85th Birthday Celebration on Mother's Day

 

Donna Webb Lloyd's
85th Birthday

I was born in Utah, and I attended college in Utah, but I haven't lived here since the early 1990s.  I often miss family milestones. However, I live just 90 miles away from where we celebrated my mother's 85th birthday this year.  

It was a great blessing to attend.  

My mother and step-father live in an assisted living center. They moved there in the fall of 2019.  I have five step-brothers, and four of them also live in Utah (but not in the same county). 

Outlive: Book Review

 

Published 28 March 2023

Peter Attia writes a book that is a little too technical (statistics and biochemistry) for the lay reader, but I highly recommend it anyway. 

Why? 

He promotes the idea that people can work on longevity much earlier in their lives by adopting healthy lifestyle choices decades before one becomes an older adult.  Many people wait until they have symptoms of chronic diseases before they make changes. 

Attia implores people to start decades early so that they can not just have a long life span but a long health span. 

Longevity runs in my family, but I do not want to spend the last 20 years of my life on the couch. 

CRP: Biomarker of Health and Longevity

Photo by Benoit LERAY.

I have grown more curious about the technical information related to blood tests I undergo during my annual check up.

My curiosity was sparked a few years ago when I read a summary of a study about biomarkers. That lead me to read the scientific article behind the summary.

I decided that as a gerontologist and a person who lives in an aging body that I should learn about each of these 18 biomarkers of health and longevity.

This post is part of a series on biomarkers.

This week, I have been reading about the biomarker highly sensitive c-reactive protein, abbreviated hs-CRP or CRP.

Note: I am not a medical professional. This post serves only to increase awareness. If you have a question about your CRP levels or any element of your health, see a licensed medical professional as soon as possible. 

CRP is a protein made by your liver that is present in your blood. Elevated levels of CRP show the body is responding to an inflammation, indicating that something isn't right.

Highly sensitive c-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is a non-specific marker of disease. 

Optimum levels of CRP are 1.0 mg/L or lower

Moderate levels of CRP are between 1.0 and 3.0 mg/L

Concerning levels of CRP are 3.0 mg/L or higher

CRP is not just an indication of heart problems, but high levels do correspond. Consequently, emergency room doctors and cardiologists use this test to find evidence of cardiovascular disease or a heart event.

Crack the Code: Book Review

Published November 5, 2018.

Louis Bezich combines reading, research, and personal experience to write a book for men 50 plus on how to adopt healthy behaviors.

His title reveals his dual content. Crack the Code: 10 Proven Secrets that Motivate Healthy Behavior and Inspire Fulfillment in Men over 50. 

Bezich doesn't just give evidence-based facts about healthy lifestyle choices--diet, exercise, stress management. He also discusses the psychology of changing one's habits.

Consequently, he includes information from psychology alongside information from the health professions.

The book includes not only research from scholarly journals but interviews from case studies conducted by the author. The reader gets to "hear" the experiences of mature men taking control of their health.

Natural Causes: Book Review

Published April 10, 2018.

Barbara Ehrenreich loans her considerable talent to the question, "How much control do we have over our longevity?"

The result is her April 10, 2018 book, Natural Causes: An Epidemic of Wellness, the Certainty of Dying, and Killing Ourselves to Live Longer.

As a gerontologist and a self-professed health nut, I was attentive to her claim that we have a lot less control over our health than we (middle class people from industrialized nations) like to admit.

Her first few chapters describe the escalating number of diagnostic tools and treatments.

Increased health is primarily available to those with health insurance and the means to pay for premiums, co-pays, and deductibles--as well as to those who can go the extra mile and pay for gym memberships, meditation programs and organic produce.

But does throwing money at the aging body really result in longevity? Ehrenreich argues that it does not.

Happiness Is a Choice You Make: Book Review

Published January 23, 2018.

John Leland spent a year interviewing elders 85 plus who lived in and around Manhattan. He presents his perspective on how this demographic--the oldest olds--forge happiness despite formidable challenges.

The result is a book that has a healthy mix of character sketches, direct quotes, applicable aging research, and interviewer reflection.

I enjoyed it so much that I returned the library copy and bought my own. And then I bought a copy for my 75-year-old mother-in-law.

She read it in one day.

In the pages of the book, we meet six older adults and glean from their life experience.

In a gross oversimplification, Leland distills there life lessons in the following passage:

"Each elder had different lessons to teach: from Fred, the power of gratitude; from Ping, the choice to be happy; from John, acceptance of death; from Helen, learning to love and be needed; from Jonas, living with purpose; and from Ruth, nourishing the people who matter" (104). 

Who are these elders?

Fred Jones portrays himself as a dapper dresser and a ladies man, but he has problems managing the stairs in his apartment, so his social interaction is limited. Nevertheless, he maintains a sense of humor and focuses on gratitude.

Blood Urea Nitrogen: Biomarker of Health and Longevity

Photo by Neeta Lind.

As a gerontologist, people sometimes ask me about life expectancy.

While large data sets yield clear averages, anticipating the life expectancy of ONE person is nearly impossible.

This post is part of a series on biomarkers. 

Nevertheless, there are some biomarkers of health and longevity that people should monitor.

Blood Urea Nitrogen is one of them.

[Note: This post does not convey medical advice. It only raises awareness. Please see a licensed medical professional if you have any questions or concerns about your health.]

Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) measures one area of the body's waste elimination. Ingested proteins are processed by the liver into ammonia and then converted into a less toxic form, urea. The kidneys eliminate the urea through urine.

Health Span Differs from Life Span

Photo by Quinn Dombroski.

Because I am a gerontologist, people often talk to me about their desire for longevity.

But is this wise?

I spent three years volunteering in a multi-level care center, observing the difference between lifespan (how long a person lives) and health span (how long a person lives without disability).

The all-too-human desire for longevity reminds me of the Greek myth of Tithonus.

He was a mortal who was the beloved of Eos, the Titan goddess of the dawn. She asked Zeus to bestow eternal life upon Tithonus. Zeus did so.

But Tithonus did not receive eternal youth. Instead, age transformed him into a grasshopper.

And that problem--immortality vs eternal youth--has been exaggerated in the 21st Century as people in industrialized nations are living several years longer than their great grandparents.

Telomere Length: Biomarker of Health

Photo by NHGRI.

Everyone agrees that good health is vital.

However, not everyone agrees on how to achieve good health.

There are a lot of ideas on how to be healthy and how to postpone the ravages of aging.

Similarly, there are a lot of ideas about what biological factors are correlated with healthy aging.

Since the mid 1970s, scientists have isolated a genetic feature called telomeres and argue that their length is correlated with health and longevity.

I don't believe there is one single genetic factor that humans can manipulate in order to ward off all aspects of aging.  However, telomere length is viewed by many as the chief marker for longevity and health.

I'm looking more closely at telomeres length as just one out of eighteen important biomarkers of health and longevity. But I do concede that it's an important one, in part because it's a genetic. Also, it's one of the newer biomarkers on the list. We still have a lot to learn.

This post is part of a series on biomarkers of health and longevity.

Biomarkers for Longevity and Health

Photo by Martin Sharman.

Everybody dies. If you're lucky, you get to grow old first.

However, aging is correlated with an increasing number of bodily complaints.

Yet people don't all age at the same rate.

Genetics, environmental factors, access to affordable healthcare (provided by benefits, income and proximity), and lifestyle choices affect our aging process.

Well, and we can never completely outrun Father Time.

This week, I read a The Guardian's summary of a recent study that illustrates this variation:

At 38 years old, participants of the Dunedin Study Birth Cohort were found to demonstrate biological "ages" ranging from 28 to 61.

Why did the nearly thousand participants age at different rates?

Here are the 18 biomarkers used in the Dunedin Birth Cohort study. I'm using the labels from Figure 3 of the research publication itself.

1. HbA1c
2. Cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2Max)
3. Waist:Hip Ratio
4. FEV1/FVC
5. FEV1
6. Mean arterial pressure
7. BMI
8. Leukocyte telomere length
9. Creatinine clearance
10. Urea Nitrogen
11. Lipoprotein(a)
12. Triglycerides
13. Gum Health
14. Total cholesterol 
15. White blood cell count
16. hs CRP
17. HDL cholesterol
18. ApoB100/ApoA1

Causes of Death in the US for those 55-64

Photo by Steven Feather.

Over the last 100 years, Americans have increased their life expectancy significantly.

Some of the credit for this is due to improvements in public sanitation, the availability of inoculations, and improvements in prevention and early intervention.

People used to die much younger from heart disease, cancers and diabetes.  Now medical treatments allow people to avoid these diseases or to live much longer with these diseases.

While not a very cheery topic, looking at rates of death motivates me to work on prevention through healthy lifestyle choices and by seeking regular medical care.

The National Vital Statistics Report lists causes of death in the US during 2010 for a number of age ranges.  The report also breaks down the data by gender and race.

Phyllis Sues, Active at 91

Photo by Zabara Alexander.

Today I stumbled across a slideshow about 91-year-old dancer, actress, fashion designer, and music composer, Phyllis Sues.

I decided to spend some time learning more about her.

Born April 4, 1923, Phyllis has been active for decades, but her recent activities include the following:

Leisure World Cohort Turning 90

Photo by Ryan Dickey.

I was on my way to yoga last week, when I saw one of my husband's co-workers, lifting weights at the same gym.

After sharing our fitness goals, J.V. told me about a story featured on 60 Minutes about longevity.

J.V. remembered that some of the most recent findings encouraged 45 minutes of moderate exercise (with no benefit for more than that).

In addition, he told me that I didn't have to worry too much about becoming  a rail. Why?

The study found that a little extra weight for older adults correlated to longevity when compared to those who were thin.

This information goaded me to find the segment "Living to 90 and Beyond" online.

It did emphasize that obesity is not good for people in any life stage. In fact, those in midlife who were obese had more negative outcomes. But once people age into the oldest stages, a little extra weight was a good thing.

But the issue of weight was just the fact that led me to this goldmine of research.

Social Engagement through the Life Span

Karen at 52 and Gladys at 104.  Twice my age! 

Last week I had the good fortune of attending a birthday party for my friend Gladys Bever. She turned 104 years old.

She is very kind to accept visits from me each Monday.  She talks about growing up near Marysville, California where her father had an orchard.  She helped at home, painted, played the piano and was a good student.

I enjoy seeing the world through her eyes. Not only does she have decades of experience, she's positive, dedicated to her faith and intelligent. She has great eyesight still and reads about three books a week.

Longevity & The Big Five

Photo by Rob Nguyen.

As a gerontologist, I frequently come across questions about what factors correlate with longevity?

Even in the popular press, I run regularly run across interviews of centenarians and supercentenarians who are asked, "What is the secret of living a long life?"

Their answers are varied and often include a claim that a certain food or beverage gives them super aging powers. 

While I am very charmed by interviews, I read evidenced-based research with a little more attention. 

There are a handful of studies that suggest the Big Five Personality Traits influence longevity. 

Working Actors, 90 plus

Christopher Lee
b. 1922 d. 2015 at 93
Photo by avda-foto.

In Sunset Boulevard (1950), Hollywood newcomer Joe Gillis contends with Norma Desmond, a fading Hollywood star.

The film makes it clear that she is well past her prime. The plot centers on her delusions of returning to her former glory.

Just recently, I found out that at 52 [in 2014], I am older than the character Norma Desmond! And older than Gloria Swanson who was the same age as the character at the time of filming.

"Norma, you're a woman of 50, now grow up. There's nothing tragic about being 50, not unless you try to be 25."

Longevity Predicted by SRT

Photo by Harry Harris.

Yesterday, a friend of mine posted a link to the Death Clock on his Facebook page.

According to this simple test, I can expect to live until age 83.

While more accurate than a reading of my lifeline, the Death Clock hasn't been vetted research.

The Sitting-Rising Test (SRT), however, is backed by data that makes it a more persuasive predictor of longevity.

Published by Brazilian physician Claudio Gil Araujo in November of 2012, the research on SRT shows that a simple evaluation of having someone rise from a seated position on the floor demonstrates their longevity.

Centenarians on the Rise in the US

Birthday party at the Kansas Masonic Home for Gladys Bever. 

Today I had the good fortune of attending a birthday party for Gladys Bever. At 103 years old, she remains fairly active.  She only just recently started using a walker. She's still very sharp. Her memory rivals that of people decades younger than she.

Gladys Bever, 103. 

Gladys enjoys reading books, primarily devotional literature.  She's one for whom the phrase "all that clean living" really applies while some other centenarians can hold onto some unhealthy habits. She focuses on the positive and shuns things that are contentious or frivolous.

I enjoy visiting with her each week. She tells me about many of her life adventures. We loan each other books.

She was born Gladys Oakley at home on July 30, 1910 in Yuba County near Marysville, California.  Gladys married H. Cecil Bever, who worked for decades as a preacher.

Gladys has performed hundreds of hours of church service in various states in the US and went on some service trips abroad, too. She has been an attentive mother for decades as well.

What Traits Make a Person an Older Adult?

Photo by Raphael Ullmann

Does autumn start on September 1st or on the equinox, which is September 21st? Or does autumn start when the leaves begin falling off the trees?   

The answer isn't clear cut.   

Just as vague is the answer to this question: At what age is someone considered an older adult? The most common answer is 65 plus, but that oversimplifies things.  

Just as there are many ways to identify the start of a season, there are several ways to identify the start of the life stage "older adult." 

Jill Quadagno, in her textbook Aging and the Life Course: An Introduction to Gerontology, suggests the following categories: Chronological Age, Social Roles and Age, Functional Age, and Subjective Age.

Like the changing of the seasons, most people enter the category "older adult" by degrees, accruing more and more category markers until there is little room for argument about their life stage. But for a period of time, many people 65 plus can still manage to hold on to many qualities of late middle age.  

Also, recognize that there is great diversity among those who hold the label "older adult," probably greater diversity than any other group of people from the other life stages.   

Ask yourself these questions: How old are you?  What social roles and responsibilities to you hold?  What are your physical abilities?  And how do you perceive yourself? How do others perceive you?  

May-December Romance: Why Is This Joke Funny?

Photo by sasastro 

I was standing in line at the university bookstore, waiting to pay for my textbooks when I saw a card on display that conveyed this joke:

A wealthy man in his 70s brought a beautiful twenty-something blonde to lunch at his country club. His golf buddies were duly impressed and asked him,

“How did you land such a young, gorgeous girlfriend?”

He replied, “She’s not my girlfriend. She’s my wife.”

“Wow! How did you manage that?”

“Easy. I lied to her about my age.”

“So did you tell her that you were 50?”

“No, I told her that I was 90.”

Yes, I did laugh when I read that, but then I started to unpack the source of my laughter. What does this joke say about the assumptions we hold about marriages between older men and younger women?

See Also: Movies about Love and Sex for People 50+