But at 88, you'll go back in time!
Posted on 02/11/2008 8:34:39 PM PST by Pharmboy
Living to 100 is easier than you might think. Surprising new research suggests that even people who develop heart disease or diabetes late in life have a decent shot at reaching the century mark.
"It has been generally assumed that living to 100 years of age was limited to those who had not developed chronic illness," said Dr. William Hall of the University of Rochester.
Hall has a theory for how these people could live to that age. In an editorial in Monday's Archives of Internal Medicine, where the study was published, he writes that it might be thanks to doctors who aggressively treat these older folks' health problems, rather than taking an "ageist" approach that assumes they wouldn't benefit.
For the study, Boston University researchers did phone interviews and health assessments of more than 500 women and 200 men who had reached 100. They found that roughly two-thirds of them had avoided significant age-related ailments.
But the rest, dubbed "survivors," had developed an age-related disease before reaching 85, including high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes. Yet many functioned remarkably well — nearly as well as their disease-free peers.
Overall, the men were functioning better than the women. Nearly three-fourths of the male survivors could bathe and dress themselves, while only about one-third of the women could.
The researchers think that may be because the men had to be in exceptional condition to reach 100. "Women, on the other hand, may be better physically and socially adept at living with chronic and often disabling conditions," wrote lead author Dr. Dellara Terry and her colleagues.
Rosa McGee is one of the healthy women in the study who managed to avoid chronic disease. Now 104, the retired cook and seamstress is also strikingly lucid.
"My living habits are beautiful," McGee said in an interview at her daughter's Chicago apartment. "I don't take any medicines. I don't smoke and I don't drink. Never did anything like that."
Until late 2006, when she fell in her St. Louis home, McGee lived alone and took care of herself. Now in Chicago, she is less mobile but still takes walks a few times weekly down the apartment building hallways, with her daughter's help.
McGee credits her faith in God for her good health. She also gets lots of medical attention — a doctor and nurse make home visits regularly.
Genes surely contributed — McGee's maternal grandparents lived to age 100 and 107.
But while genes are important, scientists don't think they tell the whole story about longevity.
A second, larger study of men in their 70s found that those who avoided smoking, obesity, inactivity, diabetes and high blood pressure greatly improved their chances of living into their 90s. In fact, they had a 54 percent chance of living that long.
Their survival decreased with each risk factor, and those with all five had only a 4 percent chance of living into their 90s, according to Harvard University researchers.
Those who managed to avoid lifestyle-related ailments also increased their chances of functioning well physically and mentally two decades later.
The study followed 2,357 men for about 25 years or until death, starting in their early 70s. About 40 percent survived to at least age 90. Among survivors, 24 percent had none of the five risk factors.
"It's not just luck, it's not just genetics. ... It's lifestyle" that seems to make a big difference, said lead author Dr. Laurel Yates of Harvard's Brigham and Women's Hospital.
"It's get your shoes on, get out there, and do some exercise," she said. "These are some things you can do" to increase the chances of a long life.
Yates said it's never too late to adopt a healthier lifestyle, though the findings don't address whether waiting until age 70 to stop smoking, lose weight and exercise will increase longevity.
Hall noted that the United States has more than 55,000 centenarians, and that Americans 85 and older are the country's fastest-growing group of older adults.
He said the new research underscores how important it is for doctors to become adept at treating the oldest of the old, who are "becoming the bread and butter of the clinical practice of internal medicine."
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On the Net:
Archives of Internal Medicine:
http://www.archinternmed.com
I had a neighbor lady who hated veggies, had a little bread with her butter, ate lots of meat and never missed her Old Fashioned - or 2 or 3 - every day.
When she died - at 103, she was sharp as a tack and remarkably healthy - took only aspirin.
She just decided she didn't want to hang around anymore, checked herself into a nursing home and soon refused food and water - and with today's rules, they couldn't force her.
I believe she could have reached 107 -
How much more in taxes is that, anyways?
Good God isn’t life tough enough? lol. I have no desire at all to live to be 100. First of all, the chances of outliving you children goes up. Second you can’t tell me that those aches and pains are fun. and third I don’t particularly want to outlive my wife either...lol.
I'm thinking this guy had it about right.
103 seems to be a lot harder.
Wife and kids, no, but I definitely want to outlive my ex-wife....
I have a relative who’s 105, with all her marbles as well. And an aunt on the other side reached 100, and a few male relatives who lived into their 80’s while being heavy smokers.
Wife and kids, no, but I definitely want to outlive my ex-wife....
Don’t blame ya there. lol.
My father used to allude to the 3 score and 10...he made it to 84, though.
Three days ago my Aunt died - about 60 days shy of 100. She told me that she did not plan on living so long, did not want to live so long and that the quality of life was nil.
As I visited her and watched her decline I wondered why people like the idea of extended lifetime. Are we beating the course of nature with our medicines?
I have no answers. I will say that I didn’t like seeing her suffer as her last breath approached.
Strangely, the mortuary has a full card this week. When their nice lady told me that, I said I didn’t think there were that many Patriots fans in Los Angeles.
Hey, we have to smile through times like these.
While driving the Colorado Rockies on a perfect summer day I saw a deer jump onto I-25 just north of the Air Force Academy. A leathered Harley rider never had a chance to avoid the animal. He hit it so hard that it cut the doe in two.
A trucker and I were the first to the biker. He was dead, killed instantly and not a pretty sight. The trucker and I looked at each other, then took in the day. For a Harley rider, it was a perfect way to die on a perfect day in a perfect setting.
Its like I tell my son, attitude is everything!
Dittos to that. If you can't laugh at your own mistakes you ain't going no where...
People who played basketball in college are much taller then average..
and tall people are always the first to know when it starts raining.
But at 88, you'll go back in time!
I'm convinced this would make a world of difference to older folks. It was increasingly difficult for me to get my mother to her appointments in the last year of her life.
I wonder if some folks are in nursing homes because it makes it easier to see a doctor.
Thanks for the ping.
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