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My personal anecdata is that a higher percentage of people in their 90s are sharp than those in their 80s. It seems like starting to lose competence is part of a general decline. Less people make it into each successive decade and I think those that make it through the 80s are more likely to still be sharp. By the 90s, if you haven't developed anything that affects your thinking, there is a good chance you won't; something else will get you first. This is based on nothing but my own experience and hopefully still competent logic.
I grew up with a next door neighbor in my home town, that just turned 97, AND she still works 6 days a week! Her and her husband sponsored my mothers family from Hungary after WW2. My mother at age 17 to 19 was a live-in au pair with them, and that's how my father (he lived across the street) met my mother and we kids came from that. So, she's also responsible for all 4 of us kids being born!
She's absolutely amazing, and I give kudo's to her from everything she's done for others in Frankenmuth. What keeps her alive? The fact that she loves her work, and still does it 6 days a week. She's the matriarch of a great family.
Thinking back, around 1985 or so I met a fellow while I was a police officer in Arkansas. At the time he was 107, a very soft spoken kind gentle black man. We became friends and I would sit with him having coffee and listening to countless stories about picking cotton, his parents being slaves, his life in general. He told me he never had any serious schooling, but was one of the wisest people I've ever met. Walked everywhere. He was one of the few people I've come across who had honor.
My FIL will be 90 in Jan and is one of the sharpest people I've ever known.
He just quit working a couple years ago but still takes care of his 7 acres and house. He has a gal friend that he takes care of and has always made the rounds of visits to those who are housebound.
Friend of mine is 93 he just climbed up his 70 foot ham radio tower the other day to repair an antenna, can transmit Morse code at around 40-60 words per minute. His secret is bourbon and cigars. I am following his secret.
Yes, my father just turned 91 this week and is as sharp as he has always been.
Mine is almost 93 and same here. Still driving- and very well- and going to the gym. He and my Mom (87) go out for lunch and to the dog park almost every day.
Thinking back, around 1985 or so I met a fellow while I was a police officer in Arkansas. At the time he was 107, a very soft spoken kind gentle black man. We became friends and I would sit with him having coffee and listening to countless stories about picking cotton, his parents being slaves, his life in general. He told me he never had any serious schooling, but was one of the wisest people I've ever met. Walked everywhere. He was one of the few people I've come across who had honor.
He died peacefully in his sleep at 109.
when I was a college freshman, I met two very mentally sharp, never married, 90+ year old twins. they lived around the block from my dorm in a very old house. by the time I was a senior, we were very good friends. they shared amazing stories from their lives and were so sweet.
I'd drop in for coffee, take them to errands, ask a few friends to help with some repairs on their old house often. I enjoyed every minute with them. we stayed in contact. I'd visit occasionally and called often after I graduated. One day I called and the sister told me her sister had died. A few weeks later the other sister died, but I didn't find out for months. I never met any "family" in all those years. I still think of "the girls" as they referred to themselves.
The one I know is 99. She has always eaten healthy food. She never takes prescription medicine. Only natural stuff. She always walked a lot, worked hard, had great stress of supporting her mother as a young girl. Stress getting used to the US as a young girl. But lots of friends and people looking out for them. Then rose to be head of a hospital dept and a school at different times.
She had stress of fiances dying during the war. She married in her mid 50s, never had children, husband died after a few years.
She can entertain herself, speak a few languages.
I think her parents lived into their 80s.
She owned many animals, dogs, cats, birds and always took great care of them. She always had excellent friends and lots of things to do and places to go living in Manhattan a long time.
So, on the one hand, you'd say she had a lot of stress. On the other hand, lots of good things.
My grandmother will be 90 in the summer and she's still very sharp. Sometimes she will repeat a story and ask, "wait, did I already tell you this?" but I have to admit that though I'm 50 years her junior, I sometimes do the same thing. She can discuss politics and current events very well. She lives in assisted living facility and walks with a walker, but she still stays up late (which is unusual in her facility) and plays Scrabble, does crossword puzzles, things like that.
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She can discuss politics and current events very well. She lives in assisted living facility and walks with a walker, but she still stays up late (which is unusual in her facility) and plays Scrabble, does crossword puzzles, things like that.
