A recent report from the Pew Research Center found that older adults feel younger out west. Fully 78% of adults ages 65 and older who live in the West say they don’t feel old, compared with 67% of older adults who live in the rest of the country.

Not that we’re tooting our own horn out here, but we're not surprised by the numbers.

If you are debating where your next move will be, take a look at these statistics:

• Two-thirds of Westerners ages 65 and older say they feel younger than their chronological years, compared with 57% of older Americans in other regions.

• Among older Westerners, half say they feel 10 or more years younger than their actual age and one-in-five say they feel 20 or more years younger.

• Older folks living in the West also feel healthier than older folks elsewhere. Among adults ages 65 and older, some 72% of those living in the West say they are in excellent or good health. This compares with 63% of those living in other regions of the country.

So, celebrate the new year and all the possibilities it brings. Don’t worry about that extra candle on the birthday cake. Embrace the future and remember you can always join us out west. We welcome you in 2010!
Read more...http://pewsocialtrends.org/pubs/738/go-west-older-adults-feel-young-at-heart#prcjump

--The Move Advocate Newsletter, December 2009