OT: What do centenarians usually die of? Apparently it's not cancer

This topic is pretty OT of course, but it's a little bit cancer-related, and does provide us with some interesting facts that may prove useful to us when we all reach age 100 someday! <grin!>

But first, something from the third linked article below, that made my jaw drop when I read it, and left me wondering if it could possibly be true:

" ... half of people born after 2000 are expected to live to be 100 or older."

HALF??? Wow!

Of course that projection makes a lot of assumptions that may or may not hold up in the future, about advances in healthcare, our ability to provide adequate services for such an enlarged population of elders, etc. But it does seem likely that age 100+ people will be much more commonplace in coming decades than they have been, or are today.

Regarding the usual causes of death in centenarians:

"Out of almost 36,000 centenarians who died in England between 2001 and 2010, only 8.6% succumbed to heart disease and 4.4% to cancer ... Meanwhile, among people aged 80 to 85, 19% died of heart disease and 24% of cancer. The most common causes of death for people who make it to 100 or more? Old age and pneumonia."

Top causes of death in centenarians:

"Old age" (28%)
Pneumonia (17%)
Cerebrovascular (10%)
Other circulatory problems (10%)
Ischemic heart disease (9%)
Other respiratory problems (6%)
Dementia (6%)
Cancer (4%)

Source:
https://www.advisory.com/daily-briefing/2014/06/09/how-and-where-centenarians-die

Other facts:

"Globally, centenarians are expected to number 3.2 million by 2050, which indicates an urgent need to ensure adequate long-term care."

"The people who make it to 100 tend to feel pretty optimistic about life, even with, on average, between four and five illnesses which are pretty disabling."

"Those who are at least 95 generally say they're happier with life than those in their 60s and 70s ... That may be because younger seniors haven't yet adjusted to the aging process and the health issues that may accompany it."

"(Centenarians) tend to have goals that help keep them going, even ones as light as seeing how their team does next season."

" ... many live alone, and most are extroverted."

"Centenarians generally feel like they're about 83, according to research."

"Only 3% feel lonely, sad, or burdened, whereas 36% feel blessed and 31% report being happy."

"Some 53% say they don't have caregivers; the same percentage say they've accomplished all their goals. But 22% want to live a few more years so they can knock more of those goals off their list."

"The most important tactic for a long life? Stay close to friends and family, 91% of respondents say."

Sources for above quotes:

https://www.newser.com/story/187892/most-centenarians-avoid-cancer-heart-disease.html

https://www.newser.com/story/186949/what-its-like-to-be-100.html

I find especially interesting the comment that "younger seniors" (60s and 70s) "haven't yet adjusted to the aging process," but older seniors, including centenarians, have, and find the really older years not so bad as they might have thought when younger.

Very interesting. I guess I had always assumed that the older one got, the more tedious life would become. But maybe not, at least in terms of one's perception of and acceptance of the situation.

Same for cancer. I guess I had probably thought that fatal cancers would be running rampant among centenarians, but apparently that's not the case.

Some further reading sheds some more light on why this likely happens. Several sources I read noted that the body of a centenarian is a fragile one, whose vital organs have been much weakened over time, and have become more "brittle" as it were, and thus more prone to collapse. When this happens, death usually ensues pretty quickly.

But since cancer, even in a more virulent form, generally takes at least some time (months? Weeks at least?) to become fatal, the likelihood is that a weakened vital organ will give out before the cancer can prevail, and a rapid vital organ failure usually "beats out" a slower cancer as the ultimate cause of mortality.

But, on the whole, while none of us can ever be sure we're going to make it to 100, if we do, maybe it won't be so bad after all.

Interesting.

TJ, most people my age (almost 84) already suffer most of what you say.
So far, my wife and I aren't and I'm grateful for that.

Am I the only one who is suspect of the analysis that's gone into the real reason for causes of death in centenarians????

There is a lady near me that just turned 100 and lives in a big house by herself. My Dad is 95 with about every malady known and will not make 96. He would speed it up if he could. The article said 87% were women so we probably don’t need to spend too much time on this.

In terms of planning for those “golden years,” I started in my late-20s in terms of the financial side and my resources will outlast me. On the physical side, I studied up on that and made a dietary change over 40-years ago, took up regular exercise (running, swimming, lifting), and see my doc and dentist for regular check ups. I also got a new dog, a Labrador, and got him trained and now he’s my best rail running buddy ever.

From the the posting above, it’s pretty clear that the mental component is part of planning and I read about this quite a bit before I retired 10 years ago. The biggies seem to include constantly learning new things and keeping strong social connections. To the first, I enrolled at the university and just graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. To the second, I got more involved with our local running club and am now vice-president and am heavily involved with putting on multiple events during the year. There is a strong social component to everything our club does AND it’s people of all ages. Hanging out with younger people is invigorating. I also joined a local sketching group (no skill set required) and meet up with them once a week to sketch something in our town and to socialize in the process.

Having already outlived my dad, grandparents, and most of the males on my family tree, I plan to hit at least my early 90s. Will I start seeing a reduction in my abilities? I’m mentally ready for that and just change my focus. It’s not unlike how I change what I do when our Montana winter arrives. Much of this is about attitude.

3 people

My grandmother - died at 103, was perfectly fine until about 6 months before her death. no cancer or disease
My great grandmother didn't make it to 100, but died in a car wreck at 96 years of age.
My grand aunt Hazel died of cancer in her late 80's.

Speaking of staying active when getting older, here's a pretty impressive example of doing just that.

(Came across this by coincidence earlier today, and realized it would be relevant here)

Remember Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida? Well, she's 95, and she's running for political office in Italy:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-08-15/italy-cinema-icon-lollobrigida-95-runs-as-eurosceptic-in-vote

Gina in younger days:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzvxoq3pxki

One is never too old!