A story in the NY Times indicates that the more people love us, the longer we'll live and the healthier we'll be.

Highlighting cases of people who far exceed expectations of survival when stricken with various fatal diseases, this research seems to be showing that frequent contact with folks who ooze love is a common factor.

Research on the link between relationships and physical health has established that people with rich personal networks — who are married, have close family and friends, are active in social and religious groups — recover more quickly from disease and live longer. But now the emerging field of social neuroscience, the study of how people's brains entrain as they interact, adds a missing piece to that data.

The most significant finding was the discovery of "mirror neurons," a widely dispersed class of brain cells that operate like neural WiFi. Mirror neurons track the emotional flow, movement and even intentions of the person we are with, and replicate this sensed state in our own brain by stirring in our brain the same areas active in the other person.

The theory is that these mirror neurons are contagious.

In other words, warm fuzzies are real.

In studying mothers with their children, a coordination of emotions, cardiovascular reactions and brain states prove a physical connection, so the good feelings that come with love appear to be catching.

Although no one is yet claiming solid data confirming the thoughts on this, many would agree with the director for the Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience at the University of Chicago who said, " In short, my hostility bumps up your blood pressure, your nurturing love lowers mine."

Tests showing that pain is more easily endured when a loved one is by your side also bring up the opposite side of the coin: what happens when illness causes people to leave.

When someone is ill AND isolated, it can be a broken heart that kills just as often as the physical manifestation of their disease.

As I see it, this is simply all the more evidence that adopting as an older parent is as much a step to a longer, healthier life as it is a daily joy or a fulfillment of a dream or any of the many other reasons we add to our families later in life.

A smart move all the way around!