People get happier as they approach 70, study finds

Scot Dutchy · #1 by **Scot Dutchy** » Feb 29, 2016 2:52 pm

People get happier as they approach 70, study finds

Research, which has tracked 3,000 people from birth, finds rising feelings of wellbeing at this stage in life

Feelings of wellbeing increase in the seventh decade of life, the longest-running study following the progress of people from birth has shown.

Researchers who quizzed more than 3,000 participants found that approaching 70 can put a spring in your step.

Aged 60 to 64, the volunteers were tested on a range of wellbeing measures including feeling cheerful, confident, optimistic, useful and relaxed.
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Animavore · #2 by **Animavore** » Feb 29, 2016 3:00 pm

It's because they know it's nearly all over.

DavidMcC · #3 by **DavidMcC** » Feb 29, 2016 3:03 pm

I can't find any mention of whether the respondents' pensions were adequate, or whether they had serious age-related illness.

DavidMcC · #4 by **DavidMcC** » Feb 29, 2016 3:05 pm

Animavore wrote:It's because they know it's nearly all over.

I doubt it, because that would mean that they don't want to live any more.

Sendraks · #5 by **Sendraks** » Feb 29, 2016 3:08 pm

Lets come back in 30 years time and see if the people who are 70 then are nearly as contented. I've got my doubts.

DavidMcC · #6 by **DavidMcC** » Feb 29, 2016 3:14 pm

Sendraks wrote:Lets come back in 30 years time and see if the people who are 70 then are nearly as contented. I've got my doubts.

Can you give a reason for your doubts? My doubt is due to a suspicion that pensions could be lower in real terms, in the UK, at least.

surreptitious57 · #7 by **surreptitious57** » Feb 29, 2016 4:18 pm

I am fifty one and not far off seventy and I am very content indeed

laklak · #8 by **laklak** » Feb 29, 2016 4:38 pm

I'm 61, turning 62 next month. I'm happier than I've ever been. Good wife, good life, finances adequate, health nominal, what's to bitch about? I don't have to get up and go to work, don't answer to any psychopathic corporate assholes, and I've got many (maybe too many) projects going that keep me busy. There are certainly things I would change, but in the greater scheme of things they're relatively minor.

I think that as you age you become a bit more realistic, and learn to appreciate what you have without constantly striving for more. I know I'll never own a private jet or mega yacht, and that's just fine.

As I age I find I'm less concerned about the opinions of others, and that is truly a good thing. If somebody doesn't like me or my opinions or the way I live my life they can just fuck the fuck off.

EDIT this doesn't mean it couldn't all turn to shit in a heartbeat, though. Debilitating disease, financial disaster, death, mega volcanoes, Ebola pandemic, thermonuclear war, any of those could put a damper on my day. But no point in worrying about things you cannot control. In the meantime there's beer to drink and new recipes to try, so eat, drink, and be merry, there's a long dirt nap at the end of the road for all of us. :cheers:

Scot Dutchy · #9 by **Scot Dutchy** » Feb 29, 2016 4:48 pm

Well I will be 67 in two days and would amplify what lak has said.

We are comfortable and live in a good area that is well serviced which at our age becomes more important. We have a few basically health problems but we can take them at our leisure. No I cant complain. It could have been different. It always could have but I am content.

laklak · **#10** by **laklak** » Feb 29, 2016 4:51 pm

Yep, I agree, Scot. No idea where I'd be if I'd taken a different road back in the day, but no point in worrying about it. We got what we got, and it's up to us to make the most of it.

Scot Dutchy · **#11** by **Scot Dutchy** » Feb 29, 2016 5:06 pm

laklak wrote:Yep, I agree, Scot. No idea where I'd be if I'd taken a different road back in the day, but no point in worrying about it. We got what we got, and it's up to us to make the most of it.

Yep the old saying; If ifs and ands were pots and pans what would the world be made of.

There are crucial moments. If I had never met a Dutch girl on the south coast of England in 1967 where would I be now. That I often think about.

Exstinctum · **#12** by **Exstinctum** » Mar 09, 2016 7:01 pm

There's something I have noticed about the elderly, especially approaching that age - they are not obligated to follow any normal social rules or norms, really follow any pretense of any sorts, rather just can be and most people will never say a single word. I find it quite fascinating, actually. Perhaps it's smelling death around the corner what makes you completely abandon the feeling that you should just blindly follow any such norms or even be concerned about the society thinking of you in a particular way, positive or not, as a concept. I have never met a single person that age who would even hesitate to tell me exactly what they think, and I do have enormous respect for something like that.

Macdoc · **#13** by **Macdoc** » Mar 09, 2016 11:20 pm

It always could have but I am content.

never know it from your posting history.....just sayin' :coffee:

Macdoc · **#14** by **Macdoc** » Mar 09, 2016 11:26 pm

There's something I have noticed about the elderly, especially approaching that age - they are not obligated to follow any normal social rules or norms, really follow any pretense of any sorts, rather just can be and most people will never say a single word. I find it quite fascinating, actually. Perhaps it's smelling death around the corner what makes you completely abandon the feeling that you should just blindly follow any such norms or even be concerned about the society thinking of you in a particular way, positive or not, as a concept. I have never met a single person that age who would even hesitate to tell me exactly what they think, and I do have enormous respect for something like that.

Death around the corner????!!!!!! Elderly !!!! surely you jest

68 riding motorcycle off road and on and travelling the world.....60s is middle age these days....both parents got to 95....dad still driving and alert.

Not a thought about death around the corner.....aches and pains....yes that's annoying but then there is Celebrex.
Elderly is 80+ and even then some are still out riding mcycles and doing incredible stuff.

People in this 60s age bracket do tend to speak their minds as I think their confidence in having had a "good life" ( even if there are ups and downs ) is pretty high and they've refined their approach to certain "embedded wisdom" from life experience.

Let's us get past the minor stuff that often younger people obsess on.

CdesignProponentsist · **#15** by **CdesignProponentsist** » Mar 09, 2016 11:37 pm

DavidMcC wrote:
Animavore wrote:It's because they know it's nearly all over.

I doubt it, because that would mean that they don't want to live any more.

Not necessarily. Knowing that you are approaching the end might just be incentive to not sweat the small stuff and soak in the good. From my experience with those over 70 that seems to be the case.

mindhack · **#16** by **mindhack** » Mar 10, 2016 12:12 am

Animavore wrote:It's because they know it's nearly all over.

It's what they call "the fuck-all factor" :grin:

don't get me started · **#17** by **don't get me started** » Mar 10, 2016 4:45 am

I think this fits in with the stages of Psychosocial development proposed by Erik Erikson.
http://psychology.about.com/od/psychosocialtheories/fl/Psychosocial-Stages-Summary-Chart.htm

In my case I seem to have passed through the stages sucessfuly so far. I guess that I am now in the middle adulthood stage, which is described as:

Stage: Middle Adulthood (40 to 65 years)

Basic Conflict: Generativity vs. Stagnation

Important Events: Work and Parenthood

Outcome: Adults need to create or nurture things that will outlast them, often by having children or creating a positive change that benefits other people. Success leads to feelings of usefulness and accomplishment, while failure results in shallow involvement in the world.

I think I am in that mentoring stage now.

Look after my physical health (running, swimming and cycling), eat mostly healthy food.
Look after my mental health (make time for friends and socializing, keep learning and studying, avoid stress)
Have a sense of optimism about the future. (Make plans, give myself something to look forward to.)
Deal with loss (entering a life stage where some friends, acquaintances and family members are starting to die off. Accept it.)

Things are getting better all the time for me. I love my life.

One day I'll die, but not yet, and it won't be with a list of regrets.

kiore · **#18** by **kiore** » Mar 10, 2016 4:51 am

Macdoc wrote:
There's something I have noticed about the elderly, especially approaching that age - they are not obligated to follow any normal social rules or norms, really follow any pretense of any sorts, rather just can be and most people will never say a single word. I find it quite fascinating, actually. Perhaps it's smelling death around the corner what makes you completely abandon the feeling that you should just blindly follow any such norms or even be concerned about the society thinking of you in a particular way, positive or not, as a concept. I have never met a single person that age who would even hesitate to tell me exactly what they think, and I do have enormous respect for something like that.

Death around the corner????!!!!!! Elderly !!!! surely you jest

68 riding motorcycle off road and on and travelling the world.....60s is middle age these days....both parents got to 95....dad still driving and alert.

Not a thought about death around the corner.....aches and pains....yes that's annoying but then there is Celebrex.
Elderly is 80+ and even then some are still out riding mcycles and doing incredible stuff.

People in this 60s age bracket do tend to speak their minds as I think their confidence in having had a "good life" ( even if there are ups and downs ) is pretty high and they've refined their approach to certain "embedded wisdom" from life experience.

Let's us get past the minor stuff that often younger people obsess on.

I agree here although you have a serious head start on me, I specialize in the field of population health and 'middle age' is now what would have been considered not long ago to be elderly, now for most people in the developed world that title elderly is reserved for those who are debilitated. If approaching 70 means you have financial security for yourself and your significant others, have to work less, and are concerned less about fighting tooth and nail in some organizational structure.. then yes no surprise.

laklak · **#19** by **laklak** » Mar 10, 2016 4:58 am

I remember my grandparents in their 60s, they were old people. Played shuffleboard and the biggest thing in the week was the Lawrence Welk Show and the Early Bird Special at the local diner. Things sure have changed, eh? I'm finding this the most exciting and rewarding part of my life so far.

DougC · **#20** by **DougC** » Mar 10, 2016 5:07 am

Look at these fuckers.

Not a care in the world.

Not only are they happy to be using up my tax money.

They are frittering away our inheritance.

Bastards!

People get happier as they approach 70, study finds

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