Why Predictability Matters For Aging Nervous Systems

There is a man we see on the trail almost every day. He did not want to be greeted at first. Four months later, he cracks jokes when we run late. We did not earn that with the right words. We earned it by showing up the same way, at the same time, until his nervous system decided we were safe. This post explores what predictability actually does to an aging nervous system, and why emotional steadiness should be designed into care environments, not left to chance.