It has taken nearly 80 years and a variety of scientific studies to come up with the result: a good genetic makeup and wealth really have little to do with our levels of joy. The Harvard Study of Adult Development began in 1938, delving into the lives of high-profile participants such as Ben Bradlee and John F. Kennedy. Over the years, it’s been expanded to include inner-city residents as well as offspring from the original Harvard elite, and the results were unexpected, to say the least.
It was determined that the greatest predictors of a long and happy life were not genetics, IQ, finances, fame, or social class, but quite simply close relationships. Robert Waldinger, director of the study and a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital as well as a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, explains, “The people who were the most satisfied in their relationships at age 50 were the healthiest at age 80. Loneliness kills. It’s as powerful as smoking or alcoholism.”
Psychiatrist George Vaillant who led the research study from 1972 until 2004, shared in his book “Aging Well: Surprising Guideposts to a Happier Life from the Landmark Harvard Study of Adult Development,” the contributing factors that forecast healthy aging:
- The absence of smoking and alcohol abuse
- Physical activity
- Mature strategies to cope with difficulties in life
- Sustaining a healthy weight
- Having a stable marriage
The bottom line is, self-care is crucial to our level of joy – from the perspective of both mental and physical health – and investing time and effort to making your relationships the very best they can be most certainly falls under that umbrella as well. In fact, additional research studies have revealed that the satisfaction level men and women experience in their relationships is a much more accurate determinant of what their physical health is likely to be later in life than physical factors like cholesterol levels.
The research study also overturned prior understanding that our personalities are set in stone by 30 years old. Many who encountered difficulties in their early adult years enjoyed fulfilling later years, while others succeeded at the beginning of life but fell apart later due to mental health issues and alcoholism.
The study continues on today, into its third and fourth generations, as researchers believe there is still more to understand, including how to better regulate stress and whether a difficult childhood can impact middle age and later years.
Let Independence-4-Seniors Home Care’s compassionate caregivers help instill joy in an older adult’s life; email or call us today! Our caregivers serve as warm and friendly companions to take part in exercise, conversations, and pleasant activities together, cultivating socialization and additional relational connections. We can be contacted 24/7 at 630-323-4665 to schedule a complimentary in-home consultation to find out more about home care in Burr Ridge and the surrounding area.