Do you want to live to be in
your nineties? How about living to be 100 and beyond in relatively good health
for that age? More and more of the oldest adult Americans are doing just that. University
of Southern California longevity researchers studying this extraordinary group of people have found several
characteristics unique to the population of the oldest old:
1) They were more likely to
live independently and had fewer diseases, better mental health, and better
physical and cognitive function than those who did not survive to age 97.
2) They experienced health
declines upon reaching 97 years of age, but between one-fifth and
one-third of them remained disease free with no functional limitations or
depressive symptoms, and one-fifth retained high cognitive function.
3) Oldest men were
healthier than the oldest women, and whites were generally healthier than
nonwhites. Oldest adults who were educated had better cognitive function than
their less-educated counterparts.
Sure, we all know of and hear
most about very old adults who reach maximum longevity in a state of poor
health and functioning. But let us not forget about and encourage others to be
more aware of the oldest of the old who remain healthy and high-functioning.
In this video titled Secrets
to Living 100 Years,
exceptionally old adults share their personal secrets to longevity:
Frances Shani Parker,
Author
Becoming Dead Right: A
Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes
is available in paperback at many booksellers and in e-book form at
Amazon and Barnes and Noble booksellers.
