A
growing number of Americans are living to age 100 (or older). This group of
people identified as centenarians has grown 65.8 percent over the past three
decades (from 32,194 people in 1980 to 53,364 in 2010). In contrast, the total
population has increased 36.3 percent over the same time period. There
is no one pathway to reaching age 100. We all have the opportunity to do it our
own way. One in 26 baby boomers is now expected to live to 100.
Life insurance
companies are now calculating that children born today will have an average
life expectancy of 120 years due to increases in science and medical
availability. Healthcare will eventually be a right for all people, and this
will cause medical breakthroughs to increase. Centenarians
in the U.S. are considerably different from the overall population.
Here's a look at some of the characteristics of people who live to age 100:
City Living-A large majority of the oldest U.S. citizens live in urban
areas. As age increases, the percentage living in urban areas also increases.
Some 85.7 percent of centenarians lived in urban areas in 2010, compared with
84.2 percent of those in their 90s, 81.5 percent of those in their 80s, and
76.6 percent of those in their 70s. Living in the city, you have a lot more
mental stimulation and the symphony and better doctors and hospitals and more
social networking. There are more resources, and there is better
transportation.
Female Gender- In 2010, 82.8 percent of centenarians were female. For
every 100 females age 100 or older, there are only 20.7 males the same age.
Females also make up 61.9 percent of those in their 80s and 72.2 percent of
people in their 90s. Women are more social than men. Staying socially connected
predicts greater life expectancy. If you are social, it may reduce stress
levels because you can talk about your feelings and things that stress you out.
It seems to help many people.
Less Diversity- In 2010, some 82.5 percent of centenarians were white
versus 72.4 percent of the total population. African Americans were unique in
that their proportion of the centenarian population (12.2 percent) is about the
same as their percentage of the total population (12.6 percent). Asians made up
2.5 percent of the centenarian population while centenarians make up 4.8
percent of the total population. Hispanics represent 5.8 percent of
centenarians.
Living with Others- Just over a third of both female and male centenarians
lived alone in their own home in 2010, but the majority of the oldest citizens
live with others. As people get older, things in life happen—like you might
become a widow or you might have a disability, and because of those
circumstances, living arrangements often change. Centenarian females (35.2
percent) were more likely to live in a nursing home than males the same age
(18.2 percent). Centenarian males are the most likely to be living with others
in a household (43.5 percent), compared to just 28.5 percent of centenarian
females.
Located in the Northeast (or
Midwest)-States with the largest populations
generally have the most centenarians. California has the largest number of
centenarians (5,921), followed by New York (4,605), Florida (4,090), and Texas
(2,917). Alaska has the fewest residents age 100 and older (40). Wyoming (72),
Vermont (133), and Delaware (146) are among the states with the fewest
centenarians. The Northeast and Midwest have proportions of centenarians that
are higher than the national average of 1.73 per 10,000 people while the
West and South
have below-average proportions of centenarians. There’s a lot of stuff going on
in local areas including access to medical care, diet, exercise, the culture,
risk-taking, and more smoking. People in the Northeast tend to be more highly
educated, and education is associated with a longer life expectancy. North Dakota is the only state with more than
3 centenarians for every 10,000 people in the state.
Other states
where centenarians make up a relatively large portion of the population include
South Dakota, Iowa, and Nebraska. Three western states have less than one
centenarian for every 10,000 people: Alaska, Utah, and Nevada. The proportion
of centenarians in the U.S. is smaller than that of many other developed
countries. For example, for every 10,000 people, there are 1.92 centenarians in
Sweden, 1.95 in the United Kingdom, 2.70 in France, and Japan has 3.43
centenarians per 10,000 people beating even our longest-lived state, North
Dakota.
Centenarians are role models for the future of aging. Here are seven of their secrets for living a long and happy life:
A Loving Family- Family was universally important to
centenarians. They enjoy their roles as matriarchs or patriarchs and many spoke
of the pleasure of watching younger generations grow and flourish. One
respondent credited her longevity to "a wonderful and loving family, the good Lord, and
a rum and Coke every afternoon." Having strong positive relationships was
also highly recommended for a long life by centenarians. Positive relationships
can affect health just as much if not more than exercise and diet. Each centenarian
spoke lovingly and fondly of their marriages.
Even though they had outlived their spouses
by decades, they only look back on their memories with love, appreciation and
gratitude. Most centenarians live happily because they have a lifetime of
wonderful memories to constantly remind them of the joys of life. Experiences
tend to bring more happiness than possessions. The positive attitudes of those
who live to over 100 years old is one to learn from and to mirror, as this is
necessary to reach old age.
Clean Living- Stay out of trouble. Everyone's interpretation
of that advice may vary, but many centenarians told us it means doing what you
know is right and following your conscience. Also, almost 75 percent of the
centenarians we surveyed never smoked; most of the others stopped between the
ages of 40 and 70. While some never drank, most said they enjoyed only an
occasional cocktail (or a glass of wine). Some still do.
Diet- Here's diet advice
you may not have heard before: Eat like its 1960. Our centenarians were
critical of today's supersized portions; the majority
advised just eating nutritious food in moderation. Only 20 percent said they
had ever been on a specialized diet plan although some had become vegetarians. The
norm for most centenarians (before major food plants and companies existed) was
foods from gardens free of pesticides, chemicals, and grease. They mentioned
the use of periodic fasting; making sure to not overeat, eating only once or
twice a day sometimes, or choosing on some days to just eat a light dinner.
Education-One of the only regrets mentioned by a centenarian was that he wished he
had taken his studies more seriously earlier in life. He believed that getting
a solid education early in life is so important and contributes to living a
long and healthy life. A desire to keep learning throughout life has been shown
to be connected to longevity.
Data provided by the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that people with a college bachelor’s
degree or above live for 9 years longer on average than people who do not
complete high school. This is likely due to numerous factors like highly
educated individuals get better jobs with higher incomes, are able to afford
healthier food, are elevated out of poverty, and do not have the daily stress of
how to pay their bills that can negatively affect health. All factors included,
having a higher education means a longer life on average.
Exercise- You've got to
exercise your mind as well as your body. Everyone knows that. How many are
actually doing that. A few centenarians who successfully maintained their
athleticism or gained new skills in later years have competed in the Senior Games. "I always thought of myself as an
ordinary guy, but once I was in my 90s, I looked around and realized I was the
oldest one at the lanes and I could still keep up my score," says bowler
George Blevins, 100. "So I entered the Senior Games and have enjoyed
winning several medals, even at 100
Faith- It came as no
surprise that almost all centenarians said that their faith had sustained them
throughout their life. Most believe they will be here on Earth as long as God
has a purpose for them.
Genetics- Lifestyle choices that can influence longevity to varying degrees, but genetic background make a difference as well. "I picked the right parents and genes!" says Andy Weinandy, 100. Until medical science devises new ways to help us work with the genes we've been dealt, the secret is that some of us will be more prone to longevity than others.
A
large percentage of centenarians said their parents and grandparents were not
especially long-lived. Despite the inevitable ups and downs, the biggest secret
these centenarians shared is that living to 100 is worth the effort. Like
climbing a mountain, aspire to reach that height, not just because it is there,
but because the view from the top is unsurpassed.
Helping Others- Centenarians explained the importance of being kind and helping to
everyone you can. Helping others not only does something beautiful for them,
but it’s proven to boost your own mood as well, helping you to stay positive
and live longer. Volunteering for a charity has been shown to lower the chances
for anxiety and
depression, and improve
health. If you are looking to live to be over 100 years old, consider
volunteering for your favorite local charity and let your compassion give you a
healthy and happy long life.
Volunteering and showing
compassion also can give a sense of purpose and a possible “helper’s high”
which is the release of feel-good chemicals in the brain and body and reducing
stress hormones like cortisol. The Longevity Project
reviewed 80
years worth of data to find what contributes to one living a long life. They
found that having a sense of purpose, staying productive, and
conscientiousness; purposeful action, self-discipline, and a drive to achieve
were markers for longevity.
Staying active into your senior
years by volunteering is a natural way to live longer, and also to benefit the
world and those around you, making the world better for future generations. If
you want to help but not sure where to start, just go to the Internet, and type
in “(Your city name) charities” and pick one that resonates with your heart.
Sometimes a simple email or phone call is all it takes to meet some wonderful
people who share the same passion of bettering the world as you.
Positive Attitude- Most centenarians believe a positive
yet realistic attitude is critical throughout one's life and described
themselves as optimistic people. The centenarians themselves look much younger
than their age, and they don’t “act their age” either.
Most centenarians reported that they feel 20
or more years younger than they actually are, and this comes from their mindset
and self-perception. There are countless studies proving the power of the mind
and how it affects the health of the body, and while usually named ‘The Placebo
Effect,’ the reality is that what the mind believes shows within the body. If
someone believes that their mind and body will fail as they age, it’s highly
likely their way of thinking will contribute to illness.
“You must keep active, or you will just wither away. Always be involved
in some activity.” (Miriam Henson, 105)[i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“7 Life Secrets of Centenarians” By Lynn
Peters Adler
·
“Five Intriguing Facts about People Who Live To 100”
by Emily
Brandon
·
“Here Are
the Top 9 Life Lessons from 100 Year Olds” by Understanding Compassion
·
“Top 7 Life Lessons from 100 Year Olds” by
Understanding Compassion
This post is dedicated
to my 104 year old maternal grandmother, Erma Eagle, and Santa. (See the picture below.)
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