Changing the Way We Think about Aging

By Rick Banas of Gardant Management Solutions

A retweet from the White House Conference on Aging caught my attention on Friday afternoon.

The retweet called attention to a YouTube video that was posted by the United Nations on Oct. 18.

The video features inspiring stories of four centenarians, their views about aging and their plans for the future.

Lillian Pollak, 100, is described as the Oldest Radical and Writer; Madeline Scotto, 101, as the oldest Math-B Teacher; Ida Keeling, 100, as the Oldest Track and Field Sprinter; and Maude Pettus, 101, as the Oldest Nurse and a World Traveler.

In the video, they respond to questions, such as “What is the greatest thing about being your age?”; “Do you think wisdom automatically comes with age?”; and “Are older adults a burden to society?”

As Helen Hamlin, 92, notes in the introduction to the video, “it is time that people get to know that we older folks are still viable.” Helen is the Oldest NGO Representative to the UN International Federation on Aging.

Jack Kupferman, who is President of the Gray Panthers New York City Network, comments that “older people are so often invisible and marginalized,” but the veil of invisibility is starting to lift. Jack serves as a representative of the Gray Panthers to the UN.

Like Jack says, I encourage you to listen to what these centenarians have to say about aging — no matter what your age might be. Let their stories and comments inspire you and “make this a call to action for all generations.”


All affordable assisted living communities managed by Gardant Management Solutions are certified and surveyed by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. All assisted living communities are licensed and surveyed by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

“Gardant Management Solutions is the leading provider of assisted living in Illinois
and one of the 20 largest providers of assisted living in the United States.”

Gardant Management Solutions has 20+ years of industry-acclaimed operational history in developing, managing and consulting for senior living, assisted living and memory care communities.