Should we listen to old people more? Centenarians have revealed their tips for a better and longer life. But should we heed their advice?
100-year-olds reveal new 'ten commandments'
Should we listen to old people more? Centenarians have revealed their tips for a better and longer life. But should we heed their advice?
Age-old advice
If it is true that wisdom comes with age, then there is nobody better placed to teach us how to live than them. CentenariansPeople who are aged 100 or older. have come together to give us their ten commandments on living happily and healthily to a ripe old age.
Thou shalt... eat well. As Virginia Woolf once said: "one cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well."
Thou shalt... travel. More older adults than ever travelled the world in 2023. But they all concede that it comes with its challenges. See the world while you still can, they advise.
Thou shalt... cherish your friends. Build friendships which bring you joy, and which will last a long time. Sandy Hazelip and her best friend Ellie Hamby, both 81 years old, travelled the world in 80 days together last year, visiting 18 countries across all seven continents.1
Thou shalt... dance. Myra Reavley, 101, says that "I danced until I was 98 - when I stopped dancing, the world stopped dancing."2
Thou shalt... keep talking. Scientists think that loneliness is a greater risk for your health than obesity, high blood pressure, or a poor diet. Centenarians say that your longevity and your happiness will be improved by talking.
Thou shalt... love what you do. Bennie Stewart, 86, got his first job at age seven. But it was not his last. Over the course of his life, he chopped cotton, bused dishes, cleaned buildings, sold insurance, and later became a social worker and pastorA minister in charge of a Christian church or congregation.. The secret to enjoying your work? "I love talking to people," he says.
Thou shalt... stay active. Malcolm Idelson, who is 94, says that the key to longevityThe fact of lasting a long time. When referring to populations and demography, it means living a long life. is walking every day: "I was a walker. Everyone knew it. It was just in my blood!"3
Thou shalt... get a good education! 100-year-old Robbie Hall left school at 14 years old to support her family by working. It is her biggest regret. "Always, at the back of things, I feel my lack of education," she says. "Study well, study hard."4
Thou shalt... be kind. Colin Bell, 102, regrets that he was not kind or tolerant in his 20s. By the time I became a grandfather, I had learned tolerance, I had learned kindness," he says.5
Thou shalt... love yourself. Oscar Wilde once said that "to love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance." Not all of us will find a partner for life. But when we love ourselves, we will never be lonely.
Should we listen to old people more?
Yes: Old people have all the wisdom we need to live a happy life. We would be fools not to heed their advice.
No: If anything, we should be listening to young people more. Old people are overrepresented in politics and policy-making, whilst young people, who understand the modern world better, do not have their voices heard.
Or... Age does not necessarily bestow wisdom. We should listen to people with the most experiences, not the most years under their belt.
Keywords
Centenarians - People who are aged 100 or older.
Pastor - A minister in charge of a Christian church or congregation.
Longevity - The fact of lasting a long time. When referring to populations and demography, it means living a long life.
100-year-olds reveal new ‘ten commandments’
Glossary
Centenarians - People who are aged 100 or older.
Pastor - A minister in charge of a Christian church or congregation.
Longevity - The fact of lasting a long time. When referring to populations and demography, it means living a long life.