Pioneer on Aging Studies has died

As director of the Center on Aging, Health and Humanities at George Washington University, Dr. Gene Cohen wrote about that "'summing up' phase of life that he said emerges most often from our late sixties into our eighties or beyond. In this phase, says Cohen, people are reexamining and assessing their lives, looking back not only at what happened but at what they learned from it. As 'keepers-of-the-culture, people who reach this phase begin to share their lessons and fortunes through autobiography and personal story telling, philanthropy, community activism, volunteerism and other forms of giving back.' They are also often motivated to develop creative new strategies for dealing with 'unresolved conflicts and unfinished business.'
...

"Although some aspects of brain function decline with age, writes Cohen, the 'older brain is more resilient, adaptable, and capable than we thought.'
When we’re young, for example, we tend to favor one side of the brain over the other. In the second half of life we tend to integrate the hemispheres, essentially 'moving to all-wheel drive.' Autobiography, because it engages both sides of the brain, is like 'chocolate for the brain,' says Cohen.
Moreover, as we age, we have a stronger impulse to tell our life story. We may not tell that story any better than a younger person would, but we are more motivated to do so—not only because storytelling and reminiscence are part of the natural work of elders, but also because they 'become appealing ways of giving back—sharing what we have learned.' "

That's from McNees, The Beneficial Effects of Life Story and Legacy Activities (published in The Journal of Geriatric Care Management)

You can read Cohen's book,* **The Mature Mind: The Positive Power of the Aging Brain. *Also available, free, online: Cohen, Gene D. “Ongoing Psychological Growth with Aging: Autobiography and The Summing Up Phase.” *International Reminiscence and Life Review Conference 2007: Selected Conference Papers and
Proceedings* (November 15-16, 2007, San Francisco, CA), pp* 33-39*.
Available free online at