Early Retirement May Speed Up Cognitive Decline: Study • Hacker News Board

Re: Early Retirement May Speed Up Cognitive Decline: Study

#271

Post by distances » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 4:24 PM UTC

clarry wrote: post #224

hunta2097 wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also have this intention. I am about 15-20 years from retirement but I have palpable fears that I will forsake my dreams of doing something creative, falling into the rut that I've seen my older relatives and friends follow. You do meet the odd creative and intelligent senior but they are the minority. I hope I fall into that category when I retire!

> I also have this intention. I am about 15-20 years from retirement but I have palpable fears that I will forsake my dreams of doing something creative, falling into the rut that I've seen my older relatives and friends follow. I really hope to shift down from 5 days / 40 hours a week to something that allows me to start pursuing my dreams long before I retire. It should help me develop the habit instead of being pa…

If it's not too private, what kind of dreams are these?

Re: Early Retirement May Speed Up Cognitive Decline: Study

#272

Post by onemoresoop » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 5:11 PM UTC

meed wrote: post #44

I feel that my cognitive abilities, along with my overall mental state, to be steeply declining. And I'm a senior software guy in a big Valley corp. Probably the real priority here is to find one's "happy place" and stay there as long as it stay that way.

You don't mention your actual age so if you're not past 50, maybe you're just bored or slightly depressed?

Re: Early Retirement May Speed Up Cognitive Decline: Study

#273

Post by onemoresoop » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 5:12 PM UTC

llsf wrote: post #145

Anecdote: My grandma retired in her 60's, she is now 102. She used to own a bar, in France (you can imagine the secondhand smoke, back in the 60-70's). She is mentally sharp, although the last couple of years, she is napping more. Vision (always had issue) and hearing (super annoying now) are declining, but memory is still here, and with hearing aid, the conversation is fine (if you do not mind repeating sometimes).…

My grandmother had Alzheimer. Before the major decline she would remember things from her kindergarten, recite songs and things that even she was surprised she remembered.

Re: Early Retirement May Speed Up Cognitive Decline: Study

#274

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 5:16 PM UTC

kqr wrote: post #213

chimpburger wrote: post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

LOL. Downvoted? I think most people browsing HackerNews will not be freaked out by minor UI changes 30 years from now. Even a 3 year old child can figure out how to use an iPad.

You say "even a three-year old" as if three-year olds aren't hyperspecialised learning machines.

[deleted]

Re: Early Retirement May Speed Up Cognitive Decline: Study

#275

Post by onemoresoop » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 5:20 PM UTC

tempsy wrote: post #71

Yeah I'm on a few months break from working and the most unexpected downside is the uptick in existential dread I've experienced.

Too much free time I'd say. Get busy, do things, fill up the calendar!

Re: Early Retirement May Speed Up Cognitive Decline: Study

#276

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 5:36 PM UTC

cko wrote: post #255

q5jwB6bD wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I totally agree. I have so many interests and so little time. I can't wait until I can retire so that I can focus on the things that really interest me. I'm hoping to form groups of like minded people with similar hobbies. I envision my future as one of those old dudes playing chess in the park, except chess would be replaced with one of my many interests.

> Ask a wage slave what he'd like to accomplish. Chances are the response will be something like "I'd start every day at the gym and work out for two hours until I was as buff as Brad Pitt. Then I'd practice the piano for three hours. I'd become fluent in Mandarin so that I could be prepared to understand the largest transformation of our time. I'd really learn how to handle a polo pony. I'd learn to fly a helicopter…

[deleted]

Re: Early Retirement May Speed Up Cognitive Decline: Study

#277

Post by ilkan » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 5:38 PM UTC

Whether retirement was voluntary or forced, the health of the person at retirement time and social/vocational continuity could be bigger factors than the act of retirement itself.

Re: Early Retirement May Speed Up Cognitive Decline: Study

#278

Post by erikpukinskis » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 5:47 PM UTC

Phenomenit wrote: post #263

hastes wrote: post #260

The child in me wonders if something like video games (i.e. StarCraft II/DotA/LoL/Card games, something with strategy and thinking) would be a way to fight this onset of cognitive decline in retired folks. It would be interesting to see a study of retired folks from the millennial generation, providing they play much more games than older generations.

My view is that games help you become better at playing games. A while ago a lot of people said that doing crossword puzzles was a good way to keep your mind sharp but it's not really the case. The elderly who did a lot s puzzles just got good at doing puzzles.

One key difference between (many) games and crosswords is the presence of a human opponent.

Re: Early Retirement May Speed Up Cognitive Decline: Study

#279

Post by clarry » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 5:48 PM UTC

distances wrote: post #271

clarry wrote: post #224

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I also have this intention. I am about 15-20 years from retirement but I have palpable fears that I will forsake my dreams of doing something creative, falling into the rut that I've seen my older relatives and friends follow. I really hope to shift down from 5 days / 40 hours a week to something that allows me to start pursuing my dreams long before I retire. It should help me develop the habit instead of being pa…

If it's not too private, what kind of dreams are these?

I want a plot of land. I want to plant trees and see them grow. I want to grow my own apples; Finnish apples are second to none and you can't buy them in a grocery store. I want to grow berries, vegetables, flowers, birds, butterflies. I'd like to have a piece of forest too, though mainly for sake of preservation and relaxation. Maybe as a source of firewood for sauna.

I also want to make music, and possibly do other arts.

Re: Early Retirement May Speed Up Cognitive Decline: Study

#280

Post by heavenlyblue » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 7:06 PM UTC

vidarh wrote: post #235

qnsi wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It doesnt, but it sometimes can be a big clue. What other factors can explain, that old people dont make so many breakthroughs? (If hes correct)

One factor may well be that when you start studying a subject a large part of what contributes to new developments may well be that you bring a new angle, and lack of understanding of what is accepted . E.g. I remember my first CS classes, and how I during my algorithm classes "invented" thing after thing just to read on to the next chapter and see my "inventions" covered. But now and again someone will come up with…

>> We weren't tremendously successful, but we learned a hell of a lot

When you are twenty, doing anything will teach you a lot.