Playing Keys in the Band at 61: Gena’s Confidence Boost

Gena D., 61, has been with NACD since 1998. When she took on a brand new music role at church, Simply Smarter was right there to help her rise to it.

“I recently decided to step into a new music activity at church that was totally out of my experienced wheelhouse. From church organist, pianist, bell choir and children’s choir director at church for decades, what’s left? Well, there’s playing keys in the band, full on with earpieces, iPad chords and stage lights. Everything but tap dancing.

The new Simply Smarter came available at just the right time to help me build confidence in this new challenge that I accepted. Our family has been involved with NACD since 1998, so we’ve experienced a lot of brain work. This version of Simply Smarter definitely tops the previous version and the old Brain Builder prior to that. It’s interesting to talk with our adult children and share about our points and progress.”

Why this matters

The conventional wisdom says new skills get harder to learn as we age. The science says otherwise. Neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to form new connections — continues throughout life, but it needs practice and the right kind of stimulation to stay active. Gena is doing exactly what the research recommends: taking on a genuinely new challenge while keeping her processing sharp through structured exercise. The fact that her family talks about points and progress at the dinner table is the bonus — brain work becomes a shared family activity instead of a chore.

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