“Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: What is Aging After All?
Creative Capacity and Psychological Growth in the Second Half of Life
Positive Brain & Behavior Changes that Occur Because of Aging, Not Despite It
”
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
University of Washington Campus
Kane Hall, Room 210
7:00-8:15pm
Research on aging has identified a number of positive brain and behavioral changes in the second half of life that have set the stage for psychological growth and creative expression. The result is that we now recognize positive developments among middle age and older adults that occur not despite aging, but because of aging. These positive changes will be delineated and the underlying mechanisms that enable them to happen will be elaborated. The New Senior Moment-a creative one-will be described, and aging will be discussed as perhaps the best example of a phenomenon where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Be prepared to witness the dismantling of a number of long held negative myths and stereotypes about aging. Gene D. Cohen, MD, Ph.D., has served as acting director of the National Institute on Aging, the first Chief of the Center on Aging of the National Institute of Mental Health, and coordinator of the Department of Health and Human Services’ planning and programs on Alzheimer’s disease. He was recognized for these accomplishments with the Public Health Service Distinguished Service Medal (the highest honor of PHS). Dr. Cohen is co-founder of Creativity Discovery Corps, whose mission is to identify and preserve the creative accomplishment and rich histories of talented older adults. Dr. Cohen will share his insights on creativity and aging, based on his research and his books, The Creative Age (which has also served as the basis of a film by PBS), and The Mature Mind.
Co-Sponsors of Dr. Cohen's lecture:
- UW Institute on Aging
- Hooyman Professorship in Gerontology, School of Social Work
- Simpson Center for the Humanities
- Department of Psychiatry
- Department of Psychology
- de Tornyay Center for Healthy Aging
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Northwest Center for Creative Aging
