The surprising effect of loneliness on the brain of older adults Loneliness may cause initial cognitive decline, but research suggests it doesn’t speed up dementia

Read the full article here: www.independent.co.uk/news/health/...

Link to the research article: doi.org/10.1080/1360...

#SHAREdata #loneliness #cognitivedecline

This is a surprising and important distinction for how we think about social isolation as a risk factor for dementia, which researchers will need to unpack carefully going forward.

The study, using seven years of data from over 10,000 people aged 65–94 across 12 European countries, found that while loneliness is associated with worse memory at the outset, it does not actually appear to speed up the rate of memory decline over time.

📰In The Independent today: New findings from our data are challenging long held assumptions about the relationship between loneliness and cognitive decline in older adults.
@the-independent.com

End-of-life planning is not strongly shaped by personality

Overall, no single personality trait emerged as a strong barrier to planning, which is good news for policymakers designing broad-reach interventions.

Read our commentary here: share-eric.eu/research-res...

#EndOfLifePlanning #Ageing #PersonalityResearch #SHAREStudy #ScientificResearch

🔍 Openness to experience was linked to more reflection on end-of-life wishes.
🔍 Higher neuroticism leads to more contemplation but not to more formal planning.
🔍 Conscientiousness - the trait most associated with organisation and long-term planning - didn’t significantly affect planning outcomes.

📊 42% of participants avoid thinking about death, and 63% rarely or never reflect on their wishes for their final months.
📝 Only 37% have a will, 39% have a power of attorney.

🔍 March Finding of the Month: Does personality shape end-of-life planning?

New research by Valérie-Anne Ryser, Sarah Vilpert, & Jürgen Maurer (2026) sheds light on how personality traits shape end-of-life planning among older adults. Using SHARE data from 1,500+ Swiss adults (55+), they found:

Wrapping up the #GrandChallengesConference 2026 in Berlin!

It’s been three days of inspiring discussions, new connections & ideas on how interdisciplinarity can help tackle global challenges.

It was a pleasure to contribute to this exchange 👏

@berlinualliance.bsky.social

We are proud to have our institute’s leader Prof. Dr. David Richter, Managing Director and PI of SHARE and Director SHARE Infrastructure at SBI, and two of our scientists contributing to the discourse.

Let’s collaborate for better futures 🌍

@drichter77.bsky.social

We’re kicking off the #GrandChallenges Conference in Berlin today!

Our team is excited to join researchers from around the world to exchange ideas on today’s biggest challenges, from social cohesion to climate change and global health.

Does Happiness Increase in Old Age? Longitudinal Evidence from 20 European Countries - Journal of Happiness Studies Several studies indicate that happiness follows a U-shape over the life cycle: Happiness decreases after the teenage years until reaching its nadir in middle age. A similar number of studies views the U-shape critically, stating that it is the result of the wrong controls or the wrong model. In this paper, we study the upward-pointing branch of the U-shape, tracing the happiness of European citizens 50 and older over multiple waves. Consistent with a U-shape around middle age, we find that happiness initially increases after the age of 50, but commonly stagnates afterwards and eventually reverts at high age. This pattern is generally observed irrespective of the utilized happiness measure, control variables, estimation methods, and the consideration of selection effects due to mortality. However, the strength of this pattern depends on the utilized happiness measure, control variables, and on mortality effects. The general pattern does not emerge for all countries, and is not always observed for women.

By tracking people over time across 28 countries, SHARE helps researchers understand what drives happiness in later life — health, relationships, income and more. 
📖

The rise in happiness in over 50s was the same whether measured through wellbeing, life satisfaction or depressive symptoms (although strength varied).

The pattern didn't hold across all countries, and wasn't always observed for women 🌍 — a reminder that ageing well looks different depending on where you live and who you are.

Researchers Christoph Becker & Stefan Trautmann at the University of Heidelberg tracked happiness in over 50s across Europe. Happiness does seem to increase after 50, though it tends to stagnate or decline at much higher ages. 📉

Scientists have long debated whether happiness follows a U-shape as we age 📈 — dipping around middle age but rising again after 50. New research using SHARE data takes a closer look. #InternationalDayofHappiness

(3/3)

🗺️ Where you live shapes your options: in Nordic countries, people re-enter work; in Southern Europe, those already working put in more hours instead; in Eastern Europe, not much adjustment happens at all.

(2/3)

🔍 How someone dies matters: when a death was expected, the adjustment is early and stable; sudden deaths produce a delayed, more chaotic response

A few things that stand out... (1/3)

⏳ People don't rush back to work. The response builds gradually, starting around a year after the loss

🚨New SHARE working paper alert! Jeongyeon Song (Korea University) is the first to track how the death of a spouse impacts how the surviving spouse works, year by year, across Europe's 50+ population.

https://f.mtr.cool/nqihjlcsaw

Events - Share Berlin Find current events hosted by the SHARE BERLIN Institute.

👉 Register for free: https://f.mtr.cool/cfnuqiiapn
📬 Want to stay in the loop on future SISS events? Sign up for announcements!

It's well known that depression and cognitive decline in older age tend to travel together. What we're much less sure about is the timing. Prof. Stephen Aichele from Colorado State University and Colorado School of Public Health digs into exactly this at our next online seminar. 

Link in thread ➡️

We're #hiring! SHARE is looking for a student assistant to support the activities of the Operations Management team. Applications accepted until 20th March.

#SHAREdata #jobs #Berlin

share-eric.eu/news-events/...

Children's upward mobility is related to higher life satisfaction among parents – even when it brings no extra financial or practical support

These children weren't more emotionally close, weren't sending money home, weren't helping out more.

So what explains it?
Read our commentary here:
share-eric.eu/research-res...

#AgeingResearch #PublicHealth

Parents with upwardly mobile children reported higher life satisfaction, and the more children who surpassed them, the stronger the association. Low-educated parents saw the biggest difference of all.

🔍 Finding of the Month: 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗨𝗽𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀

New research using SHARE data asks a question that doesn't get asked enough: what does a child's educational success mean for their parents' wellbeing? 🧵

The impact of national context on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy across Europe - BMC Public Health BMC Public Health - This study investigates vaccine hesitancy among the 50 + population in Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the role of national contexts alongside...

📢 New research results based on #SHARE data provide interesting insights.
This recently published study by Michael Bergmann et al. uses SHARE data to explore how national context shaped COVID‑19 vaccination intentions.
Check out the paper now to find out more!
doi.org/10.1186/s128...

Register for our Second Webinar: Implementing and Adapting the SoGreen Module in Survey Research • SoGreen Join us for the second SoGreen webinar on how to implement and adapt the SoGreen Module in survey research. Online, free, registration via Eventbrite.

🌱 Sign up for the second webinar on the SoGreen project: “Implementing and Adapting the SoGreen Module in Survey Research”
📅 Date: Mar 18 2026 🕑 Time: from 14:00 to 16:00 CEST
Please find more information here: bit.ly/4rW8CrE

@ess-survey.bsky.social @guide-cohort.bsky.social @ggp.bsky.social

Flyer for speaker Prof Henrik Broennum-Hansen.

Few countries can match Denmark's population registry data.

This month’s SISS speaker draws on our unique data linkage with Danish registry data to examine what retirement policies means for a society with an ever-widening gap between rich and poor.

Register here: share-berlin.eu/en/events/si...

Join us for a webinar about the SoGreen project, taking place from 1–3 pm (GMT) on Tuesday, 24 February. The event will provide an overview of the project's objectives and results, and you will have the opportunity to hear from policy experts about the green transition landscape.
lnkd.in/efkvm9jv