The scientific study of "successful aging" is still relatively new and the precise ways in which individuals manage to thrive as older adults is not very well understood. Recently, the results from the first study on aging visual artists in New York City were released by the Research Center for Arts and Culture at Teachers College, Columbia University.
The aim of the project was to document the survival skills and social support of aging artists in New York City's five boroughs. The study found that the artists in this sample rank high in life satisfaction, have high self-esteem as a person and an artist, communicate daily or weekly with other artists, and are very satisfied with their careers. The authors of the report made several recommendations for both redefining "work" and "old age" and policy changes that would improve the lives of this hardy group of seniors.