Over-55s are happiest in La Rioja – and enjoy life far more than when they were younger

Those born in or before 1961 place the least importance on money of all generations across Spain as a whole, particularly in La Rioja where only 30% say wealth or lack of is linked to their happiness.

The average Spaniard aged 55 or over gives their life a mark of seven out of 10, if 10 is the happiest and one is the worst possible.

Results of the research show a vast gulf between those approaching retirement, or already retired, and much younger adults, as well as differences between regions, but in all sections of the survey, La Rioja comes out on top.

Here, 80% say they are in very good physical shape and that, mentally, they are even healthier than when they were younger – and in addition to their health, they say part of the key to their happiness is their increased experience of life.

Seven in 10 say problems, especially ‘the little things’, bother them a lot less now than when they were very young, whilst eight in 10 say they have a more philosophical outlook on life and six in 10 feel more free and with fewer family responsibilities – at least in the case of ‘empty nesters’ who are not acting as carers for dependant parents or other elderly relatives.

In fact, two-thirds say now is the time of their lives where they can finally spend more time doing the things they really want to do and most enjoy.

La Rioja residents in their 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond say, in 80% of cases, that they spend more time on leisure activities and travel than they ever did in their 30s or 40s, whilst 83% say they still have plenty more they want to do in the future.

These include taking language courses or even driving a Ferrari, in the case of 60%; taking a ‘culinary tour’ around Europe to try all the food in as many different countries as they can, in 70% of cases; walking the Camino de Santiago pilgrims’ route, for 83%, and studying a university degree, for 50% - this could well be what many end up doing, since 70% say they enjoy greater mental agility than they did in their 20s, 30s or 40s – a figure which, on average, sits at just four in 10 for this age group in Spain as a whole.

La Rioja’s over-55s are among the most independent in terms of their partners – as, in fact, are Spaniards of this age-group in general, since barely a third consider it crucially important to have a partner in order to live their lives to the full in middle age or above – but, despite this, 70% of La Rioja residents born before the early 1960s, and 60% of them nationally, say they remain sexually-active and enjoy this side of their lives even more than they did when they were much younger.

As for what La Rioja’s over-55s say their secret is, 80% say their health is crucial to being happy, having free time to enjoy themselves is the second-most important factor, having the get-up-and-go to indulge in their favourite activities comes third, and money is only fourth on the list, with just a third of respondents placing any real emphasis on it.

Daily issues which affect La Rioja’s over-55s most negatively are mainly health-related, starting with losing teeth and age-spots appearing on their skin, and followed by deteriorating eyesight and hearing.

The research was carried out by the denture adhesive company, Corega.