Non-fiction: The Club of the Century

The Club of the Century

By Karen Kasland

Secret Of Folks Who Blow The Top Off The Life-Expectancy Chart

It was tough to pin down Astrid Thoenig for an interview. She had started the day at the
family-owned insurance agency where she works at 7:30 a.m., the office was
shorthanded, and she was training a new employee. She lives alone and works 40 hours
a week. At the time, Thoenig was 101, heading toward her 102nd birthday.

Thoenig has never been one to follow health fads—“I don’t spend time fretting over that
stuff,” she explains. She says she’s always been active and healthy, and busy. “I don’t
think you should have too much time to think about what’s bothering you,” she says. “I
have work to do. I have obligations and responsibilities.”

Trend Toward Triple Digits

People like Thoenig are the reason Lynn Peters Adler, founder of the National
Centenarian Awareness Project, describes centenarians as “the rock stars of aging.”
They are also the fastest-growing part of our population, according to the U.S. National
Institute on aging. More than 53,000 people noted on the 2010 census that they were
100 or older—a nearly 6 percent increase since 2000’s census.

That trend is only expected to continue—and not just in the U.S. Looking forward, the
United Kingdom’s Department for Work and Pensions predicts that more than one-fourth
of children in the U.K. age 16 and younger will live to celebrate their 100th birthdays.
What comes to mind when you think of planning a 100th-birthday party? There’s
something magical about the number.

Researchers think so too. Centenarians are highly studied. One reason scientists are
intrigued is that, like Thoenig, a large number of people living to 100 live well for most
of those years. Everyone wants to know the secret.

Genetic Jackpot?

Thoenig says longevity runs in her family—her mom also reached 100; her younger
sister, 95. But she believes, as her mother always said, “You’re born when you’re born,
[and] you’ll die when you die,” meaning there’s not much you can do about what life has
in store for you. (Of course, there are plenty of reasons to live a healthy life aside from
trying to reach the century mark!)

Having good genes is probably a plus. Studies of twins have suggested genes account
for about 25 percent of life expectancy. Other studies indicate similar links. The New
England Centenarian Study, one of the largest wide-ranging studies of centenarians in
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 Non-fiction: The Club of the Century

the world, found that 50 percent of those studied have closely related long-lived
relatives, such as parents, siblings, and grandparents.

Gender also appears to play a role. Worldwide, 85 percent of centenarians are women.

Healthy Habits

So is there anything you can do to improve your odds of surpassing 10 decades?

Well, some centenarians eat chocolate regularly, some credit a daily cocktail, and others
swear staying single is the secret to long life. Beyond the anecdotes, however, there is
some scientifically supported advice. Studies such as the one in New England and many
books have turned up lifestyle habits that seem widespread among centenarians.

• Be active. No need to channel Serena Williams, but regular physical activity

through work, walks, gardening, and so on has been a part of daily life for most
elders.
• Don’t overeat. As Adler points out, today’s centenarians lived through the Great
Depression and food rationing during World War II. Supersized portions are
relatively recent. This is not about dieting. It’s about stopping when you’ve had
enough. Instead of asking yourself whether you are full, ask: Am I still hungry?
• Eat your fruits and veggies. Again, many centenarians didn’t grow up with meat
as a large part of their diets, whether because of culture, location, or economics.
You don’t have to go vegan to improve your odds of blowing out 100 candles, but
try focusing your meals on plant-based foods. They fill you up and pack a powerful
nutritional punch.

All About Attitude

The power to chill might be even more important to your well-being for the long haul.
Call it resilience, mental toughness, optimism—however you want to say it, the ability to
overcome stress is a quality that seems to turn up in every study of centenarians.

Thoenig describes herself as having “a strong constitution.” At the age of 9, she lost her
father and a sister to the flu pandemic of 1918. She’s been widowed twice, and two
babies of hers died.

“You have to find a way to move forward,” says Thoenig. “We all—every one of us—have
problems, don’t we? We all have sadness. We all have happiness. I believe you try to
take everything that comes along in stride.”

Adler calls that type of attitude “a remarkable ability to renegotiate life at every turn and
accept the losses and changes that come with aging.” It is one of the common traits she
sees that make up what she calls the centenarian spirit.

Other qualities she names include:

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 Non-fiction: The Club of the Century

A positive but realistic attitude. Thoenig’s approach to stress is an example. “We all
have some stress,” Thoenig says. “If it’s a tough day, it’s just a day. I know the next
day will probably be OK.”

A love of life, including a sense of humor. Adler says a 105-year-old friend of hers is
a big fan of looking things up on the Internet and told her recently, “I’m learning things
I never even knew I cared about.”

Strong spiritual or religious beliefs. A strong connection to a religious community is

echoed in a number of centenarian studies.

The Meaning of Life

Having a purpose seems another key to centenarians’ well-being around the globe.
Some people tend gardens or animals; others devote themselves to learning new skills;
some are very involved with family members—even via tweets! For many, passion for
their work or a hobby gives them reason to get up in the morning.

“I don’t work because I have to, I work because I like to,” says Thoenig. “No one
considers me old. I think young, and I accept modern things, new trends, and new
ideas.” She works with her son and grandson, but she’s quick to point out that she
carries her weight and receives no special favors. After a day reviewing insurance
contracts or working on the payroll, she enjoys knitting. “I’m making afghans for my
three grandchildren,” she says. Who knows what project she’ll tackle after that.

Community Connections

Would Emily Coch, a high school senior in New York, like to live to be 100? She’s never
thought the number of years someone lives is important as what that person does with
those years. Coch, 18, has a good start. She serves as a teen leader for DOROT, a
nonprofit organization devoted to easing social isolation among senior citizens and
providing services to help them live independently. Dorot is the Hebrew word for
“generations.” The organization connects elders with professionals and volunteers of
every age to build and maintain social ties.

Catherine Yeulet/iStock
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 Non-fiction: The Club of the Century

When she began volunteering with DOROT, in ninth grade, Coch was nervous about
going to seniors’ homes and chatting with them. “It surprised me how easy it was once
you got going,” she says. “It’s wonderful when someone opens their door with a smile.”

Now she knows that when she drops off a holiday food package, the visit probably
means more than the meal. “It’s about bringing community to our seniors,” she says,
“and they’re bringing community to us.” She describes “incredibly stimulating intellectual
conversations” and recalls meeting extremely witty roommates who shared many inside
jokes. “It was refreshing to know that they are just as quick as a group of my friends
would be in joking together.”

No slouch, Coch does plenty of other community service and fund-raising activities. But
her time spent with DOROT is different. “It’s really nice to see immediately the effect
you’re having. You feel good.”

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 Questions: The Club of the Century

Name: Date: _______________________

1. What is one reason why scientists are intrigued by centenarians?

A Many people living to 100 don't follow health fads.

B Many people living to 100 live well for most of those years.
C Many people living to 100 eat chocolate regularly.
D Many people living to 100 devote themselves to learning new skills.

2. The text is divided into sections with subheadings. What does the author list in the
section called "Healthy Habits"?

A fitness habits that seem widespread among athletes

B lifestyle habits that seem widespread among centenarians
C eating habits that seem widespread among vegans
D work habits that seem widespread among gardeners

3. Long life may run in families. What evidence in the text supports this conclusion?

A Astrid Thoenig believes that "you're born when you're born, [and] you'll die
when you die."
B Astrid Thoenig was 101, her mom also reached 100, and her younger sister
reached 95.
C Some centenarians eat chocolate regularly, while some credit a daily cocktail.
D There are several lifestyle habits that seem widespread among centenarians.

4. Dealing with stress well may contribute to a longer life. What evidence in the text
supports this conclusion?

A "The ability to overcome stress is a quality that seems to turn up in every study
of centenarians."
B "Studies of twins have suggested genes account for about 25 percent of life
expectancy."
C "Worldwide, 85 percent of centenarians are women."
D "Regular physical activity through work, walks, gardening, and so on, has been
a part of daily life for most elders."

5. What is this text mostly about?

A how to help senior citizens live independently

B the history of the National Centenarian Awareness Project
C how and why some people live for 100 years or longer
D how to channel Serena Williams, ration your food, and become a vegan
1

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 Questions: The Club of the Century

6. Read this sentence from the text.

“The power to chill might be even more important to your well-being for the long haul.
Call it resilience, mental toughness, optimism—however you want to say it, the ability to
overcome stress is a quality that seems to turn up in every study of centenarians.”

What does the phrase "the power to chill" mean in this excerpt?

A the ability to freeze items

B the ability to overcome stress
C the ability to maintain a diet
D the ability to bring communities together

7. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence.

Having a purpose seems another key to centenarians’ well-being around the globe.
__________, some people tend gardens or animals; others devote themselves to
learning new skills; some are very involved with family members.

A Finally
B Above all
C Instead
D For example

8. One habit that seems widespread among centenarians is being active. What are two
other healthy habits that seem widespread among centenarians?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

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 Questions: The Club of the Century

9. One quality that seems widespread among centenarians is a positive but realistic
attitude. What are two other qualities that seem widespread among centenarians?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

10. How much control might a person have over his or her ability to live a long life?
Support your answer with evidence from the text.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

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