100 not out: new study hopes to tap into the secrets of centenarians
Friday 20 November 2009
It used to be a very exclusive club, but centenarians – people aged 100 years or more – are one of the fastest-growing demographics in much of the western world. Indeed, the number of centenarians around the world is projected to increase to 2.2 million by 2050, compared with 145,000 in 1999. The Office for National Statistics midyear estimates (2006) show that we have 9,000 centenarians in the United Kingdom.
While advances in medical science have long been regarded as the main source of our increasing longevity, recent studies have revealed that several distinctive lifestyle choices are also important to reaching the century mark.
Researchers Tina Koch, Pam Smith and Nimmi Hutnik from the University of Surrey are keen to further investigate some of the ‘lifestyle secrets’ to living a long and healthy life.
Researchers said the aim is to explore the experience of life transitions – the major emotional, environmental and physical changes – of 24 United Kingdom residents who have reached 100 years of age. “So we are looking for centenarian volunteers who would like to tell us their story about living a long life.”
In 2004 Professor Koch completed a similar study in Australia. She is keen to explore how UK residents, who have reached 100 years-old, have been able to deal with making transitions – the changes in their lives related to health, relationships and environments.”
Researchers at the Centre for Research in Nursing and Midwifery Education at Surrey are currently looking for volunteers for the study who are willing to be interviewed and to have their life histories documented and published in a book.
Professor Koch said it is hoped the study can not only provide the United Kingdom's ageing population with an insight into living a long and healthy life, but also help to prepare the population for the very real possibility that many of us are going to live for a lot longer than we realised.
“It can be a very confronting prospect for say, a 30-year-old person, when they realise they will probably have another 70 years of living left to do,” she said.
“What is probably the most frightening aspect of that is what the quality of life will be or is for someone who lives to be 100 - what do they enjoy about life, what do they look forward to?”
“It is therefore important for us to look at what it is that helps people live a healthy long life - what are their secrets and how can their philosophies and actions help others to achieve the same longevity.”
For further information or to nominate or volunteer someone for the project, please contact Professor Tina Koch, Professor Pam Smith or Dr Nimmi Hutnik at the University of Surrey on 01483 684552 and/or E-mail: t.koch@surrey.ac.uk
Media Enquiries
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