Tag Archives: aging

Education and Cognitive Functioning Across the Life Span

Cognitive abilities are important predictors of educational and occupational performance, socioeconomic attainment, health, and longevity. Declines in cognitive abilities are linked to impairments in older adults’ everyday functions, but people differ from one another in their rates of cognitive decline … Continue reading

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Aging Our Way

Aging Our Way follows the everyday lives of 30 elders (ages 85-102) living at home and mostly alone to understand how they create and maintain meaningful lives for themselves. Drawing on the latest interdisciplinary scholarship on aging and three years … Continue reading

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Aging, Empathy, and Prosociality

Although empathy is a well-established motivation in younger adults for helping others, it is not known whether this extends to aging. Prioritization of socioemotional goals with age may increase the salience of helping others (i.e., prosocial behavior), but older adults … Continue reading

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Reaching out to isolated older adults is essential during coronavirus

Older adults always need social connection, but they need it now more than ever. The novel coronavirus brings with it unprecedented fear and uncertainty. Vulnerable seniors need help. With face-to-face encounters discouraged, our society must develop creative strategies to help … Continue reading

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The two types of creativity that peak at different ages

Young and old alike can rejoice in a new finding by researchers at Ohio State University and the University of Chicago. There is hope for us all when it comes to creativity, they say. “Many people believe that creativity is exclusively … Continue reading

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Purpose in life and use of preventive health care services

Purpose in life has been linked with better health (mental and physical) and health behaviors, but its link with patterns of health care use are understudied. We hypothesized that people with higher purpose would be more proactive in taking care … Continue reading

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Leading a meaningful life at older ages and its relationship with social engagement, prosperity, health, biology, and time use

The sense that one is living a worthwhile and meaningful life is fundamental to human flourishing and subjective well-being. Here, we investigate the wider implications of feeling that the things one does in life are worthwhile with a sample of … Continue reading

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Age against the machine: the secret to enjoying a long life

The conclusion Honoré came to, after three years of research and an examination of the way older people are treated around the world, was that it was in many ways a golden age for “the old” (a term he would … Continue reading

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Violence in Childhood leads to accelerated aging

Children who suffer abuse are more likely to age faster, while those who endure food insecurity or neglect may develop more slowly, according to new research led by the University of Washington. Violence, psychological or emotional abuse, deprivation and neglect … Continue reading

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The Wisdom of the Aging Brain

Tantalizing evidence suggests that brain activity shifts to increase wisdom as we age. While aging diminishes activity in certain brain regions, there’s tantalizing evidence this may be compensated by changes in brain regions associated with supportive and social behavior. This … Continue reading

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