Ain't no social scientist nor developmental psychologist, but from anedoctals, I am so a "nod, nod" on this excerpt:

A 2015 Harvard study showed that rather than losing abilities as we age, we actually acquire a different and multifaceted range of skills.

Our 20s might be ideal for working memory and rapid processing speed, “but in our 30s, 40s and 50s, we develop cognitive capabilities like empathy that support being better managers, executives and communicators,” says Karlgaard. “And in our 60s, there’s cognitive evidence of real wisdom.”

I moved to Charlottesville 20 years ago.  Some time after that UVA started a Cognitive Aging study and I volunteered for it.  I’ve always been good at figuring out what a 3 dimensional object would look like if I folded the dotted lines drawn in 2 dimensions.  I could easily recall unrelated words that were read out to me by making up a silly story using the words as I listened.  

Identifying visual patterns in squares was a challenge; that part of my brain was not great at any time of my life, although recognizing the faces of famous people, dead or alive, was a snap.  In other words, I was good at some things and not at others.  I was in my mid-fifties when I started these tests.  They last 3 hours a day, and were for 2 days.  Each year they would call me back, and I usually went.  They do not give any feedback, ever.  To anyone. They started paying $125 for the tests, which became more and more exhausting, and harder and harder to do.

The last time I took these tests was 4 years ago.  As the faces of Jennifer Anniston, Elliott Gould, and George Clooney flashed on the screen, I was stumped.  I got so nervous because of the implication of this, that I missed others that I should not have.  I could ID Mikael Barishnikof, George Bush, and many other newsmakers without a problem.  But overall, I knew that I was most definitely in decline of my abilities they were testing.  For some time I caught myself searching for synonyms for words I couldn’t think of.   My friend says this is normal.  (Good friend, huh?)

At the same time in my life I felt a new strength in my relationship with others; a very satisfying way of getting along.  Empathy was a part of it, compassion, and an appreciation for the less-noticed qualities of those around me, made me a better friend and companion.  As some of you may know, my husband of 4 years (my high-school sweetheart) jus died last month.  He was with me, and in my care at home until the end.  I’ve never done anything harder in my life, but I am so grateful that we found each other so I was the person who cared for him during that challenging last year.  I know that the 24 year-old Jan Garber, RN could have given him the comfort and love that 71 year-old Jan Maugans (retired RN) gave.  Oddly, I feel stronger no,  although I’m still forgetful

They called again recently to ask for my participation in the study, and I said no.  I just can’t do it again. But as to the subject at hand, it seems as though all that energy I had as a young woman and all of the fool-hardy things I did somehow contributed to qualities that I have now that I like.

 I just really, really, really don’t want to “go around the bend.”