Frequently Asked Questions

Can I access Staying Sharp without accepting the legal disclaimer?
No, you must accept the legal disclaimer, Terms of Service and Privacy Policy to access Staying Sharp. 

I prefer to not accept the Staying Sharp legal disclaimer. Can I get a refund for fees I paid associated with Staying Sharp?
Yes, to receive a refund, please contact the AARP Help Center by clicking here or calling 1-866-747-7512.

What is Staying Sharp?
Staying Sharp is a program from AARP that offers science-based resources on the six pillars of brain health and other aspects of cognitive aging. You can also unwind with fun games, but research shows lifestyle behaviors may have the biggest effect on brain health. That’s why we aim to make it easy to learn about healthy habits.

What is the price of Staying Sharp?
Staying Sharp is an AARP member benefit that includes interactive learning and hundreds of articles, activities, videos and even recipes. We’re pleased to make available the option to add access to the Cognitive Assessment, Lifestyle Check-Ins and Additional Tests.

How do I cancel my Staying Sharp nonmember subscription?
Click here or call 866-747-7512 to cancel your subscription. Please note, this is only for AARP nonmembers who want to cancel their annual subscription.

What does AARP Staying Sharp offer in the app?
The app features several challenges including Memory Loss – Is it Inevitable?, Faces & Names and Digital Declutter. The Staying Sharp app will continue to add science-based challenges. Be sure to allow push notifications from the app for alerts when new challenges are available.

Who can use the app?
Anyone can download and preview the app. Included in the preview is a video overview of the challenges. AARP members, Staying Sharp subscribers and other authorized users can start and complete the challenges, save activities and articles to My Favorites and sync your progress with the AARP Staying Sharp online program.

Will the email and password I use for aarp.org work for the Staying Sharp app?
Yes, AARP members and Staying Sharp subscribers, as well as authorized users, can sign in to the app with the same email and password that you use for your AARP online account. If you’re not an AARP member, you can always join online. If you have any questions about the app, or if you’re having trouble signing in, call 866-747-7512.

Does the Staying Sharp app work with my iPhone?
Yes, the Staying Sharp app is compatible with iOS devices 14.2 and above.

Does the Staying Sharp app work with my Android device?
Yes, the Staying Sharp app is compatible with most devices running Android Oreo 8.0 and above.

Does the Staying Sharp app work on my tablet?
Currently the Staying Sharp app is optimized for small-screen devices (phones and small tablets).  

Have more questions about the app?
Visit the Staying Sharp Mobile App FAQs.

I’m an AARP member, how do I get access to Staying Sharp?
Get started with Staying Sharp today by following these steps.

1.     Visit stayingsharp.aarp.org
2.     Log in with your AARP member account
3.     Start exploring Staying Sharp

Need to create your AARP online account? Follow these steps.
1.     Go to https://secure.aarp.org/applications/user/register
2.     Fill out the registration form by following the on-screen instructions
3.     Be sure to provide information that matches your AARP membership record

How can my partner or spouse get access to Staying Sharp?
1.      First, make sure you’ve added your spouse or partner as a secondary member for free. They must have a different email address than the primary member. Visit the AARP Help Center for more information.
2.     Then the secondary member can simply visit stayingsharp.aarp.org, log in and click the activate button to start exploring all that Staying Sharp has to offer.

Where do I start?
We recommend that you use the navigation bar to explore different areas of the site. Clicking the AARP Staying Sharp logo in the top left corner of every page will take you back to the homepage.

What are the Cognitive Assessment, Lifestyle Check-Ins and Additional Tests?
The Cognitive Assessment gives you a snapshot of how your brain performs, based on five cognitive tests: working memory, processing speed, sustained attention, cognitive flexibility and recognition memory.

Lifestyle Check-Ins allow you to understand your personal habits around the six pillars of brain health: Be social, Engage your Brain, Manage stress, Ongoing exercise, Restorative sleep and Eat healthy.

In addition, there are eight Additional Tests that allow you to measure even more elements of cognition. They include tests in three areas: nonverbal reasoning, spatial processing and verbal reasoning. You’ll get scores for each area.

How do I purchase the assessment?
AARP Members who activated their Staying Sharp member benefit can purchase the Cognitive Assessment by following these steps.

1.     Visit stayingsharp.aarp.org/assessment/
2.     Click the get started button
3.     Choose to purchase the assessment

How can my partner or spouse take the assessment?
1.     First, make sure you’ve added your spouse or partner as a secondary member for free. They must have a different email address than the primary member. Visit the AARP Help Center for instructions.
2.     Next, the secondary member needs to unlock their Staying Sharp benefit by logging in at https://stayingsharp.aarp.org/.
3.     Lastly, the secondary member can visit stayingsharp.aarp.org/assessment/. They can choose to purchase the assessment.

How long does it take to complete the Cognitive Assessment, Lifestyle Check-Ins and Additional Tests?
The Cognitive Assessment, Lifestyle Check-Ins and Additional Tests take approximately 40 minutes to complete. We recommend that you find a quiet place and finish the Cognitive Assessment and Lifestyle Check-Ins in one sitting. The Additional Tests can be taken following the Lifestyle Check-Ins or at another time and could take up to 20 minutes. If you're interrupted or need to step away for some reason, you can pick up where you left off for up to one hour. After that, you may need to start over.

Where are my assessment results?
You should have your results in about five minutes, though sometimes it can take a few minutes longer. If your results are not available, please visit AARP Help Center so we can help you. 

How should I prepare for the Cognitive Assessment and Lifestyle Check-Ins?
To prepare for the assessment, please consider that stress and lack of sleep may impact many mental activities, so make sure you are well rested, and follow these guidelines.

1. Find a quiet room with no distractions. Put your pets in another room and switch your phone to silent mode.
2. Get a good night’s sleep the day before taking the assessment so you are well rested.
3. Pay careful attention to the instructions before each test. Don’t focus on your score but do focus on the instructions, and try to do the best you can.
4. Set aside about 40 minutes to complete the Cognitive Assessment and Lifestyle Check-Ins.

How frequently can I take the Cognitive Assessment and Lifestyle Check-Ins?
You can now take the Cognitive Assessment and Lifestyle Check-Ins every 30 days. We decreased the amount of time required between retakes of these tests from 90 days to 30 days. The assessment has been updated to include more variations for each of the cognitive tests, which allows you to take them more frequently. And tracking the habits that align with an overall healthy lifestyle is a good practice.

What are the challenges?
The challenges are fun, guided interactive learning activities that start with a pre-quiz. Then you’ll go through steps to learn new skills and select activities to practice throughout the day. Finish the challenge by completing the post-quiz. The goal is to be smarter about brain health and find new healthy habits to help you live your best life..

What are "Best Of"?
"Best Of" are a curated set of guides, including The Brain-Heart Connection, How to Talk to Your Doctor, Guide to Brain Health Supplements, Cooking with Brain-Friendly Foods and more. Each guide offers ways to learn more about the topic and explore activities you can incorporate into your day.

What are Activities?
Activities are habits you can incorporate into your daily life.

What is the Brain Palette^TM Visual?
Express how you’re feeling by using this interactive feature to create your unique Brain Palette visual. You can generate your very own Brain Palette visual by simply adjusting the colors and brightness until you find the perfect hue that expresses how you're feeling.

How can I earn AARP Rewards points for badged Staying Sharp activities?
AARP members and Staying Sharp subscribers also enrolled in AARP Rewards can earn AARP Rewards points for Staying Sharp activities labeled with the AARP Rewards Badge. The latest eligible activities are available on the Earn List and are labeled as “Brought to you by Staying Sharp”. These activities will continue to evolve over time, so be sure to check out the Earn List on a regular basis.

How can I become an AARP Rewards Participant?
Visit www.aarp.org/rewards/ to learn more and enroll in AARP Rewards.

How often can I earn AARP Rewards points for Staying Sharp? 
Each designated Staying Sharp activity will vary, so we suggest you refer to the Earn List page which lists the frequency you can earn points for each of these activities.

Why do certain Staying Sharp activities qualify for AARP Rewards points?
AARP Rewards points are allocated to participants to incentivize them to engage with select Staying Sharp activities. These Staying Sharp activities are badged for AARP Rewards. Check back frequently as new activities are added to the program weekly.

I completed the badged Staying Sharp activity; why don't I see my points?
There are two reasons you may not see your points:

1. You’ve reached your daily max

- You may not be receiving additional points if you’ve maxed out on your daily point limit. Members can earn up to 7,500 points daily.
- Badges on Activities will be grayed out if you’ve reached your limit. You can get back to earning points tomorrow at 12:01 a.m. ET.

2. You may have not fully completed the activity, for example, badged videos have to be watched until the end in order to receive points. Quizzes require you to submit the answers or required information at the end of the Activity in order to receive points. 

If you are still experiencing issues, please visit AARP Help Center and click the chat icon so we can help you.

What is the Global Council on Brain Health?
The Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH) is an independent collaborative of scientists, doctors, scholars and policy experts that was created to provide trusted information on how you can maintain and improve your brain health. The GCBH was convened by AARP in collaboration with Age UK, the United Kingdom's largest charity that's dedicated to helping everyone make the most of later life.

What are the six pillars of brain health?
The pillars of brain health are based on scientific research that shows a healthy lifestyle protects the brain. Staying Sharp helps you to develop meaningful and lasting brain-healthy practices that are based on the six pillars. Practice these six pillars for better brain health and BE MORE.

·       The Be social pillar is about having strong connections with friends, family and your community.
·       The Eat right pillar is about getting the right nutrients to feed your brain.
·       The Manage stress pillar is about keeping stress under control.
·       The Ongoing exercise pillar is about staying physically active.
·       The Restorative sleep pillar is about getting quality sleep.
·       The Engage your brain pillar is about challenging your mind.

Does Staying Sharp meet accessibility standards for consumers with vision, hearing or sensory impairments?
Staying Sharp generally complies with applicable accessibility standards. However, Staying Sharp also has content including the Cognitive Assessment and games that require certain sensory skills. For example, in a cognitive memory test, a series of words appears on the screen for a few seconds, and then you are tested on what words were displayed. Staying Sharp also provides an array of other activities for individuals with varying abilities.

How do I unsubscribe from your email list?
Click the Unsubscribe link at the bottom of your email.

What personal information does AARP keep on file, and how is it used?
Read our Privacy Policy to understand how AARP collects, uses, shares and protects personal data.

Is my personal info secure?
Read our Privacy Policy to see how we protect personal data. 

Does AARP share my personal info or sell it to any other companies?
Read our Privacy Policy to understand how AARP collects, uses, shares and protects personal data. 

Where can I read your privacy policy?
Read our Privacy Policy. 

Where can I read your terms of service?
Read our Terms of Service.

What is the relationship between Staying Sharp and AARP?
Staying Sharp is an AARP Member Benefit and was developed in order to offer AARP members with a trusted resource that takes the latest in brain science and translates it into engaging articles and everyday activities.

How do I bookmark Staying Sharp?
In most browsers, you can bookmark Staying Sharp by using the tools next to your web address input field.

I’m having trouble logging in to the site. Now what?
First, try resetting your password. Are you still having trouble? Reach out to us at AARP Help Center. 

What if I forget my password?
Click reset your password if you’ve forgotten your password.

What browsers are supported by Staying Sharp?
Staying Sharp supports the most recent versions of Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Safari, or Firefox for the best experience.

What devices are supported by Staying Sharp?
Currently Staying Sharp supports iOS version 14 and above and Android Oreo 8.0 and above.   

What if games do not play, or I see a blank page?
Please check your browser settings to block third-party cookies or to block the Adobe Flash plug-in. To work in your browser, some games may require third-party cookies or Adobe Flash.