The average life expectancy for people back in the early 1900’s was around the age of 40-45 years. Lets fast-forward a century. The life expectancy today is well above 75 years of age in America. Living, breathing, experiencing life for 75+ years is quite a feat to some; for others who live in Okinawa, Japan or Ovadda, Sardinia, 75 years is an extension of their midlife. For those who live in Okinawa or Ovadda, life expectancy is 100 + years. This rare group of people is known as the centenarians. For the weeks to come, I plan to update everyone on my findings about centenarians through news articles, photos, videos, and books.
This unique group of people intrigues me because they are able to live for a long time without any medical surgeries or alterations. Longevity is something we all desire, yet these people don’t have to because they live it. I wonder what specific factors contribute to their longevity: the environment or is it the people themselves who possess a unique genetic makeup? Why hasn’t the world adopted the practices and lifestyles of the centenarians in Sardinia and Japan? Do the off-springs of the centenarians also live to be 100 years of age? What benefits and challenges do these people face? What effects do or will the population of centenarians have on society? Stay tuned as we delve into the world of centenariansOct 11, 2009
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This seems like an extremely intriguing topic. I often wonder what it would be like to live to 100, but it seems like the reality of being a centenarian would be much less glamorous than the fantasy. It would be interesting to see how centenarians cope with outliving their spouses, sometimes even their children, as well as what they see as the meaning of life at such an old age. Would it even be beneficial for us to adopt the practices of Japan in order for more Americans to live til 100?
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting topic! Personally, I don't think I would want to live up to be a centenarian, so I wonder, what are their everyday thoughts? Agreeing with Annie, I believe it would be very engaging to find out how they feel about continuing life even though they have lost their spouse, or maybe even child.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, Centenarians won't be as rare as they once were. I forget the numbers (something like a few thousand in the 1950s, up to 200,000 now, up to 600,000 in 2050--don't quote me on that!) but centenarians are going to be one of the fastest growing segments of our population. I'm also interested in the strain they will put on entitlement programs, etc. I tried to find some centenarian bloggers, but couldn't find any. If blogs are still around in 2050, I'm sure we'll have some electronic evidence then.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious how you are going to use this sample group of Centenarians in Sardinia and Ovadda as a way to discuss the broader demographic shift. Right now, you have an inherently interesting topic that is quite focused. I'll be curious to see what kind of argumentative angle you develop as you continue to research this topic.