Chapter 1
Today’s Centenarians—Celebrities and National Treasures
A Century of Wisdom
THE CELEBRITIES OF AGING: CENTENARIANS IN THE SPOTLIGHT
THE AGE OF CENTENARIANS: A MILLION OR MORE BY 2050?
THE WISDOM OF CENTENARIANS: AUTHENTIC—EXPERIENCE, NOT THEORY
NATIONAL TREASURES: UNIQUE—INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY
CAMEOS OF TODAY’S CENTENARIANS
A CENTURY OF PROGRESS: THEIR CENTURY
People who have lived 100 years or more are here to share their experiences, having done and seen it all. They are also our living links to history and our role models for the future of aging. Their engaging spirit can help to shape the attitude of younger generations, especially Baby Boomers, who are looking toward their future years.
“My golden years are like sparkling diamonds,” says Elsa Brehm Hoffmann, 104.
To celebrate her 100th birthday, Elsa bought a brand new car, “eggplant color, because it was a little different.” After giving herself a birthday gala for 150 friends and family, she took off on a two-week Caribbean cruise. On board she met another centenarian, John Donnelly, and his wife, Marian, who were celebrating their seventh wedding anniversary and his 102nd birthday. Meanwhile, Jack Borden, 101, was hard at work at his law firm in Texas, still handling a full caseload and loving every minute of it.
Centenarians are shattering the long-held stereotypes of life in later years, which is thought to be static, boring, and marked by disinterest in contemporary life. Today, we see active centenarians ...
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