings in science and research. Within each mind, says Roth, there is a Personal Retrieval System (PRS) where data has been stored and continues to be stored for almost a lifetime. Acting like a computer, stored data can be accessed, retrieved and utilized by the individual: both to use and to build upon for further use within one's lifetime. In fact, this system is often utilized on an everyday basis, but not truly understood in terms of what it is doing and what that means in terms of available brain power. Instant and continuous learning and usage, storage over a long term, access, retrieval and continued usage is at the fingertips of, especially, the Baby Boomer Generation.

The new findings of science, medicine and research in this century are changing the way we view our lifetimes, and allowing us to understand aspects of the mind that will change the way we work, plan lives, and continue to be extremely productive members of our society. The inordinate attention given to the study of the brain makes information available at an increasingly incredible speed. Baby Boomers will come to understand how the brain works, how it best works, and the potential for continued use for the entire spectrum of a lifetime as part of each individuals amazing brain power.

Enough to make panic subside a bit, says author Norma Roth, Aging Gracefully-Aging Defiantly?who has debunked myths that remain as restraints regarding the Silver Generation? and sees the same growing need to debunk growing myths about brain degeneration for the Baby Boomers generation (who strangely enough, may well be falling for the similar outdated fears and panics about what she terms 'adding years' phobia). In view of all the scientific knowledge about brain power throughout a lifetime, it is time to disregard false and outdated attitudes, suggests Roth; and to concentrate on the limitless opportunities for use of the brain (and health of the body) for a lifetime.

Who, she asks, if not the Baby Boomer generation, who has broken so many barriers is in the best position to take full advantage of this new way in which the world is rapidly moving that sees the brain capable of unlimited storage of data; new studies also show the capacity for new learning exists, too, as the years pass.. This whole area of rapidly developing scientific, medical and technical change is, it would seem, ready-made for the lifestyle and path breaking ability which is the hallmark of the Baby Boomer Generation.

To be able to store huge amounts of data look and to be able to draw upon this substantive knowledge within the self (PRS) that is stored today as well as stored decades ago?and further, to look forward to the probability science is finding of continued use of large quantities of stored data is a remarkable development in this century. Roth points out, that these new advances should be easily understood by Baby Boomers who are so computer savvy.

If members of the Baby Boomer generation can access their computer from any one of their rapidly growing technical wizardry: I phones, I pad, I phone, Net book, laptop, etc. they should certainly understand that the (1) mind is a vast storage house with limitless storage capacity; (2) "losing it" is fast becoming one of those oxymoron's; and (3) this data stored in personal retrieval systems (PRS) ¬?the brain?will most likely be available to throughout a lifetime. What more can the Baby Boomer generation desire?

Material from Science Journals, and Aging Gracefully With Dignity Integrity & Spunk Intact: Aging Defiantly by Norma Roth. Her next article will deal with Intimidation Management in the Workplace.

Kirkus Review of Aging Gracefully With Dignity, Integrity & Spunk Intact by Norma Roth

Septuagenarian poet Roth decries our "obsessive focus on the deterioration of the elderly" and charts a course of independent, dignified and fruitful aging.

Roth doesn't deny that there are physical and mental losses as we grow older, particularly regarding brain cells that relate to short-term memory. What she finds galling is the cultural negativity toward old age, the dire warnings of a society that contemplates every aspect about itself and is seriously afraid of growing older." With advances in modern medicine, there is every reason to expect an alert, active, achieving and participatory old age. What Roth focuses on are the mental hiccups that attend the advancing years–the moments of forgetfulness. She advises a use-it or lose-it approach, writing, "Those who continue to use their brain retain its use; those who do not, lose it." The author explains that if you worry about forgetting that pot of boiling water, then don't leave it. If you can't recall a certain word, chose another, simpler one (which will probably be better than the $10 one you forgot).

Roth is especially forceful in counseling that one cultivate his or her head. There is a great storehouse of knowledge, skill and interests in the brain–one that's been fed since the day each of us were born. The author writes that one should first explore the terrain–find the time, the place, and the quiet to begin to become conscious of the stored data you already possess"–then build on it and keep learning and ruminating on the big issues, like war and peace and human decency. Some may call it absentmindedness, this mooning about in your own head, but instead it's a process of letting the mundane slip away. There was a time when we used to learn from our elders' experience, but now the memory bullies want to send the old to the abattoir. Roth shows how, instead, to be subtly and directly defiant of being pigeonholed as decrepit.

Thoughtful, uncowed observations of the aging process with upbeat conclusions.

For media interviews contact Promotion in Motion at 323-461-3921 or brad@promotioninmotion.net

Brad Butler

Promotion in Motion

Hollywood, CA

323-461-3921

First Url: Norma Roth's Official Anti-Aging Website

Second Url: Order Aging Gracefully, Aging Defiantly by Norma Roth from Amazon.com