A 12-year national study has found that aging does not always result in cognitive and physical decline. Researchers reported that many older adults maintain or even improve their abilities over time, and that positive beliefs about aging are linked to better health outcomes.
The study, published in the journal Geriatrics, followed participants from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a large survey of adults aged 50 years and older in the United States. The HRS is conducted by the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan and funded by the National Institute on Aging. It collects data every two years on health, social, and economic factors among older Americans.
Participants' cognitive performance was measured using the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS), while physical functioning was assessed with a walking speed test over 2.5 meters. Positive age beliefs were evaluated using a subscale from the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale.
The research team used statistical analyses to determine if participants improved in cognition or walking speed during follow-up periods lasting up to 12 years. They also examined whether having more positive attitudes toward aging predicted improvement, while controlling for demographic, health, and psychosocial variables.
The results challenged common assumptions about aging. According to the study: "A substantial proportion of participants showed improvements in either cognitive or physical functioning during the follow-up period. Overall, 45.15% of participants experienced improvements in cognition or walking speed over time, demonstrating that positive health changes are not rare in later life."
When analyzed separately, 31.88% improved their cognitive performance and 28% improved their walking speed—rates much higher than benchmarks set by public health initiatives such as Healthy People 2030, which defines meaningful improvement as at least 11.5% of older adults.
"Positive age beliefs predict physical and cognitive improvement and stasis," according to the researchers. In groups where functioning remained stable or improved, more than half maintained or enhanced their abilities rather than experiencing continuous decline.
Further analysis showed that some individuals saw gains only in memory or mobility, but not both; about 44% who improved cognitively also walked faster.
Researchers also found that positive beliefs about aging significantly increased the odds of improvement in both domains: "Individuals with more optimistic attitudes toward aging had higher odds of experiencing improvements in cognitive functioning and walking speed, even after accounting for age, education, health conditions, sleep problems, depressive symptoms, and other factors."
Even among those who started with normal levels of function at baseline, optimistic attitudes predicted future gains.
The authors noted: "The findings show that aging does not inevitably lead to decline. Many adults experienced increases in their physical and cognitive abilities over time, contrasting with common assumptions about aging." They suggested that psychological and cultural factors may influence how people age physically and mentally.
Promoting positive attitudes toward aging could have implications for healthcare practices and policies aimed at helping older adults maintain or improve their health as they age.
