In the British TV series “New Tricks” retired detectives re-investigate unsolved crimes. What a name. It says, “Yes, retirees can learn new things.” The show runs with this idea. Detective Steve teaches Danny to waltz so he can go to a dance with his new girlfriend. When Steve has trouble with his finances, Danny shows him how to develop a budget. It’s all about picking up new tricks at any age.
I worry about my aging brain so I grabbed the National Geographic special issue on brains from the grocery check-out display. It said, “Did you know learning a new skill at any age can physically alter the structure of the brain.” (1) No references though. Is it fact or fluff? And when they say alter the brain, I suppose they mean in a positive way. If I learn boxing I won’t start swinging at strangers, right? If I learn pole dancing, well let’s not go there.
Anyway, I was on a mission to find out more. The Verywellmind website, which provides evidence-based information, says the brain does change structure when you learn. (2) It’s called neuroplasticity; your brain builds new pathways.
Here’s the problem. My brain is building new pathways but forgets to build an on-ramp to the pathways. I learn something, and then next week I can’t find the pathway. I meet someone, repeat their name, and the next week the name has vanished. Experts say the memory is still there, I just can’t get to it. My brain is a construction site of roads to nowhere.
Experts suggest environmental enrichment for brain health. I’ve heard this fancy new millennium catchphrase a lot – but usually at zoos. Visit a zoo nowadays and the docent points out all the environmental enrichment they’ve provided for the habitats. I also heard it at the vet. My vet suggested environmental enrichment when my cat started chewing his leg. Trust me. Anyone who’s visited our house knows our cat has an enriched environment. Boxes, habitats, toys, and scratching posts everywhere. One first-time visitor to our apartment said, “You sure do have a lot of stuff for your cat.”
I digress. Turns out we elders need environmental enrichment, too. The usual advice: learn a new language, play an instrument, travel, create art, and read.
I tried learning Spanish. Hubby speaks it; along with a lot of people in the US – even more in Florida. I started with duolingo, took a two-month break, and never got back. Besides, I feel self-conscious when I speak. Spanish speakers sound melodious. I sound like a hillbilly. And despite torturous efforts, I still can’t roll Rs.
As far as instruments go, I dabbled with the ukulele. I had even worked my way up to playing a song I love – San Francisco Bay Blues. Then our ukulele teacher quit. Maybe she tired of arthritis-ridden learners who couldn’t quite hit the chords.
Then there’s my watercolor class debacle. More of my painting was dedicated to perfecting the moisture levels than painting. And messy. There was more paint on me, the table, and the floor than on the page. And I wasn’t even drinking wine. I always wanted to go to one of those wine-and-paint classes. I figure enough wine and you wouldn’t care that your still-life apple looked like Pollock spatter art.
The thing is, when you learn something new as a kid, you don’t know how awful you are. You are proud of your rendition of Fur Elise and your stick art. As adults, we hear every wrong note and see every botched brushstroke.
But enough about new tricks. Sometimes I dust off old tricks. In the '70s, I crocheted snowflakes. A while back I got my snowflake patterns out determined to whip some out some ornaments for Christmas. Turns out I couldn’t figure out the pattern. So much for the adage “It’s like riding a bike”. And even that isn’t true – you lose your balance when you get older.
But I still try. I’ll pick up duolingo again and use easier crochet patterns. Maybe by next Christmas, I’ll speak a decent sentence in Spanish and have a few crocheted snowflakes on my tree.
References
Your Brain – 100 Things You Never Knew, National Geographic,
Kendra Cherry, MSEd, How Neuroplasticity Works, Verywillmind.com, May 17, 2024.