Many Older Adults With Chronic Pain and Poor Health Can Regain Wellness
/By Pat Anson
“You’re not getting older, you’re getting better.”
There’s some truth behind that cliché about growing old, according a novel study in Canada that found many older adults in poor health -- due to chronic pain and other chronic conditions -- can fully recover within just a few years.
“This isn’t just a story of resilience — it’s a roadmap for how we can help more older adults recover and thrive,” says first author Mabel Ho, PhD, a researcher at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto. “Our findings highlight the powerful role of modifiable lifestyle and psychosocial factors in shaping healthy aging trajectories.”
Ho and her colleagues followed 8,332 respondents who were 60 years of age or older and in poor physical or mental health. Nearly one in five (18.7%) had chronic pain so severe it was considered disabling, while others had chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, arthritis and osteoporosis.
Not surprisingly, many of the participants also felt depressed, unhappy, slept poorly, and led isolated lives with few social connections.
Their baseline health status at the start of the study was then compared to their physical and mental health after 3 years, to assess whether they had achieved “optimal well-being” – meaning they had no disabling pain, discomfort or limitations on daily activities, as well as good mental health, happiness and life satisfaction.
The research findings, published in PLOS One, show that nearly one in four older adults regained optimal well-being within just three years.
The researchers then sought to identify what factors increased the likelihood that older adults could recover their physical and mental health. Those who reported strong psychological and emotional wellness at the outset of the study were over five times more likely to achieve the high bar of “optimal well-being” when compared to those who struggled with their mental health.
Other factors significantly associated with recovery include a healthy body weight, regular physical activity, good sleep, not smoking, and participating in social activities.
“It’s incredibly encouraging to see that with the right supports and lifestyle, many older adults can reclaim full health, happiness, and independence -- even after serious health challenges,” says Ho.
The study suggests that age-related policies and programs should prioritize physical and mental wellness, to help show that recovery is not only possible for older adults, but common.
“Too often, the focus in aging research and geriatric practice is on decline and disability,” says senior author Esme Fuller-Thomson, PhD, Director of the Institute for Life Course & Aging at the University of Toronto. “Our findings disrupt that narrative. Older adults can and do bounce back—and we need to build systems that support recovery.”
By the end of the study, over 19% of those who had chronic disabling pain had achieved optimal well-being, while nearly 10% of those whose daily activities were limited progressed to no limitations. Over 12% of those who rated their physical health as poor to fair at the start of the study achieved a full recovery.
Other factors strongly associated with optimal well being were higher education, home ownership, higher income, marriage, and having someone to show love and affection.
“We want this study to reshape how society views aging,” added Ho. “With the right environment, resources, and supports, older adults don’t just survive after struggling with health or well-being issues— they thrive.”
