Oldest Seniors Staying in Touch with Trends

Oldest Seniors Advise Staying In Touch With New Trends

7/11/07 (SPM Wire) The secret to successful aging is simple - stay in tune with new trends. So say some of our nation's oldest Americans who were polled in a new study.

The second annual "Evercare 100 @ 100 Survey" polled one hundred Americans turning 100 and older this year about their practices and habits and found that, contrary to some conventional stereotypes, centenarians are staying in touch with the times.

Like the rest of Americans, they are following current trends like reality television, video games and iPods, worrying about health and diet, and keeping up on news and current events.

According to these vocal seniors, healthy lifestyles should include better diets and no cigarettes, but Starbucks and fast food are acceptable - albeit in moderation. Also playing a big role in the lives of these centenarians are their trusts in faith and spirituality.

"As Americans strive for healthier, longer lives, the 'Evercare 100 @ 100 Survey' provides us with a prescription for longevity from those who have aged successfully, and finds that tuning in to trends and current events, leading healthy lifestyles and holding faith and spirituality in high regard are key themes," said Dr. John Mach, CEO of Evercare, one of the nation's largest care coordination programs for people who have chronic or advanced illness, are older or have disabilities.

The anecdotal survey is meant to provide a cultural snapshot of the lives and lifestyles of Americans who achieve and surpass the 100-year-old milestone by remaining active and independent. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are nearly 80,000 centenarians in the United States, and that number is projected to increase seven-fold, to 580,000, by 2040.

Here are some key findings and advice, culled form the wisdom of older Americans who were polled in the new survey:

* Keep up with trends and current events. Nearly a third of those polled have watched a reality TV show and 27 percent have watched MTV or music videos. Nearly a quarter of centenarians have purchased a music CD, and one in seven has played a video game. Some centenarians have even tried the latest technology. Six percent said they have been on the Internet and four percent said they have listened to music on an iPod.

* Consume a better diet and work toward a healthy heart, no "butts" about it. A full 82 percent said that their dietary habits have improved or stayed the same as compared with 50 years ago. Just 23 percent said they have ever smoked cigarettes, and on average, those who quit did so 41 years ago.

* Fast food is OK in moderation. The oldest Americans have also tried specialty coffee and enjoy fast food. Seventy-two percent report having eaten at a fast food restaurant and 11 percent have ordered coffee at Starbucks.

* Answer to a higher power. Centenarians trust their spiritual leaders, with many attributing their longevity to faith and spiritual care more than to good genes or medical care.

One respondent in the Evercare survey, Edith Jansky, simply credits her longevity to a positive outlook. "If you are happy you can live longer I think, and I am happy," she said.