A landmark study of more than 6,600 adults ages 62 and older found nearly half (46%) reported lacking a fundamental sense of purpose, wholeness, and connection—what researchers call “fulfillment”—despite living in an era of longer life expectancy and medical advancement.
The research, published by CenterWell, the health care services arm of Humana, tracked participants between 2023 and 2025, making it one of the largest longitudinal studies of emotional well-being in older adults to date.
