Right Hemi-aging Theory

Abstract

The one universal finding across aging research is an increased heterogeneity of variance with increasing age. Thus, any conclusions based upon the aging construct must be circumspect and with all caution related to sweeping generalities or conclusions on what aging is or what changes accompany the aging process. Cross-sectional age comparisons may result in findings more relevant to differing experiential backgrounds or the “cohort effect”. Moreover, age comparisons based upon chronological age differences seem to be somewhat independent of the aging construct. The factual basis of this confound might be entirely evident in the day to day encounters of a clinical neuropsychologist working with patients of differing ages. By way of example, one neuropsychologist was completing the evaluation of a 105-year-old gentleman who was actively dating. The ladies seemed to swoon in his presence with his military uniform; still a sharp fit on his angular frame. He was solid on his feet, coordinated in his gait, and well mannered in his social demeanor and pragmatics. In so many ways he was arguably more youthful than the 13-year-old boy that the neuropsychologist was following for a cerebrovascular accident. The older man was, however, extremely hard of hearing and refused his appliance to amplify sounds. Upon inquiry as to why he would not wear his hearing aid, he responded that he had “already heard everything that he wanted to hear.”