How 1 in 4 older adults regain happiness after struggling

Interest in understanding what drives resilience and long-term well-being is growing. Many lifestyle choices can influence the ability to maintain good health and happiness, defined in this research as a combination of physical, psychological, emotional, social, and self-rated well-being, even in the presence of chronic conditions. However, only a small number of studies have focused on what helps people recover or regain a strong sense of well-being later in life after experiencing difficulty.

Using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, Ho and Fuller-Thomson analyzed 8,332 adults who did not initially meet the criteria for optimal well-being and followed up with them three years later, when all participants were at least 60 years old.

They discovered that nearly one-quarter of these participants had achieved optimal well-being by the end of that period. Those who already showed signs of psychological and emotional wellness at the beginning were nearly five times more likely to recover full well-being than those who did not.

The likelihood of regaining well-being was also higher among participants who were younger (under 70 years old), married, and earning incomes above the poverty line. Better outcomes were linked to being physically active, not smoking, sleeping well, and avoiding chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, arthritis, or osteoporosis.

Because all Canadian citizens and permanent residents have access to publicly funded healthcare, the researchers note that these results may not apply to countries where medical care depends on the ability to pay. They also caution that the findings may not extend to low- and middle-income nations.

If future research establishes that the associations observed in the current study are causal, policies and interventions that support physical, psychological, emotional, social, and self-rated wellness might help older adults to regain optimal well-being. For example, programs and services can be provided to encourage older adults to engage in an active and healthy lifestyle, to manage chronic conditions, and to prevent social isolation. According to the authors, these interventions might play an important role in enhancing older adults’ resilience and enabling them to regain optimal well-being in later life.

“What’s powerful about this research is the reminder that later life can still be fulfilling, even after difficult periods. Good health is important, but so are the people, meaning, and joy we have in our lives,” says first author Mabel Ho, a recent doctoral graduate at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW) and the Institute of Life Course and Aging.

“This is a clear call to invest in prevention, financial stability, and accessible wellness supports — because these aren’t just smart policies, they can potentially improve the trajectory of aging for older adults who are struggling,” says senior author Esme Fuller-Thomson, Director of the Institute for Life Course & Aging and Professor at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work.