This past summer, my dear friend Ralph Sacco took me to his childhood home in Margate, NJ, where I was delighted to meet his 92-year-old father, Anthony. I was so taken with our encounter, and several subsequent meetings, that it inspired this issue's feature “People in Their Nineties Share Tips for Longevity and Living Well,” which includes interviews with extraordinary nonagenarians and reveals their defining traits. The story also presents the latest research on aging and offers tips on how you can stay healthier in later life.

In the article, Anthony describes himself as hardworking—an understatement, based on the stories I have heard about him over the years. During the 1962 storm that battered the Jersey Shore and turned roads into rivers, Anthony hopped on an oil truck to get to work so he wouldn't miss a day on the job. The day I visited, he sprang into action behind the counter of one of his Sack O' Subs franchises—he founded the chain in 1969—and made me my own special submarine sandwich.

Back at the house, I saw a partially finished jigsaw puzzle of such complexity that I was unable to add even one piece to his many in the 10 minutes I studied it. After Anthony led us up to the third-floor attic, taking the flights of stairs with ease, he deftly threaded old 8 mm reels into an antique player so we could watch home movies. His agility, manual dexterity, and recollection for details made me wonder if he was a “super ager,” a person whose cognitive or physical abilities are equal to those of someone decades younger.

A fascination with longevity is shared by our cover subject, actor Chris Hemsworth, who worked with National Geographic on the new TV series Limitless with Chris Hemsworth. The show explores how to live better longer, build resilience, supercharge memory, and maximize strength. In each episode, Hemsworth undertakes a challenge to see how his body and brain respond to stress, shock, and even simulated aging. Along the way, the actor is guided by scientists who help him manage stress, rebound from shock, and accept the realities of aging.

Hemsworth is certainly no stranger to physical activity, but he says the series taught him to exercise more efficiently and emphasize quality over quantity. Readers who want to exercise but can't seem to get started will appreciate our Healthy Living story on ways to become and stay motivated. As many of my patients, family members, and friends have shown me, there is some fitness-related activity for everyone. Within just the week before writing this column, I heard from a woman who does chair exercises to funky music, a previously homebound widow and longtime caregiver (my mom!) who began walking regularly in the park with a friend, a musician patient with dystonia who runs a local tai chi class, and a retired American Academy of Neurology CEO who's picked up golf and has had a blast playing with her grandsons.

As we head into winter, be sure to get your flu shot. Recent evidence suggests that it may reduce the risk of stroke. Mitchell S. Elkind, MD, FAAN, chief clinical science officer for the American Heart Association, reviews the new research in our Ask Your Neurologist column. While you are scheduling your flu shot, also consider getting the bivalent COVID-19 booster, especially if you are immunocompromised or over the age of 65.

Reports have emerged recently that subvariants of Omicron, which have become the dominant strains of COVID-19, are resistant to monoclonal antibody treatments. This is worrisome not only because those therapies can prevent hospitalization, but also because of the risk of long COVID. Our feature on long COVID examines the various mechanisms that may cause brain fog, fatigue, and other symptoms and how doctors are treating the increasing numbers of patients with post-COVID neurologic conditions.

Also in this issue, we have two very important stories for caregivers: one on protecting loved ones from financial scams and the other on managing swallowing disorders, which also includes a link to recipes.

Any readers who haven't listened or subscribed to the Brain & Life podcast, which launched in March, will want to read about the program and its hosts. Episodes have included interviews with celebrities like actors Timothy Omundson and Marilu Henner and musician Peter Frampton, as well as neurologists, neuroscientists, and researchers. Future episodes will include questions and stories submitted by listeners via telephone (612-928-6206) or email (BLPodcast@BrainandLife.org).

Wishing you a happy holiday season and a healthy new year with limitless potential.

Orly Avitzur, MD, MBA, FAAN, Editor-in-Chief