The 23rd annual Morningstar Investment Conference closed Friday with a lunchtime address from David Laibson, a professor of economics at Harvard University. Entitled “The Age of Reason: Financial Decision-Making Over the Life Cycle,” the hour long presentation provided attendees with a stark look at how society treats the elderly, especially in the financial realm.

He began by noting the “two faces of aging,” one that is of healthy, active seniors happily living out their retirement; the second is more bleak, with dementia involved more often than not.

“The movie The Note Book featured a woman suffering from dementia and memory loss,” he said. “The manner in which she is portrayed is one of an elegant, well-dressed senior that gave no hint that she was ravaged by the disease.”