HEALTH AND FITNESS

Centenarians Reveal Secrets for Healthy Aging

Submitted by Dr Dilkush Panjwani

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are more than 84,000 Centenarians in the United States, and that number is projected to increase seven-fold to 580,000 by 2040. 

Marianne Crowder of Palo Alto, California is the America's oldest living Girl Scout at age 102. When asked for tips on living to 100 she said, "I think the worst thing is stress, and you can avoid a lot of it by the way you manage your life."

Evercare first surveyed Centenarians in 2006 to provide insight into one of the fastest-growing segments of the population.

Since Evercare serves approximately 900 Centenarians, the company conducts this annual survey to better understand these Older Americans so it can continue to anticipate their needs. The anecdotal survey of Centenarians is meant to provide a cultural snapshot of the lives and lifestyles of Americans who achieve and surpass the100-year-old milestone by remaining active and independent.

The purpose of the annual Evercare 100@100 Survey™ is to uncover the secrets of the Centenarians –giving us the “life lessons” on how to age successfully and live longer, healthier, happier lives from those who know it best –our Oldest Americans.

In an exciting new development in the annual Evercare 100@100 Survey™, the 2008 poll supplemented the responses of 100 Centenarians with a survey of 900 additional Americans from other generations, enabling us for the first time to highlight how Centenarians’ perspectives compare to those of other age groups. Other generations surveyed included: GI Generation (ages 84 to 98); Silent Generation (ages 63 to 83); Baby Boomers (ages 44 to 62); Gen X (ages 30 to 43) and Millennials (ages 20 to 29).

Secrets

Secret #1: Healthy aging involves a mix of staying close to others, taking care of your mind and body, and staying engaged in the world.

Secret #2: Honesty is the best policy when it comes to a lasting relationship.

Secret #3: Love is how you define it.

Secret #4: Embrace technology to stay connected with loved ones…. and to find new loves.

Secret #5: Embrace technology to stay informed and engaged.

Secret #6: Stay engaged with family, friends by staying current with popular culture.

Secret #7: Maintain your independence.

Secret #8: Maintain your independence through health and self-reliance.

Secret #9: Voting is an “age-old” way of expressing independence.

Secret #10: Our health is in our own hands.      

Key facts

90% say staying close to friends and family is very important

89% say keeping your mind active is very important

88% say that laughing and having a sense of humor is very important

84% say staying in touch with your spirituality is very important

63% say continuing to follow current events and news is very important

More so than any other generation, 63% of these Centenarians
say continuing to make new friends is very important to healthy aging.                                    

Click here to read full survey report