By Sarah Steffen, Community Relations Coordinator
What is your secret? That is the question we all ask a person who lives to be one hundred. Here at St. Paul’s Home we have three residents who are one hundred years old and each one was asked this very question. They gave advice, tips, and insight into what it is like to be a century old.
Flo Wade has been a resident for many years. She lived in Cincinnati all her life. She is an avid Cincinnati Reds fan and says she never misses a game. She loves to go to the casino but is not a fan of the new Horseshoe. Flo would rather venture to Hollywood Casino for some fun and games. She used to be a huge card player and belonged to many 500 clubs in the area. When asked what her secret to living to 100 is, she just laughed and said, “I always get asked this question! I don’t know how I lived to be this old. I just did!” With a shrug of her shoulders, she went on to say that as people we just need to “look on the brighter side of life.” At the end of the conversation, she informed me that she did water exercise for twenty years, so maybe that is the real secret to a long and healthy life.
Sweet Genevieve Scheidt is a two-month-old centenarian. She is originally from Wisconsin and loved to go ice-fishing with her husband. She has always been an optimistic person and would exercise on her own accord daily. You will often hear her favorite expression, “for heaven’s sake” come rolling of her tongue for any number of reasons. Genevieve is a fan of our weekly dog visits and enjoys to stop and pet the dogs. When asked what her secret to being one hundred was, she expressed disbelief in her age and said “I don’t know. Whatever it is, it is.” This nonchalant answer is one we hear often from centenarians, and maybe, the perfect answer to that question.
The most recent centenarian is the charming Margaret Talbert. Born and raised in Cincinnati, she is a Clifton area native. She has always been a social butterfly, with many friends growing up. Surprisingly, she was a scholastic enthusiast. Spelling was one of her favorite subjects but definitely “not arithmetic.” When asked about her secret to aging so gracefully she explained it probably revolves around her faith. Through the Lord, she has maintained a spiritually healthy lifestyle. Because of her Catholic beliefs, Margaret has always tried to remain optimistic. Margaret smiled and said “so much is beautiful and yet so much is equally sad. You have to concentrate on the beauty! It does not always work, but I think that is what we were supposed to do!”
So if you want to live to be one hundred, stay optimistic, and continue to grow through your faith. Until our time, we will never understand what allows certain people to age so gracefully. In the meantime we will continue to ask centenarians our favorite question, what is your secret?!
Secrets of a Centenarian