Happiness on for young and old
Older people are just as happy as their younger counterparts says a myth-busting Australian study.
Australian research is debunking the notion that the older you get, the unhappier you are.
University of Queensland Professor Bill von Hippel – in collaboration with Julie Henry and Diana Matovic from the University of New South Wales – has been examining the correlation between age and social satisfaction.
The research has revealed that while younger Australians had more active social lives, older people were just as happy and also suggests that if both a young and older person had the same experience, the older person was likely to find it more rewarding.
The research 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 research was published in the June issue of the American Psychological Association journal, Psychology and Aging.
