Living to 100 is easier than ever before. In the UK, while the percentage of centenarians is small, they are the fastest-growing age group in the country. With over 14,910 100-year-olds in the UK (and counting!), it’s more likely than ever that a Briton in their 90s will get their telegram from the Queen.
Of course, even with all our modern technology, reaching this milestone is no mean feat. So, how can it be done? Doctors have their advice, but so do some of the world’s oldest people.
1. “Don’t worry about it”
We live in a world dominated by getting things done. When one to-do list is complete, another to-do list begins. The cycle continues and — sometimes — this can make us prone to stress over the little things. If something blocks our path, we get very concerned. We brainstorm, we protest, and we fight until we can move the immovable. Failing that, we become panicked about the undone thing and the fact that it remains undone makes us sad.
Jeanne Calment, who passed away in 1997, was the oldest woman who ever lived. Reaching 122, she attributed her long life to a simple maxim: “If you can’t do anything about it, don’t worry about it.” People who knew her observed that she was also a cool and collected person.
Born in 1875, she would have lived through the turn of the century, the invention of the car, two World Wars, the Cold War, and many other world-changing events. Despite all this, Jeanne remained relaxed. Life can be difficult, but there’s a lot to gain if you can rise above the noise.
2. Leave your husband
Emma Morano of Italy lived to be one of the world’s oldest people and claimed that one of the reasons she lived so long was that she left her abusive husband. While it was frowned upon at the time, it ended up being the right decision, as Emma lived to 117.
Social support is vital for any person who reaches an age where they need others to look after them. However, Emma proved that she didn’t need a man in her life to receive that social support. Instead, Emma relied on her family, friends, and the people of her close-knit local village to care for her in her later years.
Emma’s diet was also quite unconventional. After being diagnosed as anaemic, she survived on a breakfast of raw eggs, an omelette for dinner, and some raw minced meat every now and again.
3. “Eating delicious things and sleeping well”
The NHS recommends between six and nine hours of sleep a night, but the most important thing is that you sleep well and feel well rested. This echoes the advice of the oldest Japanese woman who ever lived, Nabi Tajima. She attributes her long life to “eating delicious things and sleeping well”.
The “delicious things” in the Japanese diet have long been praised for their healthiness. The low fat and high protein content of a fish and rice meal is the sort of thing that any doctor would approve of.
4. Avoid drinking and smoking?
Susannah Mushatt Jones died at 116 in New York City. She was the granddaughter of a slave and believed that her long life was due to abstinence. She didn’t smoke and she didn’t drink.
Then again, Jeanne Calment, mentioned above, was the oldest person who ever lived at 122. She is reported to have enjoyed a couple cigarettes and a glass of port every day. So, perhaps the best advice is not abstinence, but everything in moderation.
5. “This is what God has given me”
Whether or not you are religious is a personal choice, but there is a lot to be said about being thankful for the life you’ve had. This is the lesson that Violet — the world’s oldest person when she died in 2017 — would like us all to learn.
Born and bred in Jamaica, she worked hard most of her life, and she was a devout Christian as well. She attributed her long life to both of these things, saying “this is what God has given me, so I have to take it”.
About the author
Ian Willis is the director of Abney and Baker, a home care service provider for the elderly. Through his business, Ian helps to deliver home care for older people across Bath, Keynsham, Saltford, and West Wiltshire in the United Kingdom.