A new study from Yale University challenges common views about aging, showing that many older adults experience improvements in cognitive and physical function over time. The research, led by Becca R. Levy, professor of social and behavioral sciences at the Yale School of Public Health, analyzed more than a decade of data from over 11,000 participants in the Health and Retirement Study.
Levy's team found that nearly half of Americans aged 65 and older improved in either cognitive function, physical function, or both during the follow-up period of up to 12 years. About 32% showed gains in cognition while 28% improved physically. These improvements were not confined to a select group but were seen across a broad segment of the population.
"Many people equate aging with an inevitable and continuous loss of physical and cognitive abilities," said Levy. "What we found is that improvement in later life is not rare, it's common, and it should be included in our understanding of the aging process."
The study also highlighted the importance of mindset toward aging. Participants who held more positive beliefs about getting older were significantly more likely to show improvements in both mental sharpness and walking speed. This association remained even after accounting for age, sex, education level, chronic illness, depression status, and length of follow-up.
"What's striking is that these gains disappear when you only look at averages," Levy said. "If you average everyone together, you see decline. But when you look at individual trajectories, you uncover a very different story. A meaningful percentage of the older participants that we studied got better."
The research supports Levy's stereotype embodiment theory—the idea that cultural attitudes about aging can influence personal health outcomes over time. Previous studies by Levy have shown links between negative age beliefs and poorer memory performance as well as higher risk for conditions like cardiovascular disease.
Improvements observed in this study were not limited to those who began with impairments; many individuals with normal baseline function also experienced gains over time. This finding suggests that progress in later life does not only reflect recovery from illness but can represent genuine enhancement.
The authors hope their work will challenge stereotypes about aging and encourage policymakers to support preventive care and rehabilitation programs aimed at older adults' resilience.
Martin Slade from Yale School of Medicine co-authored the study. The research received funding from the National Institute on Aging.
