It was something that was already suspected: when couples age together, the good or bad health of one member affects that of the other. To see if this synchronization really occurs (both in terms of physical and psychological well-being), a group of scientists from the University of Arizona has studied the trajectory of 8,000 marriages, with an average age of sixty-some, between 2004 and 2011.
"When we think about the quality of life of older people, we tend to think only of individuals, but our research suggests that a person's health is also linked to that of their partner, " explains David Sbarra, co-author of the report. The scientists not only took into account the testimonies provided by the volunteers, but also subjected them to tests of language skills and memory.
One of the conclusions is that the state of physical health affects the members of the couple with the same intensity in both directions, regardless of their sex. However, if a woman suffers from cognitive impairment, this circumstance has a greater impact on the husband than if it happens the other way around. "Life expectancy is increasing by leaps and bounds, so it is very important to understand how we age and improve the quality of life in old age," concludes Kyle Bourassa, a psychologist who has also participated in the research.
