Emotional contagion can spread like a virus amongst teens and the elderly, but the solution requires much more than a shot in the arm. The phrase refers to a phenomenon where individuals unconsciously “catch” and mirror the emotions, moods, or behaviours of others through social interaction.

More than anything else, it’s considered a process that is often mediated by nonverbal cues like facial expressions, tone of voice, or body language. It can significantly influence emotional well-being and typically affects both youth and the elderly alike.

For older adults, especially those in their later years, emotional contagion can have unique and profound impacts due to specific vulnerabilities and life circumstances.

Older adults often experience shrinking social networks due to retirement, mobility limitations, or the loss of loved ones or close associates. Remaining relationships—such as interactions with caregivers, family, or peers in residential facilities—carry heightened emotional weight, making them more susceptible to absorbing others’ moods. 

If caregivers or family members exhibit stress, frustration, or sadness, these emotions may spread to older adults. Conversely, positive caregiver interactions can uplift mood, highlighting the bidirectional nature of the phenomenon.

Canadian research

A Canadian research team has released the results of a study on stress resilience in seniors. Their findings were published on January 5, 2025 in Frontiers in Psychology. The study involving 170 seniors with an average age of 76 found that O’stress, a six-week stress management program, had beneficial effects on the emotional health of participants.

Those who followed the program used more problem-solving strategies and had less anxiety three weeks after completing it and their diurnal cortisol levels, an indicator of chronic stress, were significantly lower than those of non-participants.

The O’stress program is based on DeStress for Success, an innovative program created by the Centre for Studies on Human Stress to help teens deal with the stress of transitioning to high school.

In nursing homes or retirement communities, prolonged exposure to peers experiencing grief, pain, or loneliness can amplify negative emotions collectively. A single individual’s distress might trigger a ripple effect, fostering a pervasive atmosphere of melancholy or anxiety.  Coupled with this, reduced physical or cognitive autonomy may restrict an older adult’s ability to avoid emotionally charged environments, increasing sustained exposure to stressors.

Conditions like dementia impair emotional regulation and contextual understanding, potentially intensifying susceptibility to others’ emotions. For example, agitation in one resident might trigger widespread distress in a memory care unit.

Chronic illness or pain can lower emotional resilience, making it harder to buffer against negative emotional stimuli from others.

Some older adults develop greater empathy with age, which might increase sensitivity to others’ emotional states. While this can foster meaningful connections, it also risks internalising others’ distress. 

Another mitigating factor is loneliness, which may amplify the desire for social connection, potentially leading to over-reliance on limited interactions where contagion is more likely.

“Just as some people are more likely to catch a respiratory virus through close contact, others are more susceptible to ‘catching’ the emotions of the people around them,” says Marie-Josée Richer, a psychoeducator at the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal

Overall, the problem of emotional contagion in later life underscores the importance of nurturing positive social environments and mindful caregiving. Interventions like training caregivers in emotional self-regulation, fostering community activities that promote joy, and designing senior living spaces to encourage meaningful interactions can mitigate negative effects while harnessing the power of positive emotional spread.

Possible interventions

Several interventions and programs are designed to mitigate the effects of emotional contagion in group living settings for older adults. These focus on fostering positive emotional environments, enhancing resilience, and reducing exposure to stress:

Group music sessions (e.g., drumming circles, sing-alongs) and art programs help channel emotions constructively, fostering joy and camaraderie while distracting from negative moods. 

Partnerships with schools or volunteer groups to connect older adults with younger generations through shared activities (e.g., storytelling, crafting) infuse energy and positivity. 

Guided meditation, breathing exercises, and yoga classes teach residents to manage their emotional responses, reducing susceptibility to negative contagion. 

Workshops on reframing negative thoughts or practising gratitude help individuals build emotional resilience. 

The study released in January marks the first time that vulnerability to emotional contagion has been examined as a determinant of psychological distress in seniors, the researchers say.

Though they did not establish a cause-and-effect relationship between vulnerability to emotional contagion and psychological distress, their study does highlight the importance of considering both explicit and implicit adversity to identify seniors at risk for psychological distress.

In communal living environments, such as seniors’ residences, and in caregiving situations, the risks of emotional contagion need to be addressed proactively, the researchers argue.