Beyond exercise, diet, and even good genes, the strongest predictor of whether a senior will fully recover from a major health crisis isn’t physical at all—it’s emotional. A new study tracking thousands of older adults for three years found that psychological and emotional wellness trumped nearly every other factor in determining who would bounce back from conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and debilitating injuries.

“Participants who had psychological and emotional wellness at [the start of the study] were nearly five times more likely to achieve optimal well-being by the study’s conclusion compared to those who lacked this wellness at the start,” senior study author Esme Fuller-Thomson, a professor of social work, medicine and nursing at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, told The Epoch Times.

Emotional wellness is a state of being in which a person can effectively manage emotions, has a sense of purpose, and enjoys supportive relationships with others. Psychological wellness encompasses emotional well-being as well as factors such as mental resilience, feelings of overall happiness, life satisfaction, and personal growth.

What Sets Survivors Apart

The study, based on data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, tracked more than 8,000 adults aged 60 or older who initially reported poor well-being across physical, psychological, social, and self-rated wellness domains. The results, published in PLOS One, show that nearly one-quarter of participants regained optimal well-being within three years, even while managing chronic conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, or cancer.

For the study, optimal well-being was defined as having adequate social support, positive feelings about aging, good physical and mental health, happiness, life satisfaction, no limitations in daily activities, and no disabling pain or severe mental illness.

Participants who reported higher levels of psychological and emotional well-being at the start of the study were the most likely to regain optimal well-being.

Other factors associated with achieving optimal wellness after a health setback included:

• Being younger than 70 years old


• Having a higher income


• Being married


• Engaging in regular physical activity


• Not smoking


• Living without diabetes, obesity, sleep problems, arthritis, or osteoporosis

The results show that regaining overall wellness involves multiple factors and highlight the need for a holistic, or mind-body-spirit, approach to well-being that addresses physical, emotional, and social needs combined, according to Fuller-Thomson.

The study had some limitations. For example, the research was conducted in Canada, which has universal, publicly funded health care. Thus, the results may not be the same for older adults living in countries where patients are required to pay for medical services. The research also relied on self-reported measures of well-being, which may have affected the results.

Practical Steps to Emotional Resilience

According to a recent study published in Acta Psychologica, several strategies can be implemented by older adults to enhance their psychological and emotional well-being during their golden years.

• Accept and Adapt: Recognize and accept that health changes are a part of life and understand that these changes may affect overall wellness if they are not adequately addressed. The study noted that people can take more control over these changes—which can help increase psychological well-being—by engaging in age-appropriate exercises to strengthen physical health, making small dietary changes, and adhering to their doctor’s treatment plan.


• Manage Stress: Use relaxation techniques, such as breathwork or meditation, to cope with anxiety and stress that may arise from challenging situations and health setbacks. Learning ways to handle unpleasant emotions with positive coping mechanisms can help bolster mental resilience, leading to enhanced emotional wellness.


• Stay Connected: Volunteer or participate in more social activities, as engaging with others can enhance feelings of self-worth and purpose, which may lead to improved psychological and emotional well-being. 


• Cultivate Positivity: Practice daily gratitude or take time each day to appreciate the good things in life. These strategies, along with shifting toward a positive mindset about day-to-day challenges, can cultivate inner peace. 

Research suggests that cultivating a positive outlook on aging involves embracing the aging process and viewing it as an opportunity to create new social connections, share wisdom with others, and learn new things. Embracing age instead of looking at it as a negative process can empower older adults to live their best life possible.

Still, despite their best efforts, some people might find it difficult to improve their emotional or psychological health. In such cases, seeking support from a mental health professional can help. Providers can diagnose and treat underlying mental health conditions and provide evidence-based therapies to ease symptoms.

Other Barriers to Well-Being

While emotional wellness emerged as the top factor for well-being, the study revealed multiple barriers to recovery, including chronic health conditions, social isolation, low socioeconomic status, and poor health self-perception.

While some factors that influence well-being, such as income, are challenging to change, others, such as diet and physical activity, are modifiable with effort.

“Health is not static—it’s dynamic,” said Jason Sonners, a chiropractor and founder of HBOT (hyperbaric oxygen therapy) USA, who was not involved in the study. “Whether you’re healthy or facing health challenges, proactive, consistent effort is required to build health.”

Even small daily actions in nutrition, movement, and mindset can trigger powerful changes, Sonners noted.

“There’s no guarantee, but doing nothing almost always leads to health decline,” he said.

Policy Implications

The study challenges the common belief that aging inevitably leads to poor physical health and declining well-being and highlights that many older adults can and do achieve optimal well-being with the right combination of social support and lifestyle changes, first study author Mabel Ho told The Epoch Times. Ho is a recent doctoral graduate at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work and the Institute of Life Course and Aging.

“It also underscores the importance of policies and programs that support older adults in maintaining or regaining their well-being in later life,” she said.

Sonners said policymakers can help by incentivizing healthy behaviors and making tools for prevention and optimization more accessible. This includes improving access to clean food, exercise opportunities, education, supplements, and therapies such as guided breathwork.

Health care providers can help by focusing on educating and empowering older patients to play a proactive role in their health, Sonners said.

“They should guide patients to see that aging doesn’t have to mean decline and that with the right strategies, they can be healthier at 70 than they were at 60,” he said.