New research from Yale University suggests that mental and physical decline in old age is not inevitable, and that a positive mindset about ageing can help reverse deterioration in people over 65. The study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, analysed data from more than 11,000 older Americans over a 12-year period.
Researchers tracked two key markers of ageing: cognitive performance and walking speed, the latter often described by geriatricians as a 'sixth vital sign' due to its strong links to disability, hospitalisation and mortality. The results challenge the familiar narrative of steady, unavoidable decline: 45% of participants improved in at least one of the two areas, with 32% showing cognitive gains and 28% becoming physically faster.
Many of these improvements exceeded thresholds considered clinically meaningful, the team said. When including those whose abilities held steady, more than half of older adults defied the stereotype of inevitable cognitive slide. 'Improvement in later life is not rare, it's common,' said lead author Dr Becca Levy, an expert on psychosocial determinants of ageing health.
The study also found that participants who held more positive beliefs about ageing were more likely to show improvement in both cognitive and physical function. 'Because age beliefs are modifiable, this opens the door to interventions at both the individual and societal level,' Dr Levy added. The authors call for a redefinition of ageing to reflect the potential for growth and resilience in later life.
