Negative stereotypes about getting older can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
By ANNE TERGESEN for the Wall Street Journal
Scientists are discovering something very peculiar about aging: How we feel about getting old matters. A lot.
In test after test, researchers are finding that if we think about getting older in terms of decline or disability, our health likely will suffer. If, on the other hand, we see aging in terms of opportunity and growth, our bodies respond in kind.
That research holds out the possibility for much healthier aging. But it also points to a very big obstacle: Negative stereotypes about aging are pervasive in America. Even many older adults embrace the idea that getting old is a bad thing—which means they’re doing potentially serious harm to their health without realizing it.
Can we change the way we feel about aging—and improve our prospects for healthier senior years? A growing body of research offers hope.
Read more about the myths vs. the facts >
DR. BILL THOMAS
One person working tirelessly to change the view of aging is Dr. Bill Thomas. He travels the US, and the world, spreading evidence that proves “everything we think we know about getting older is wrong,” says Dr. Thomas, a Harvard educated physician. Learn more about Dr. Thomas at drbillthomas.com.
