People over 40 can learn new things and they can perform some intellectual tasks better than younger people.
Dr. Gene Cohen, author and nationally recognized gerontology expert, will discuss how the brain and mental capacity continues to grow throughout life at a conference on aging sponsored by Grand Valley State University.
The second Art and Science of Aging conference at GVSU, with the theme "Creativity, Growth, and Social Transformation 20/20," is scheduled for February 16, from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. in the DeVos Center, 401 W. Fulton St., at Grand Valley's Pew Grand Rapids Campus.
Sessions following Cohen's address will focus on the positive aspects of aging, said conference organizer Priscilla Kimboko, dean of Graduate Studies and Grants Administration at GVSU.
"It's exciting to think about the positive messages of aging," Kimboko said. "It's not only how older people consider facts, but how they bring in other experiences to the decision-making process."
After his keynote address, Cohen will sign copies of his recent book "The Mature Mind: The Positive Power and Creative Potential of the Aging Brain." Grand Valley's University Bookstore will have copies of Cohen's books available for purchase at a 20 percent discount.
The afternoon keynote address will be given by Paul McConaughy, co-chair of the Michigan Vital Aging Think Tank, a partnership of the MSU Extension, Michigan state government agencies, AARP and other organizations. McConaughy will discuss "elder friendly communities" and how the Think Tank has developed a program to assist Michigan communities in achieving that status. An elder friendly community emphasizes wellness aspects like walkability, transportation, and access to health care.
Sessions throughout the day include talks on aging and creativity, adult daughter and mother relationships, leisure and sport activities for older adults, and a statistical look at Kent County's seniors. GVSU students will also present poster sessions on their aging-related research.
The conference is open to the public. Cost to attend is $15 ($10 for students and senior citizens). For more details and to register for the conference online, visit www.gvsu.edu/gsga, click on "Gerontology Conference."
More on Cohen:
Cohen is the first director of the Center on Aging, Health and
Humanities at George Washington University. He is also founding
director of a Washington, D.C. think tank on aging and a past
president of the Gerontology Society of America. From 1991-93, he
served as acting director of the National Institute on Aging at the
National Institutes of Health. Cohen also served as the first chief of
the Center on Aging of the National Institute of Mental Health, the
first federal center on mental health and aging established in any
country. He was awarded the Public Health Service's highest honor
(Distinguished Service Medal) for his life work on senior issues.
