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| People 'get happier as they age' | People 'get happier as they age' |
| (3 days later) | |
| Most people get happier as they grow older, studies on people aged up to their mid-90s suggest. | Most people get happier as they grow older, studies on people aged up to their mid-90s suggest. |
| Despite worries about ill health, income, changes in social status and bereavements, later life tends to be a golden age, according to psychologists. | Despite worries about ill health, income, changes in social status and bereavements, later life tends to be a golden age, according to psychologists. |
| They found older adults generally make the best of the time they have left and have learned to avoid situations that make them feel sad or stressed. | They found older adults generally make the best of the time they have left and have learned to avoid situations that make them feel sad or stressed. |
| The young should do the same, they told the American Psychological Association. | The young should do the same, they told the American Psychological Association. |
| Ageing society | Ageing society |
| The UK is an ageing nation - in less than 25 years, one in four people in the UK will be over 65 and the number of over-85s will have doubled. | The UK is an ageing nation - in less than 25 years, one in four people in the UK will be over 65 and the number of over-85s will have doubled. |
| And it is expected there will be 30,000 people aged over 100 by the year 2030. | And it is expected there will be 30,000 people aged over 100 by the year 2030. |
| For many people, older age and later life is often looked upon with dread and worry Andrew HarropHead of public policy at Age Concern and Help the Aged | For many people, older age and later life is often looked upon with dread and worry Andrew HarropHead of public policy at Age Concern and Help the Aged |
| According to University of California psychologist Dr Susan Turk Charles, this should make the UK a happier society. | According to University of California psychologist Dr Susan Turk Charles, this should make the UK a happier society. |
| By reviewing the available studies on emotions and ageing she found that mental wellbeing generally improved with age, except for people with dementia-related ill health. | By reviewing the available studies on emotions and ageing she found that mental wellbeing generally improved with age, except for people with dementia-related ill health. |
| Work carried out by Dr Laura Carstensen, a psychology professor at Stanford University, suggested why this might be the case. | Work carried out by Dr Laura Carstensen, a psychology professor at Stanford University, suggested why this might be the case. |
| Dr Carstensen asked volunteers ranging in age from 18 to mid-90s to take part in various experiments and keep diaries of their emotional state. | Dr Carstensen asked volunteers ranging in age from 18 to mid-90s to take part in various experiments and keep diaries of their emotional state. |
| She found the older people were far less likely than the younger to experience persistent negative moods and were more resilient to hearing personal criticism. | She found the older people were far less likely than the younger to experience persistent negative moods and were more resilient to hearing personal criticism. |
| They were also much better at controlling and balancing their emotions - a skill that appeared to improve the older they became. | They were also much better at controlling and balancing their emotions - a skill that appeared to improve the older they became. |
| TIPS FOR A HAPPY OLD AGE Envisage ways to thoroughly enjoy the years ahead and imagine living to a healthy and happy 100Design your life and daily routines to reinforce this goalDon't put all your "social" eggs in one basket - invest time outside of your family and career too | TIPS FOR A HAPPY OLD AGE Envisage ways to thoroughly enjoy the years ahead and imagine living to a healthy and happy 100Design your life and daily routines to reinforce this goalDon't put all your "social" eggs in one basket - invest time outside of your family and career too |
| Dr Charles explained: "Based on work by Carstensen and her colleagues, we know that older people are increasingly aware that the time they have left in life is growing shorter. | Dr Charles explained: "Based on work by Carstensen and her colleagues, we know that older people are increasingly aware that the time they have left in life is growing shorter. |
| "They want to make the best of it so they avoid engaging in situations that will make them unhappy. | "They want to make the best of it so they avoid engaging in situations that will make them unhappy. |
| "They have also had more time to learn and understand the intentions of others which helps them to avoid these stressful situations." | "They have also had more time to learn and understand the intentions of others which helps them to avoid these stressful situations." |
| Dr Carstensen said the young would do well to start preparing for their old age now. | Dr Carstensen said the young would do well to start preparing for their old age now. |
| This includes adopting a healthy daily routine and ensuring some social investment is spent outside of the workplace and family home. | This includes adopting a healthy daily routine and ensuring some social investment is spent outside of the workplace and family home. |
| Andrew Harrop, head of public policy at Age Concern and Help the Aged, said the findings were encouraging. | Andrew Harrop, head of public policy at Age Concern and Help the Aged, said the findings were encouraging. |
| "For many people, older age and later life is often looked upon with dread and worry. | "For many people, older age and later life is often looked upon with dread and worry. |
| HAVE YOUR SAYAs you get older you can get more frustrated and grumpy but more importantly you gain a sense of perspectiveJohn Uriel, Wallasey Send us your comments | |
| "Far too many younger people assume that getting older is a process that will inevitably mean sickness, frailty and lack of mobility and greater dependence. However, this is far from the truth in very many cases. | "Far too many younger people assume that getting older is a process that will inevitably mean sickness, frailty and lack of mobility and greater dependence. However, this is far from the truth in very many cases. |
| "Many older people lead active, healthy lives enriched by experience and learning. | "Many older people lead active, healthy lives enriched by experience and learning. |
| "This positive advantage can be brought to bear across so many aspects of daily life which - in turn - hugely benefits our ageing society. | "This positive advantage can be brought to bear across so many aspects of daily life which - in turn - hugely benefits our ageing society. |
| "It's vital that there is growing acceptance that just because someone is getting older, it doesn't mean they no longer have a significant contribution to make. | "It's vital that there is growing acceptance that just because someone is getting older, it doesn't mean they no longer have a significant contribution to make. |
| "This study is one of many which shows that later life can be a enormously positive experience." | "This study is one of many which shows that later life can be a enormously positive experience." |