Implicit memory is a type of memory in which you remember something without knowing that you are remembering it. Explicit memory is the intentional recollection of previous information. According to the Association for Psychological Science, older people have better implicit memory as compared to younger. Researchers also state that the ability to recollect any previous experiences and information is much better in younger as compared to older adults.
Destination memory refers to your recollection of which people you have given particular information. A study conducted at the Rotman Research Institute in Toronto concludes that older adults are more prone to destination memory failure as compared to younger. For example, grandparents repeat the same stories again and again thinking that they never told you things when they actually had. Researchers explain that the destination memory failure in older adults is because they lose the ability to pay attention and to focus with age.
Working memory is the ability to temporary store information in the mind needed for tasks like problem solving and reasoning. A study published in the September 2010 "Cerebral Cortex" notes that older adults exhibit a decline in working memory in contrast to younger adults. However, learning knowledge such as comprehension, arithmetic, and vocabulary, does not change with age. According to researchers, substantial decline in problem-solving ability occurs after age 70.
Neuroscientists from Duke University Medical Center conducted a study of 72 older adults with an average age of 70 and 72 younger adults with an average age of 24. The study showed that older people are more effective in regulating negative emotions, such as reducing unwanted thoughts, as compared to younger people. Negative emotions can disrupt a person's balance in life. So the ability of older people to better regulate their own emotions serves to enhance the quality of their life.