Reaching your 80s is about more than just a number on a birthday card. This stage of life brings not only accumulated knowledge also triggers a fundamental shift in how we view our relationships and our place in the world. Most people at this stage aren’t just counting the years they’ve survived; they are looking backward and forward at the same time, trying to assess whether those years were—and continue to be—fulfilling. It is a period where the “quantity” of life often takes a backseat to the “quality” of the daily experience.
One thing that is quite remarkable about this period in one’s life is that aging can differ considerably from person to person. You see it everywhere: Some individuals will still be considered “young” at 85 years old, being physically fit, travelling, and serving as the centre of attention in their communities. On the other hand, there may also be individuals who, because of poor physical health, the passing of their partners, or other environmental reasons, become more introverted. The scientific consensus is virtually unanimous in stating that there is no “silver bullet” or magic gene that explains all these differences.
The sense of purpose
The most important influence guiding our way through this decade would be the sense of purpose. Purpose in life comes to us very easily, almost effortlessly, throughout most of our adult lives. We are who we are by virtue of what we are expected to be; we become managers, parents, providers. What happens when these aspects no longer exist? What happens after the structure of our career leaves us? Without a purpose, everything becomes ambiguous because there is nothing that we have to wake up for.
The science on this is pretty solid. A major longitudinal study in Psychological Science found that people with a strong sense of purpose tended to live longer. The most intriguing part of this study was that the effect remained valid regardless of other variables such as whether an individual was retired and their emotional state. In other words, having something worth waking up for not only made them feel “happy” but also had a physical impact on their lifespan.
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