Exercising the brain is a generally accepted positive activity for older adults. Maintaining cognitive function as we age receives considerable attention in newspapers, magazines and television commercials. Numerous retirement communities offer brain exercise classes as an amenity. In addition, many older adults use puzzles and games to exercise their brains. Dr. Richard J. Smith is Professor Emeritus, University of Wisconsin, Madison and recipient of a Distinguished Teaching Award from that University. Since his retirement in 1990, Professor Smith has written numerous short stories and published four other books, Life After Eighty, Once Upon a Christmas, Musings of an Old Man and Tales From a Twilight House, written during the seven years he has resided in Bradenton, Florida Westminster Retirement Community.

The prose and poetry in Brain Exercises for Older Adults were written during his long career.