The Washington Post printed a test titled, “Are you acting your age?” Here is some of it:
Test 1: For one minute, count how many words you can say beginning with the letter “F.” Follow that with “A” then with “S.” Add them up. No pronouns, no repeats, no variations on the same word.
People ages 50-59 averaged 42 words. 60-69 38.5 words. 70-79 35 words. 80s 29 words.
Test 2: For 30 seconds, march in place, eyes closed. Then open your eyes and see if you have moved from your original position. (If you have moved more than 20 feet, you have a way more serious issue than memory loss.)
Test 3: Look at the following shopping list:
2 slices veal
1 lb ham
1 salami
3 oz gorgonzola
1 lb rice
1 lb tomatoes
2 lettuce
3 oz prunes
2 cups cherries
1 bottle water
1 lb sugar
4 sandwiches
10 bus tickets
1 box matches
3 white envelopes
1 box cookies
1 bottle dish soap
1 quart milk
2 turkey thighs
1 newspaper
Study the list for 5 minutes. Cover the list and see how many items you can write down in 5 minutes.
60-80 year olds recalled 9 items. 20-35 averaged 14 items.
Test 4: Time how long it takes to stand from a seated position, walk eight feet, turn around, walk back to the starting point and sit down.
Ages 60-64 took 3.8-5.6 seconds. 80-84 5.2-7.6 seconds.
Test 5: Balance on one foot, eyes closed. Right-handed folk, raise the left foot, lefties raise the right foot, about six inches off the floor, bending the knee at a 45 degree angle. Then start the timer. As soon as you sway, open your eyes or touch the floor, stop the clock. Do this test three times and average your score.
50 year olds should aim to balance for 9 seconds. 60 year olds 7 seconds. 70 year olds, 4 seconds.
Test 6: How far can you walk in six minutes? Life in the Boomer Lane can walk to the refrigerator because she’s tired of this test.
duke1959
December 15, 2010
This is great!
lifeintheboomerlane
December 15, 2010
Thanks, Duke, but I didn’t include the photos of people’s faces and their names. My score was equal to someone 124 years old.
Gayane
December 15, 2010
Really good exercises, I should put on my fridge…..so I can remember to do them…..
lifeintheboomerlane
December 15, 2010
That’s the catch, isn’t it.
sunshineinlondon
December 15, 2010
I agree with you, Renee, a walk to the fridge sounds like the best plan! xx
lifeintheboomerlane
December 15, 2010
A walk to the fridge solves everything.
writerwoman61
December 15, 2010
There aren’t enough hours in the day to do these tests (and fail them)…I’m going with your answer on #6!
Wendy
lifeintheboomerlane
December 15, 2010
The last test was a bunch of faces and names. You had to study them for a minute, then match them. I seriously didn’t know any. Even if they were all named “Smith” I probably would have said “Jones.”
TexasTrailerParkTrash
December 15, 2010
On the shopping list, I got to the 3 oz. of prunes and had to quit and go to the bathroom. Sorry.
lifeintheboomerlane
December 15, 2010
Oh my god. Forgive me for spewing my half-chewed salted cashews all over the keyboard.
TexasTrailerParkTrash
December 16, 2010
Another thing. I kept getting distracted by imagining what they might be going to make with all that meat and no bread on the list.
And, what is with those 10 bus tickets, 1 box of matches and 3 white envelopes? Sounds like a terrorist plot to me.
And only 1 box of cookies? Come on!
lifeintheboomerlane
December 16, 2010
@TTT: I probably could have posted just that one list and invited everyone to come up with a story about it.
Loulou La Poule
December 16, 2010
How old was the person who made that test up?
lifeintheboomerlane
December 16, 2010
I have no idea, but it was clearly someone with no sense of humor.
36x37
December 18, 2010
Ahhhh. I love your answer to #6. High five, that’s great.
Clever post!
lifeintheboomerlane
December 18, 2010
Thanks. I have no patience for these tests, especially when they tell me my score equals that of my 89 year old aunt.
Jean
December 19, 2010
I’m not sure what acting one’s age means. But honest, when a 50+ woman or man is swearing alot on the job..it gets “old” and not cool. People do and should expect a certain level of admirable self-restraint on especially anger in a paid job.
I didn’t try the tests.
I’ve been cycling for the past 18 yrs. after returning to cycling. Hence, recent friends tend to be cyclists too. So I have a warped image of age appropriate behaviour and what a post 50 boomer should look like. My partner is 67 and a cyclist also, so my warpness of what men around my age (51) normally “look” like and behave, is not totally accurate/is warped.
🙂
lifeintheboomerlane
December 19, 2010
You make a great point. We do tend to see the people we are surrounded with as the norm. And in cycling, as in swimming, running, climbing, tri/bi athelon sports, we generally see the fittest people of their age range. A friend of mine is ranked somewhere between #1 and #3 in the country for biathelon for her age group (I think she is 60). She tells me about the people she competes with, some considerably older then her. They have the stamina of 30 year olds.
merrilymarylee
December 19, 2010
Love the picture. I’ll have to take the test later. I’ve had a glass of wine and I’d like to think that I could do better than my 91-year-old mother-in-law.
I could remember MY list, but who the hell picks up four sandwiches and a handful of bus tickets? And veal? I’m appalled! Obviously they have not seen the PETA ad in the NYTimes of the poor two-legged calf.
Also, they forgot the partridge in the pear tree. But you’re a dear for trying to take care of our mental health.
lifeintheboomerlane
December 19, 2010
So funny. Yes, I am performing a public service. Texas Trailer Park above was also intrigued by the list. I said we could just do a post on that and everyone could weigh in on what kind of person would have a shopping list like that.
subWOW
December 25, 2010
LOL at Test 6. I love your attitude!
lifeintheboomerlane
December 25, 2010
My spinal defect has resulted in my having roughly the same ability to balance as a blind person running in stilettos on ice. Therefore, Test 5 resulted in my collapsing to the floor because I didn’t open my eyes quickly enough. It was darn lucky I was still able to walk to the fridge.
Fragrant Liar
December 30, 2010
The problem with the shopping list is that it’s not truly a shopping list. Who goes shopping for bus tickets?
lifeintheboomerlane
December 30, 2010
Thanks for reading. How true, although they could probably make a list of things that I buy all the time and I’d still remember only a few of them.