If you haven’t already done
so, many of you reading this post may become centenarians living at least 100
years. Reaching this formerly rare milestone has become common nowadays, not
only because of genetics, but also due to advances in healthcare with people
living longer. But these are not the only factors that impact how long people
live. Surprisingly, marriage and living arrangements play important roles.
Research based on the lives
of 3,000 centenarians born between the years 1893 and 1903
were used to reconstruct their marital history and living arrangements during
their later lives from ages 60-100.
1)
From
age 60 to 100, male centenarians lived twice as long with their wives as female
centenarians did with their husbands.
2)
Female
centenarians lived alone for more than half of their lives.
3)
Male
centenarians had younger wives and female centenarians had older husbands than
non-centenarians.
4)
More
than half of the widowers remarried and did so with a woman who was generally
more than 10 years younger.
5)
Most
centenarians ended their lives in a nursing home but entered it very
late in life.
What does this say
about marriage and living arrangements of centenarians? Apparently, living with
a spouse during old age is more beneficial in terms of longevity for men than
for women. For women, living alone is more advantageous than living with a
spouse. Results of this study seem to confirm that generally men are often not
able to live well by themselves, whereas women seem to have fewer problems living
on their own. This video highlights 10 surprising facts about centenarians:
Frances Shani Parker, Author
Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer
in Urban Nursing Homes is available in paperback and e-book
editions in America and other countries at online and offline booksellers.
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