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Living to 100: Preliminary Findings from the Sydney Centenarian Study

Living to 100: Preliminary Findings from the Sydney Centenarian Study. Dr Melissa Slavin. Why Study the ‘Oldest-Old’?. Fastest growing age group worldwide We need to be able to provide appropriate services for this group, which requires an understanding of their abilities and needs

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Living to 100: Preliminary Findings from the Sydney Centenarian Study

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  1. Living to 100: Preliminary Findings from the Sydney Centenarian Study Dr Melissa Slavin

  2. Why Study the ‘Oldest-Old’? • Fastest growing age group worldwide • We need to be able to provide appropriate services for this group, which requires an understanding of their abilities and needs • We can learn a lot about “ageing” by studying the extremes, especially those who are models of ‘successful ageing’

  3. Madame Jeanne Calment of Arles, France, photographed in 1996 at the age of 121. She died in 1997, aged 122, of ‘natural causes’. “Living independently until the age of 110….. Despite visual and hearing loss, she maintained autonomy in the face of the dependence imposed by the regulations of a nursing home - refusing care and visitors she did not want, smoking in a public place, and insisting on her daily glass of port.” Ritchie, 1997

  4. Miriam Schmierer, born 20 August 1899 • Aged 111 years, 171 days, Miriam is the oldest living person in Australia • She is also the last known surviving Australian born in the 1800s • She has outlived all of her siblings, including her oldest sister who lived to be 103 • Her secret for living a long life is living a tranquil life and God

  5. Australians aged 95+

  6. Australians aged 95+

  7. Sydneysiders aged 95+

  8. Sydneysiders aged 95+

  9. Our Approach • Recruit those aged 95+ then follow up • Intensive recruitment in the local area • 300 participants • Comprehensive assessment in several stages • 6-monthly follow up • MRI & genetics sub-study • Neuropathology sub-study

  10. Aims • To generate a comprehensive picture of the cognitive and physical health of 95+ year olds in a specific region of Sydney • To establish a concept of a ‘typical centenarian’ • To relate cognition to the structure of the brain • To examine what determines ‘autonomy’ in centenarians

  11. Local Area

  12. Local Area

  13. Assessment Stages Phase 1: Questionnaires, cognitive screen and physical exam, blood test Phase 2: Comprehensive cognitive assessment Phase 3: Lifestyle and wellbeing questions Phase 4: MRI Informant interview

  14. Follow Up • 6 monthly follow up • Interval medical history, measures of mood and cognitive changes • Informant feedback

  15. Group so far... • 185 people seen • 8 MRIs completed; 105 blood and saliva genetic samples collected • 78% Female • Age range 95-106, Average age: 98.14 • Education range 3 – 18 years, Average: 9.94 years

  16. MMSE Scores • MMSE is our ‘rough’ test of memory and thinking • Using ‘normal’ cut-offs for dementia, 55.4% of our participants are below this cut-off • How valid is this cut-off for this group?

  17. Limitations of Assessment • Physical limitations (weakness, slowness, paralysis) • Vision problems • Hearing problems • Fatigue • Difficulty understanding instructions • Language difficulties

  18. Conclusions So Far... • Very heterogeneous group • Many adjustments need to be made to assessment • Rethink concept of ‘normal’ • Probably a combination of innate characteristics (e.g. personality, genetics) and environment (e.g. nutrition, social contact, exercise) contribute to ‘ageing successfully’

  19. Know Anyone Aged 95+? • Call Phillipa Williams: 9385-0428 • Email Charlene Levitan: c.levitan@unsw.edu.au • Full assessment available if “in-area” • MRI and shortened assessment available if “out-of-area”

  20. Thanks to... • Funding Bodies: The University of New South Wales and The National Health and Medical Research Council • SCS team • All the participants, informants, families and carers

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