calisthenics in her chair and walking exercises from her chair to the hallway and back. You don’t have to run a marathon but some form of activity, in one way or another every day, is a common theme. Vision impairment, hearing loss and even needing assistance to walk need not stop you.
2. Find something to be passionate about.
Ford had certain little games she liked, like the Go Fish game, where she has to catch the fish and pull it out. She also had an Etch-a-Sketch, plus she loved to do puzzles together with family and look at family albums. One the best thing she loved to do was to watch home videos and listen to gospel music. Keeping the mind active has shown to slow the aging process significantly
3. Serve others.
The long-standing pursuit of helping someone else out seems to be another common thread among those who age well. The age old saying that “We are blessed to be a blessing” is something that Ford lived throughout her life.
The oldest living human currently is Japan’s Kane Tanaka, who turned 118 on Jan. 2. Young said Tanaka is now the only known remaining mother of a WWII veteran.
The new “oldest living American” is believed to be Thelma Sutcliffe, 114, of Nebraska. Sutcliffe is more than a year younger than Hester Ford.
Rest well, Mrs. Ford – such a good and faithful servant.