A Yale study challenges aging myths, revealing that nearly half of adults over 65 show improvements in physical and mental over time.
New Delhi, India Jul 3, 2026 ALN: The research was supported by funding from the National Institute on Aging.
Both physical and mental abilities often decline with age, but new research from Yale University presents a more optimistic view. The study indicates that many older adults actually improve over time, with their beliefs about aging playing a significant role in these gains.
Drawing on over a decade of data from a large, nationally representative study of older Americans, researchers found that nearly half of adults aged 65 and older experienced measurable improvements in cognitive function, physical function, or both. These findings suggest that improvement in later life is more common than many realize.
“Many people equate aging with an inevitable and continuous loss of physical and cognitive abilities,” said Becca R. Levy, lead author of the study and professor of social and behavioral sciences at the Yale School of Public . “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 was published in the journal Geriatrics.
The research team analyzed data from over 11,000 participants in the and Retirement Study, a federally funded long-term survey of older Americans. This comprehensive study has been tracking the , economic, and social factors affecting older adults since its inception in the early 1990s, providing invaluable insights into the aging process.
To measure changes in mental abilities, the researchers used a global cognitive assessment. This assessment includes various tasks designed to evaluate memory, attention, and problem-solving skills, offering a well-rounded view of cognitive . Physical function was evaluated through walking speed, a key indicator of overall linked to disability, hospitalization, and mortality. Walking speed has been recognized in gerontology as a reliable marker of an individual's physical condition and has been correlated with broader outcomes.
Participants were followed for up to 12 years. During this period, 45% showed improvement in at least one of the two areas examined. Approximately 32% improved cognitively, while 28% improved physically. Many participants experienced gains significant enough to be considered clinically meaningful. When researchers included individuals whose cognitive abilities remained stable rather than declining, more than half of participants avoided the commonly held expectation of cognitive deterioration.
“What’s striking is that these gains disappear when you only look at averages,” said Levy. “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 researchers also explored why some older adults improved while others did not. One possibility was the influence of age beliefs held at the beginning of the study. They examined whether participants had adopted more positive or negative views about aging. This aspect is critical, as societal attitudes toward aging can deeply influence individual experiences and outcomes.
Their analysis supported this idea. Older adults with more positive beliefs about aging were significantly more likely to improve in both cognitive performance and walking speed. This relationship remained strong even after adjusting for factors including age, sex, education, chronic disease, depression, and length of follow-up. This suggests that mindset and perception are powerful tools in the aging process, potentially offering pathways for interventions aimed at improving quality of life.
The findings build on Levy’s stereotype embodiment theory, which proposes that age-related stereotypes absorbed from society can have measurable biological effects. This theory posits that the internalization of societal beliefs about aging can influence not only psychological well-being but also physical outcomes.
Previous studies led by Levy found that negative beliefs about aging are associated with poorer memory, slower walking speed, increased cardiovascular risk, and biomarkers linked to Alzheimer’s disease. According to Levy, the new findings indicate that the opposite pattern can also occur. This duality highlights the importance of fostering a positive narrative around aging, which could lead to better outcomes for older adults.
“Our findings suggest there is often a reserve capacity for improvement in later life,” she said. “And because age beliefs are modifiable, this opens the door to interventions at both the individual and societal level.”
The improvements were not limited to individuals who began the study with physical or cognitive impairments. Researchers found that even participants who started with normal levels of cognitive and physical function frequently improved over time. This challenges the notion that later-life gains simply reflect recovery from illness or a return to previous levels after a setback. Instead, it suggests that there is potential for growth and enhancement in various aspects of life, even in the later stages.
The authors hope the results will help shift public perceptions about aging and reduce the belief that continuous decline is inevitable. They also suggest that the findings support greater investment in preventive care, rehabilitation programs, and other services that help older adults build on their capacity for resilience and improvement. This could involve creating environments that encourage physical activity, cognitive engagement, and social interaction, all of which are crucial for maintaining and well-being in older age.
Martin Slade, a lecturer in occupational medicine at Yale School of Medicine and in the Department of Environmental Sciences at YSPH, co-authored the study. His expertise in occupational adds a valuable perspective to the implications of this research, particularly in understanding how work and social environments can impact outcomes in older adults.
The research was supported by funding from the National Institute on Aging. This backing underscores the importance of investigating the complexities of aging, particularly as populations around the world continue to age. With the growing number of older adults, understanding the factors that contribute to and well-being becomes increasingly critical for policymakers, care providers, and society as a whole.
In conclusion, the Yale study provides a refreshing perspective on aging, highlighting the potential for improvement and the significant role of mindset in shaping outcomes. As society grapples with the challenges posed by an aging population, embracing a more nuanced understanding of aging could lead to better strategies and improved quality of life for older adults.
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