Too old to improve your accent?

I sometimes get phone calls from people in their 30's and 40's who think they are too old to change their accents. No, you are not too old!

I currently have three students in their 60's who have been making great progress with reducing their foreign accents. In fact, they have been making better progress than some of my younger students! (One is a nurse from Korea, one is a business owner from Argentina, and one is a high school teacher from Uruguay.) I am so proud of them. Their hard work and dedication are an inspiration to me. All three have the following traits in common:

1. They are highly motivated to reduce their accents because they believe a thick accent is holding them back.
2. They practice regularly.
3. They don't give up easily and they are patient with the learning process.
4. They have achieved a lot in other areas of their lives through hard work. This has helped them to develop the self-discipline that is needed.
5. They are not overly self-critical when they make mistakes.

From my experience, these above traits are often more important than age. (unless, of course, you move to an English speaking country as a child)