Helen lived to 109. If Helen can do it, I can live to 100 too!
You should know by now that more and more people, especially baby-boomers (who are now retiring) do not expect to sit still, collect retirement pay, watch TV, and then die. No, many are intent on staying in shape and living longer fuller lives post-retirement. Hmmmm, sounds like fun without the burden or 'work!'
According to gerontologist Doctor Mark Lachs from an April 11, 2011 article, the key to long life has to do with the ability to move forward despite life's setbacks. Lachs' oldest patient was Helen Reichert, who lived independently at home, continued to be engaged in the world around her. Her secret to long life included eating chocolate truffles and drinking Budweiser. Her doctor said that she told him she was thinking of smoking again. He frowned on this but she reminded him that she outlived several of her doctors.
While genetics plays a role in living long lives, doctors find that there are 'adaptive competence' traits propelling one to live to 100. Defined loosely, 'adaptive competence' is the ability to bounce back from stress. Adaptive competence includes both the psychological as well as the physiological sides. Reichert’s life was not without challenges – deaths of loved ones, gender discrimination, health issues, and just living to 109 issues. In her 100s, she had a stroke. She did not figure it was time to die, she tackled rehabitation and speech therapy as fervently as any person Dr. Lachs had seen of any age. The key was that she was able to regroup and move on after each setback or trauma. There are people like this at every age, and it seems very important for long term survival.
Dr. Mark Lachs points to a study by a colleague studying longevity of people and their perceptions about aging. Those who agreed to the statements: "Things keep getting worse as I get older," and, "As you get older you are less useful," died on average 7-1/2 years sooner than their glass-half-full counterparts.
The bottom line? A key factor in long term longevity is to live the attitude that ‘I can make it!’ So let nothing deter you from maintaining a positive attitude about life. That's my goal!
Dr. Mark Lachs is director of geriatrics for the New York Presbyterian Health Care System and professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. He is the author of Treat Me, Not My Age: A Doctor's Guide to Getting the Best Care as You or a Loved One Gets Older
© Baldwin H. Tom CMC
www.tbgroupconsultants.com
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