Living To 100 Is Easier Than You Think

Research Suggests With Proper Treatment, Even Those With Chronic Disease Can Reach Century Mark

(AP)  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."

[donbl1]

Save your money for retirement. If you have to fund living until 100+ then you will need a much larger retirement fund to begin with.

[nativewoman]

~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.~

Oh boy! Living to 100 where your quality of life is measured by the ability to bathe and dress yourself.

Thanks but no thanks. I''m one of those who feels that longevity for longevity''s sake is highly overrated.

[joyous88]

I bet its a lot easier if you are wealthy,

still when I can''t change my own diaper it''s time for me to find some warm ocean beach to lay on,

hey babykiller whats with the name?

[ssm9451]

Naawwww, I don''t want to live this long!!

[excoachken]

At 62, I have no interest in living to 100. Give me 20 good years and when I am unable to live a reasonably interesting existence without being a drag on my children, let me take a PILL with dignity and go to sleep.

[jimfinster]

NO THANKS !

[barbaraf4]

As a retiree, I have no desire to live to be 100. Who is paying all those medical bills? and...I would rather live comfortably (occasionally lavishly) and not worry about outliving my money.

[vittoria1]

Without the pleasures of tobacco, fine wine, and great food, I wouldn''t WANT to live to 100! What an incredible bore that would be! I take my inspiration from one of my old friends and colleagues, a chain smoker who has outlived everyone in his immediate family and who amassed a much more valuable retirement fund than his young relatives will ever have because he didn''t feel the need to take out an expensive mortgage on an enormous house, or buy cars he couldn''t afford, or live anywhere but his modest and comfortable Manhattan flat -- meaning that he''s probably lived as long as he has because he''s avoided pointless stress. He''s now nearly 90, internationally distinguished, and hopes to hell that he doesn''t live much longer. Not that he''s not having fun now, he just wants to die before he starts deteriorating and before doctors start trying to tell him what he can and can''t do.

[shanev137]

Over 80 is loads of fun?

You''re obviously senile and can''t remember what fun is.

[grammawhamma]

I just don''t get it. Everyone complains about the earth being over populated. Everyone complains about the cost of health care. Everyone complains about the dwindling social security. But yet the goal is to live longer and longer?

No thanks...I''ll go with the quality of life instead of the quantity as babykiller well stated.

[Netterz]

No Way in H3LL do I want to even get remotely CLOSE to 100. This is why medical costs are out of control, abuse of our elderly, multi-descendants in one home, because they all cant afford seperate homes, most of us wont let our parents go into nursing homes, since there are very few reputable ones. If I can no longer care for myself, I don''t want my kid having to wipe my butt, wash me, roll me over ever few hours, so I don''t get sore, and tho I have stroked out so I can not speak or move, my mind is still lucid inside a wracked body, and I sit in misery, with nothing left but my mind, or the other way around, my body, but NOT my mind, where I need to be kept on a leash so I don''t set fires, and they only thing I get for x-mas is coloring books, because thats the amusement, and only thing I can understand enough to accomplish. Put this $$ into cancer, aids, the homeless, or other seniors help that need medicine, heat instead of trying to keep me alive beyond my means.

[drivelphobe]

exCoachKen..

Well said. I''m almost 65 and I can see the stop sign. There is little to hang around for when you aren''t physically and mentally sound. It is the ultimate in selfishness to burden everyone around you so you can lie around, imposing on other''s valuable time and resources. I hope I can control my demise when I think it is time and the clock is ticking.

[jules07sr]

People look at me crazy when I say 80 is good enough for me. Because, why would you want to live that long? Can you imagine how much everything will cost then? I do not want to worry about how I am going to pay the electric bill/meds/food and I do not want my kids having to foot the bill of a nursing or assisted living home. Nor do I want to wonder about the integrity of the individuals that will be ''responsible'' for taking care of me.

[rf35]

I agree that I wouldn''t want to outlive my ability to function independently, be that 70, 90, or 120. Let me die of a heart attack while mowing the lawn rather than slowly dwindle away in a bed waiting for someone to change my diaper.

[beehive21-2009]

Go out in look in your garden or forest look at the old trees full of bugs, no thank you.