Study: Centenarians vs. Lives Ending near 90

Doctor heading Grandma Kay’s centenarian study discusses the differences between making it to 100 vs. a life cut short closer to 90.

👋 Hello, I’m Kevin Ferguson, author of 🍷 Rain on the Monte Bello Ridge,🍷 a memoir about health, aging and winemaking. (Book summary) 🍇 This is my newsletter. It includes book research and early release chapters about winemaker Mario Gemello and his centenarian widow, Kay Gemello. 📖 They are my lovable maternal grandparents. You can subscribe by clicking on this handy little button.

This post is more behind-the-scenes tidbits. Enjoy!

---

Study: Centenarians vs. Lives Ending near 90

Old School Media: The Los Altos Town Crier, Grandma Kay’s local newspaper, published my article on her longevity secrets. (You can read it here). It includes more of my interview with Dr. Tom Perls, founder of the New England Centenarian Study, which was mentioned in last month’s post, Longevity Secrets of Centenarians.

In the Town Crier article, Perls discusses a protective gene researchers believe is the difference between people making it to 100 vs. those whose lives are cut short closer to 90.

Fun fact: In Los Altos, Calif, 3.1%, or 980 residents, are 85 years old or older.¹ Grandma Kay is in even rarer company: about one in six have made it to their 100th birthday among Los Altos’ current population of 31,625. That’s based on centenarians representing one in every 5,000 people in the U.S., according to Dr. Perls.

New School Media: Grandma Kay is inspiring others to do their best to “age well,” including Janice Walton, publisher of the popular

Aging Well News

e-zine. She called Grandma Kay her “role model for aging well” in her May 26th issue, which is dedicated entirely to her.

Walton’s twice weekly e-zine on aging well and caregiving tips inspires her readers to live the best quality of life approaching or already in their golden years.

1. Source: City of Los Altos Demographic Snapshot