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?
<h2 class="wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper">Age-old advice</h2>
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." The average person eats almost 90,000 meals and 70,000 snacks in their lifetime. Each one of these meals should fill you with the delight of being alive.
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. Eat with locals. Visit cities and beaches. Learn languages and use them widely. Make friends all around the world.
Thou shalt... cherish your friends. Build friendships which bring you joy, and which will last a long time. If you are lucky, you might find a best friend for life. 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: "I danced until I was 98 - when I stopped dancing, the world stopped dancing." For her, life is at its most beautiful when we laugh instead of worrying about the things we cannot control.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 regularly about your thoughts and feelings with those around you.
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. All the research shows that moving our bodies makes us happier, healthier and more in control of our lives. As we get older, exercise can get harder. But we should not let it stop us. 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! One-hundred-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. Having served in the military, he says he adopted harsh and narrow-mindedNot willing to accept or listen to ideas or behaviours that are different to your own. attitudes in his youth." By the time I became a grandfather, I had learned tolerance, I had learned kindness," he says, crediting his wife.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.
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.
Narrow-minded - Not willing to accept or listen to ideas or behaviours that are different to your own.
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.
Narrow-minded - Not willing to accept or listen to ideas or behaviours that are different to your own.