Ellen Leanse

In the warmth of my farewell morning’s sun from the patio of MEA’s Baja campus, a message came to me – one rising from the open conversations and deep learning my workshop days had offered. It rang clear and true: "Elder” is an invitation. "Elderly" is what happens when we don’t RSVP "Yes."

Headlines, podcasts, maybe the whispered concerns of loved ones: far too much of what we hear about the aging brain fills us with dread. Memory loss, declines in processing speed, lags in habit acquisition and executive function – we’ve heard it all. It’s impossible to avoid concerning messages about how the brain changes in our later years.