A milestone 115 years in the making
| 2 min read
When Inkster resident Jeralean Talley celebrated her most recent birthday, it made headlines. And rightfully so. That’s because Jeralean turned 115 years old on May 23rd and is the oldest living American. As can be expected, this source of Michigan pride has been interviewed quite a few times. Here are some words of wisdom she’s shared along the way:
- Be kind. Jeralean follows a personal motto of “Treat others the way you want to be treated.”
- Stay active. Jeralean bowled up until she was 104 years old and even set her walker aside and climbed a 10-step flight of stairs at her most recent birthday celebration.
- Be creative. Jeralean’s family and friends say that she has spent her free time sewing, quilting, fishing and baking.
Jeralean isn’t the only person in Michigan who has hit triple digits. As of the 2010 census, there were 1,729 centenarians living in the state. Want to become one of them someday? Here are some things you can do to improve your chances of making it that far and feel healthy and happy along the way:
- Start walking. A large study that was just published in the journal JAMA shows that regularly doing some sort of exercise, including walking, has a significant impact on whether or not you become physically disabled as you get older.
- Stay social. What fun is growing older if you do it alone? Experts suggest that surrounding yourself with family, friends or other communities of people helps you stay healthy.
- Lose the regrets. Research from Germany shows that pining over what might have been and feeling upset about past decisions can lead to depression and health issues as you age.
Photo credit: Selena N.B.H.
