Comprehensive Elder Law Services

I’ll Take That Half-full Glass, Please

On Behalf of | Dec 8, 2020 | AGING |

You know the person–always happy, always positive, sometimes a little too perky; and nothing ever gets them down for too long. Mostly we all want to be that person, but sometimes we just can’t do it.

Well, here is some more evidence that it is truly beneficial to be that glass half-full person. The more scientific name for this ability is called adaptive competence, and research shows that people with adaptive competence live longer. Becca Levy, a professor at the Yale School of Public Health, studies perceptions about aging in middle aged people, and how that affects longevity.

Some of the questions she asks people are things like, “Things keep getting worse as I get older”, and, “As you get older you are less useful.” She found that people with these attitudes about aging generally died an average of 7-1/2 years earlier than people with a more positive outlook of aging.

So, here’s to my half-full glass!

Kim