Hyer said most of what's known about aging has been learned in the past 30 years through studies such as the Vanguard Cohort, which focused on children of the Great Depression and the 1940s. Aging does bring changes, Hyer said. Older people tend to be more reflective in the way they look at life, aiming for life satisfaction as opposed to striving for perfection, he continued. Anxiety can affect memory, and it is closely tied to depression, he said. People who are anxious do not remember well, and you underestimate your ability.
Anxiety is much more prevalent in older folks than depression.
For either, he said help is available. Thinking also plays a role in how stress and anger affect us, Hyer said. No one here will be stress-free during the next five months. If you can respond with positive thinking, you can undo stress or anger. We'd like to know.