A new study reveals that many older adults experience significant improvements in physical and cognitive health, and a key factor is their attitude toward aging itself.
Individuals with positive age beliefs were more likely to show gains in cognitive skills and walking speed, while those with negative views tended to decline. This indicates that personal beliefs can profoundly impact biological aging.
The research, published in Geriatrics, followed over 11,000 adults aged 65+ for 12 years. 45% of participants improved in either cognition or walking speed, challenging the notion of inevitable decline.
"Improvement in later life is not rare, it's common," said lead researcher Becca Levy of Yale. The findings suggest modifiable age beliefs open doors for interventions to promote healthy aging.