Does aging result in dimming, dulling, and dawdling? Not necessarily. This month's Law Practice Today includes an article by Ed Poll entitled "Should Auld Lawyers Be Forgot, and Never Brought to Mind?" in which he mentions the much-read Seattle Times article "'Graying of the Bar' fueling concern in court." (My post on the "Graying of the Bar" article.)
Noting that 66 percent of the members of the Washington State Bar are 41 or older, and that 10 percent are over 60, the article declared that “ incompetence due to declining skills, failure to keep pace or dwindling mental acuity may soon rise in the legal profession.” That seems overblown enough, but a second item described a new regulation in India (where legal work is increasingly being outsourced) stating that if you are not licensed by the age of 45 you cannot become an advocate. “We don’t want the Bar to become parking lots for retirees,” one official was quoted as saying.
The natural conclusion seems to be that older lawyers are more careless, have too many pressures in their lives that distract their attention and cause them to make errors leading to discipline.
Poll does not believe that age necessarily equals incompetence, nor does he believe that age equals lack of creativity. I wholeheartedly agree with him. I also know there are many methods by which an aging lawyer can lessen the likelihood of loss of competence and creativity. Let's look at a few available for the body and the brain.
A week ago, "To Avoid ‘Boomeritis,’ Exercise, Exercise, Exercise" was published in The New York Times and remained on the most-e-mailed list for several days. Boomeritis is a popular topic as more and more Baby Boomers reach 60. This year the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the National Athletic Trainers Assocation jointly offered a national boomeritis prevention public service campaign. From the press release:
“As a whole, boomers are the first generation of Americans who are staying active on their aging frames,” said Nicholas DiNubile, MD, orthopaedic surgeon and Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). “Because of their aging frame, however, many are experiencing ‘boomeritis’ – musculoskeletal problems, which include tendonitis, bursitis, arthritis and sports-related injuries.”
Of course, physical exercise is an essential component of any program to prevent boomeritis and to promote health and well-being. And it's important for lawyers of any age. If you are sedentary and not sure how to begin an exercise regimen, seek out a personal trainer or speak with the resident expert at a gym or fitness center that appeals to you and is conveniently located.
Physical exercise is one part of softening the effects of aging. So is mental exercise!
Today's New York Times includes " Exercise for Your Aging Brain."
If you’re worried that your mental powers will decline as you age, a new study offers hope that a relatively brief flurry of brain exercises can slow the mind’s deterioration.
Yesterday's Medical News Today carried "Cognitive Training For Older Adults May Help Slow Decline Of Daily Functioning Abilities."
"The ACTIVE study is the first large-scale, randomized trial to show that cognitive training improves cognitive function in well-functioning older adults and that this improvement lasts up to 5 years from the beginning of the intervention," the researchers write.
Ways to exercise your body may seem more obvious than ways to do some lifting and pushups with that organ in your head. What to do? Several Web sites show you how to exercise your brain, including BrainReady and SharpBrains. In "22 Ways To Overclock Your Brain" you will find many more exercises for your brain calisthenics.
It’s simple, your brain is at the center of everything you do, all you feel and think, and every nuance of how you relate to people. It’s both the supercomputer that runs your complex life and the tender organ that houses your soul. And while you may run, lift weights, or do yoga to keep your body in good condition, chances are you ignore your brain and trust it to do its job.
No matter what your age, mental exercise has a global, positive effect on the brain. So, here are 22 ways to boost your brain power: . . .
Find a way to prevent mental boomeritis too, boomers. Those older and younger also will benefit from brain exercising. In order to maintain professional competence and creativity, going to the gym or jogging must be supplemented with some kind of brain work. And it is never too early to start.
Graying of the bar need only mean that the hair is changing color, not that the ability to serve clients is plummeting. Of course, there are those for whom the years will markedly affect their ability to practice. And there are ways to lessen your chances of joining them. Ready to start those situps for your body and your brain?
Note (added December 31, 2007, 9:04 AM Mountain): Kevin O'Keefe at Real Lawyers Have Blogs makes a fine suggestion to keep the minds of senior lawyers active, serve clients, benefit the public, showcase aging lawyers' firms, and more. Read O'Keefe's Eleven reasons why blogging for senior lawyers makes sense.
Thanks Stephanie, for bringing attention to this important topic.
As a follow-up, your readers may be interested in learning more about:
- "Are you working out all your muscles" (authored by us, published by the association of health and fitness centers)
http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/12/20/working-out-all-your-muscles/
- what is Brain Fitness
http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/12/25/what-is-brain-fitness/
- Free guide we have just announced, addressing the Top 25 questions on Brain Fitness and brain exercise questions
http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/12/14/new-brain-fitness-guide/
Happy holidays
Posted by: Alvaro | December 26, 2006 at 04:16 PM