My mother has dementia. Three months ago we had to make the painful decision to move her to assisted living. If you know someone that suffers from this terrible disease, you know how heartbreaking and frightening it is for the “victim” and their loved ones.

Because of this experience, I am extremely sensitive to information about brain health so you can imagine how concerning it is to hear that retirement can cause brain decline.

Ross Andel, gerontology researcher, explains that our memory and speed of thinking can decline when we retire, indicators of Alzhemeimer’s. He says it is really about our approach to retirement and the decisions we make that affect brain function. Most importantly, we need to avoid MENTAL retirement and stay engaged with activities and learning. We need to “see our post work life as a wonderful opportunity to reinvest in things that truly matter to us”. Watch his TED talk to hear more about it.

Think retirement is smooth sailing? A look at its potential effects on the brain