Older, Wiser and Happier!

Contrary to what we may think about senior citizens being lonely, grumpy or depressed, a recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry reports that older adults have a lot to look forward to later in life.

Studies of the aging brain have found that older adults respond less to stressful or negative images than younger people. Mature adults tend to report greater levels of happiness with advancing years; they are wiser, have better decision making capabilities and can better control their emotions. In older age, we know ourselves better and are less concerned with external forces such as peer pressure.

Happiness tends to decline in an adult’s 20s and 30s, when younger adults face the challenges of work and growing families, then rises steady from the mid-40s onward. Where you live also impacts well-being in old age; regions that invest in systems to support an aging population will have a happier and more vibrant senior community.

Instead of perceiving aging as a steady down-hill decline, for many, older age is more of a u-bend, a return to happiness and contentment. Of course circumstances, personality and perception have a lot to do with our sense of well-being. But in general, research confirms that older adults live more for the moment and enjoy the time they have in the present with less worry about long term goals and things beyond their control.