Much of the discussion about the upcoming US presidential election revolves around around the topic of age: Donald Trump is 78 and Joe Biden is 81.
This raises a question: What exactly Is the perfect age to become president – or for other important things Leaderwhat about that?
This question has been studied in depth by many scientists over the years. Dr John RoweA Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University Professor of Health Policy and Ageing, tells Assets.
But that doesn’t mean it’s easy to determine an ideal number.
“First, cognitive and behavioral functions encompass a variety of different specific functions, such as language skills, short- and long-term memory, problem solving, speed … and the effects of aging on these different functions are quite different,” he says. “So it’s not like everything is deteriorating at the same rate.”
Michael Snyder, PhDChairman of the Department of Genetics at Stanford University School of Medicineagrees that the decline in cognitive abilities varies greatly and is different for each person.
“This can be quite late for many people,” he says Assets“We all know people in their 90s that are still super, super hot. And we also know people who are over 60 and who go much slower.”
Rowe adds that “all 40-year-olds are largely cognitively the same, but when you turn 80there are people who are very, very good and some who are not so good.”
The loss of cognitive functions exceeds
As people age, the likelihood of experiencing an “abnormal loss” of cognitive function increases, he says. This could be due either to dementia, the prevalence of which is about 10% at age 65 and quadruples by the mid-80s, or to mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
Most people with dementia are 65 years or older, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention It is estimated that almost 14 million people are affected by Alzheimer’s disease by 2060. “A crazy person is obviously not fit to lead a country,” says Rowe. “So let’s just take that off the table.”
However, for people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) – a disorder that affects 12 to 18 percent of people over 65 and leads to behaviors such as forgetfulness and misplacing objects – things can get “more interesting.”
Of the cognitive functions that decline with age, speed of functioning is the easiest to study, he says. But while a lab test might show an impairment, it’s usually only 10 milliseconds slower than in the younger group, which may not be of much significance.
Someone making a decision about international finance, for example, would have more than 10 milliseconds. “So some of the changes may not be functionally important,” he notes.
Snyder emphasizes that people Longer and healthier life than just a few decades ago. This makes them retire laterand new research published in the journal neurology suggests that people who engaged in cognitively demanding work between the ages of 30 and 60 are at lower risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia in their 70s and beyond.
And with age comes wisdom – just one aspect of aging that could actually be beneficial for a leader.
The minimum age for a U.S. president is 35, the same age at which cognitive performance typically peaks.
Some Studies have shown that people reach their cognitive “peak” at around 35 years of age – the minimum age requirement for US President– and that it lasts until some point in the mid-forties, when the effects of cognitive aging can set in, according to Patricia Boyle, PhDProfessor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Rush University and neuropsychologist with the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center.
“Of course, everyone experiences it differently, as cognitive health can be influenced by genetics, diet, physical activity, blood pressure, contact with others and whether the mind is kept active or inactive,” she notes.
But age has its advantages too. Rowe says that certain aspects of intelligence, such as vocabulary, improve with age. And that’s not all. Studies have repeatedly shown that older people are more emotionally stable, he adds.
Wisdom that comes with age and experience cannot be ignored
Rowe refers to a Couple of studies from 2010 by Igor Grossman, PhDthen at the University of Michigan and now director of the Wisdom and culture laboratory at the University of Waterloo in Canada. The study found that people between the ages of 65 and 80 were much better at the following aspects of leadership:
- Looking at problems from different perspectives
- Allow compromises
- Recognizing the limits of currently available knowledge
- solve a conflict
“Social judgment improves with age, although fluid intelligence declines,” the study says. “The results suggest that it may be wise to assign older people important social roles that involve legal decision-making, counseling, and intergroup negotiations.”
Rowe also refers to a Report 2020 from Laura Carstansen, PhDProfessor of Psychology at Stanford University and Director of the Stanford Center for LongevityTheir study of 1,000 people ages 18 to 76 found that older adults showed greater resilience than younger people in the early days of the pandemic.
Older people were more likely to feel calm, interested and appreciated and fewer negative emotions such as fear, explained Carstansen. in an interview for Stanford on the study and attributed it to experience and a change of perspective.
“People tend to think of older people as frail and helpless, but there are enormous differences between older people, more so than younger people,” said Carstansen. “Some older people are quite frail. However, as a group, older people are extraordinarily resilient and are even better off than younger people in terms of their emotional well-being.”
Maddy DychtwaldAuthor of Timeless aging who has been a thought leader in the field of aging and longevity for 40 years, says this is a gift of aging that cannot be overlooked.
When you feel more positive about life and are happier, “you bring that perspective into your leadership role,” she explains.
Rowe believes that older people whose cognitive abilities are intact are likely to have greater emotional stability, better problem-solving skills and better negotiation skills.
But he also admits that he would not appoint a 95-year-old as president because the likelihood of serious health problems increases with age.
So would he completely exclude an older person?
Rowe thinks that’s unfair, given all the obvious exceptions. And different institutions have different leadership needs at different times, he adds, pointing to Winston Churchill, who became British prime minister at the age of 66. “He was perfect for World War II, but when the war was over, they voted him out of office because the problems the country needed to solve were not the problems Winston Churchill could solve.”
Dychtwald points to many good examples of older heads of state – including Warren Buffett, Pope Francis and Nelson Mandela, who took office at the age of 75. “I think they are older and wiser and have the maturity to make decisions based on experience,” she says.
She believes that people are looking at the current debate about presidents and age from a myopic perspective. Her book examines three different types of aging – physical, psychological and, of course, chronological.
“That’s what people are focusing on right now,” she says. “I’m 74 and I don’t think that defines me at all. In all modesty, I feel like I’m at the peak of my career.”
More information on healthy aging: