Image of Senior Citizens as Grumpy Old Men and Women
is Probably Wrong
Wisdom of aging may be the ability to experience
everyday life as uplifting
June
16, 2008 The accepted image of senior citizens being grumpy old men
and women was challenged today by the release of new research showing
these older people are just as happy with their social lives as are the
youngest adults.
Professor Bill von Hippel, from University of
Queensland's School of Psychology, has been examining the links between
people's age and their social satisfaction and he has turned up what he
considers some surprising results.
He said they found younger adults engaged in a lot
more social activities, but were no happier with their social lives than
older adults.
In collaboration with Julie Henry and Diana Matovic
from the University of New South Wales, Professor von Hippel measured
social activities and social satisfaction in older adults between the
ages of 66 and 91, and younger adults between the ages of 18 and 30.
"Despite older people engaging in fewer social
activities with others and spending more time alone each day, they are
just as socially satisfied as their younger counterparts," Professor von
Hippel said.
The reason for this social resilience seems to lie
in how older and younger adults perceive their social activities.
"Our research suggests that if a young person and
an old person have the same experience, the older adult is likely to
find it more uplifting," he said.
"Older adults appear to see the good things in life
more easily and are less likely to be upset by the little things that go
wrong.
"As a consequence, their daily experiences bring
them just as much satisfaction as younger adults, even if they have lost
friends or a spouse, or if they can no longer get out as much as they
would like.
"This may be the wisdom of aging, the ability to
experience everyday life as uplifting."
The research was published in the June issue of the
American Psychological Association journal Psychology and Aging.
Keep up with the latest news for senior citizens, baby
boomers
June
16, 2008 The accepted image of senior citizens being grumpy old men
and women was challenged today by the release of new research showing
these older people are just as happy with their social lives as are the
youngest adults.