Positive Ageing and Learning from Centenarians

Positive Ageing and Learning from Centenarians evaluates the mechanisms of positive ageing in a uniquely interdisciplinary way to explore the question of how we age and how some people age successfully. Drawing together the findings of recognised longevity researchers from around the world, the book applies an integrated vision to educational and social aspects of human ageing. It examines research into centenarians, and considers most of the disciplines related to longevity and healthy aging and aspects such as education, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, demography, sociology, economics as well as those related to nutrition and biological factors of longevity. The book examines how the results of these scientific investigations could improve the well-being of the oldest olds in the future, especially in the context of ageing societies. It provides an answer to the question of what we can learn from centenarians and what lessons we can from their lifestyle, which can contribute to live longer, better and happier. Based on cutting-edge research, the book will be highly relevant reading for researchers, academics and students in the field of ageing and longevity, mental health research, health science, gerontology and psychology.

Michel Poulain is Professor Emeritus at Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium, and Senior Researcher at Tallinn University, Estonia. He specialises in longevity studies and is the initiator of the concept Longevity Blue Zone. Jolanta Mackowicz is Associate Professor at the Pedagogical University of Krakow, Poland. She specialises in gerontological and educational research.

Contents About the Editors About the Contributors Preface Michel Poulain and Jolanta Mackowicz - Blue Zone: A model to live longer and better Michel Poulain and Anne Herm - The impact of population ageing on the future expectations of the ageing self among younger generations Saori Yasumoto and Yasuyuki Gondo - Intergenerational transmission of value of Polish centenarian teachers Jolanta Mackowicz, Joanna Wnek-Gozdek and Ewa Sliwa - Exceptional longevity: Exploring personality factors and resilience among Canadian centenarians Martine Lagacé and Caroline D. Bergeron - Ikigai: Meaning of Life and Other Psychosocial Factors for Longevity Sabina Misoch - Life satisfaction and survival in centenarians Laetitia Teixeira, Lia Araújo, Rosa Marina Afonso, Constança Paúl and Oscar Ribeiro - Longevity and the role of biological factors in the context of lifestyle Jacek Witkowski, Ewa Bryl, Anna Mikosik-Roczynska and Tamas Fulop - Longevity: Cultural and social influences of a unique non-Westen lifestyle Kallol Kumar Bhattacharyya and Victor Molinari - A closer look at life expectancy among cohorts of Danish centenarians Anthony Medford and Jesús-Adrian Álvarez - Environmental support among centenarians Peter Martin, Rotem Arieli and Joseph Kim - Implications for ageing society Michel Poulain and Jolanta Mackowicz - Concluding remarks and reflections Michel Poulain and Jolanta Mackowicz