Ageism can shorten a lifespan by 7.5 years, according to a 2002 study by Becca Levy. Individuals with a more positive self-perception of aging lived an average of 7.5 years longer than those with less positive self-perceptions.
Later life is a time of reassessment and reflection. What sense do we make of the lives we have lived? How do we come to terms with illness and death? What do we want to give to others as we grow older?