Get a bunch of old boomers together and you will notice we are frequently called upon to complete each other’s sentences. Not only is it because we’re that in tune with one another but more importantly, we either can’t remember what we wanted to say, or we can’t remember an important name/fact/movie title/song relevant to the conversation. It’s like we have gaping moth holes in our brains.

We like to blame our memory gaffs on the fact that our brains are so full of wisdom, knowledge, and experience gained over multiple decades of being alive that some of the older, less-used information in our hard drives has been deleted to make room for more recent downloads. There might be a glimmer of truth in there somewhere but there is no denying that our memories are not as sharp and efficient as they once were.

When was the last time you couldn’t find a word and wondered if the problem was something more serious? We’re at that age when we question every lapse. Is it a natural slip-up or something more concerning?

When I was working I carefully recorded in a notebook every phone conversation I had, detailing who I talked to and their contact information, the date, and actionable items. That level of attention saved me from losing any important business information that needed to be followed up. That notebook became a lifelong habit.

Even in retirement, I still keep a primitive spiral notebook by my side but my daily scratchings are no longer about upcoming business proposals, deadlines, or meetings to attend. They’re much more enjoyable and stress-free. I have tabbed sections for Books To Read, another for TV Shows and Movies I want to check out, and a third section for daily musings like potential blog ideas, household hints, or errands and things to do. I would be lost without my little notebook.

Many people use their electronic devices to manage their time and set reminders but I prefer my old-fashioned Moleskin weekly planner. I’ve been using them for years and order a different colour each year. Sometimes I also make notes on a Post-It which I stick on the back of my hand and carry from one room to the next or with me in the car so I don’t forget something.

Fortunately, boomers have a shared kind of generational intelligence that allows us to bail one another out when the memory fairy fails us. We can name not just the year, song title and artist of any piece of music from the sixties but we can sing the lyrics word for word, beat for beat, and breath by breath. If you’re a guy, you know the entire inventory and details of engine components for every model of car built before 1970. Just don’t ask us to remember what we had for dinner last night.

Google, Siri, and Alexa have become lifesavers in retrieving lost or forgotten information. We rely on our apps to remind us of appointments, birthdays, anniversaries and other special dates. Is technology making our brains even lazier? Some of us do Wordle, Suduko, or crosswords to keep the syntaxes firing, but there’s no denying we’re shifting into low gear. The power is waning.

Keeping our brains active through hobbies, sports, socializing, volunteering, or otherwise keeping ourselves busy helps for sure but there are always those times when we need a friend to bail us out with a name or word that escapes us. Many boomers no longer have families living close by to help them through these senior years so we increasingly rely on our network of friends to fill in the gaps.

The other night we had a group of boomer friends in for a glass of wine and in the context of our conversation not one of us could think of the name of a commonly-known politician. We sighed, rolled our eyes, and expressed complete frustration at not being able to retrieve his name until finally, someone yelled it out triumphantly as if he’d won at Bingo. This scenario plays out more frequently these days.

Whether we need a friend to take us to an appointment if we’re unable, or bailing us out with the name of a forgotten singer, song, or cultural reference, we get by with a little help from our boomer friends. They know and they understand. And that politician’s name none of us could think of? It was Pierre Polièvre. What does that tell you? Is that our fault or his? Better make a note of that. Alexa? Can you hear me?