Keeping Your Brain Sharp After 60, Preparing for Your 70s, and Understanding Popular Annuities

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Staying mentally strong after 60 isn’t about doing everything perfectly — it’s about giving your brain the variety, rest, and challenge it needs to stay active. The brain responds well to small, consistent habits, and it’s never too late to build them.

Start with the basics: regular movement, good sleep, and staying socially connected. A daily walk, light stretching, or gentle exercise improves blood flow to the brain and supports memory. Reading the news, talking with friends, and keeping a steady sleep routine also help keep your mind clear. Simple activities like doing crosswords, learning a recipe, or trying a new route on your walk can give your brain the small challenges it needs to stay flexible.

Nutrition plays a part too. Foods rich in omega-3s, leafy greens, berries, nuts, beans, and whole grains support brain health. Drinking enough water and limiting alcohol can also help with focus and mood throughout the day.

If you’d like a bit more structure, consider skills that require learning over time — such as practicing a musical instrument, studying a language, taking an online course, or joining a discussion group. These activities combine memory, problem-solving, and attention, which together strengthen cognitive resilience.

You can also explore free learning platforms with clear, accessible lessons. Coursera, Khan Academy, and OpenLearn from The Open University offer everything from history to psychology. Libraries often host online lectures or book groups through Zoom or Google Meet, giving you both mental stimulation and community connection.

The goal isn’t to pressure yourself — it’s simply to stay curious and keep your mind engaged in ways that feel enjoyable and manageable.

💌 If you found these ideas helpful, forward this newsletter to a friend — staying sharp is easier when you’re learning alongside someone else.

“The Sound of the Screen Door”
From the life overview
of Virginia P., 92, Roanoke, VA. Shared with permission.

When my children were little, our house had a screen door that never quite closed right. It had a stubborn hinge and a spring that gave up sometime around ’68, so instead of snapping shut it drifted inward, sighed, and then bumped the frame with a soft thunk. I must’ve heard that sound ten thousand times—on summer evenings when the kids ran in for lemonade, on school mornings when someone remembered a forgotten lunch, on nights when my husband came home late from the hardware store, whistling before he even crossed the porch.

That creaky door became our unofficial family soundtrack. I could tell which child was coming in just from the rhythm: Michael’s hurried slam-and-dash, Ellen’s slow, dreamy push, Tommy’s habit of letting it hang open until I hollered at him from the kitchen. Even the dog learned to nose it open and sneak inside when thunderstorms rolled over the ridge.

Eventually we replaced it with a proper door that shut cleanly, neatly, quietly—too quietly, if you ask me. The house felt different after that. More orderly, yes, but missing something small and familiar, like when a favorite radio host retires and the new one just doesn’t have the same laugh. Every so often, in an older building, I’ll hear a screen door give that same thunk. It always stops me for half a second. It sounds like home.

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Listen | Smithsonian Music
The Smithsonian offers a gentle doorway into global music through curated playlists drawn from Smithsonian Folkways and other collections. You can stream everything from Appalachian ballads to West African drumming, with short notes that place each recording in context. It’s an easy way to have thoughtful, unfamiliar music in the background while you read, cook, or unwind.

British Pathé Newsreel Archive
This historic film archive holds more than 200,000 newsreels from 1896 to the 1980s, covering everyday life, major events, and forgotten stories from around the world. You can browse by decade or topic and watch short films that bring the past to life in a way books sometimes can’t. It’s particularly satisfying for those who enjoy history in small, vivid doses.

New York Public Library Online Events & Classes
Even if you don’t live in New York, the library’s free online events, talks, and classes are open to anyone with an internet connection. You’ll find author conversations, book discussions, technology workshops, and gentle social hours specifically designed for adults. It’s a low-pressure way to keep learning and to feel connected to a wider community from home.

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Take a few minutes to jot down your thoughts. Even a few sentences are a memory preserved for loved ones.

Staying organized gets much easier when your phone can remember things for you. Task and reminder apps can handle appointments, daily routines, medications, household chores, and even long-term projects — all without you having to keep everything in your head. Below are simple steps to get started, plus a few advanced tricks if you already feel comfortable with technology.

If you’re new to apps, start with the built-in options on your phone. iPhone users already have the Reminders app, which lets you create tasks, set due dates, and get alerts at a specific time or location. You can also ask Siri to add reminders hands-free. Android phones offer Google Keep and Google Tasks, both easy to read, simple to organize, and good for recurring reminders.

A reliable tablet- and computer-friendly option is Microsoft To Do. It syncs across devices, lets you prioritize tasks, and has large, readable text. If you prefer something built specifically for routines, Medisafe is excellent for medication reminders, and Alarmy offers strong, no-nonsense alerts for waking up or remembering time-based tasks.

Start small: one list for daily tasks, one for appointments, and one for medications. Check them in the morning and evening to stay consistent.

If you like more control, consider apps that offer automation and customization. Todoist allows you to set repeating tasks like “Pay bills every 1st of the month” or “Water plants every three days.” You can also label and sort tasks by project, priority, or location.

For Apple users, the Apple Shortcuts app can automate your day — for example, sending you your morning schedule at 8 a.m., reminding you to take medications when you arrive home, or providing driving directions to upcoming appointments.

If you enjoy planning on a computer, Trello uses visual “boards” and “cards” to track big projects like preparing for travel, managing home repairs, or keeping documents in order.

Whichever tool you choose, aim for consistency over complexity. The best app is the one you’ll actually use — and once your phone handles the remembering, you’re free to focus on the rest of your day.

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