Colorado resident John Jepkema became the oldest man to hike the Grand Canyon. At the age of 91, John performed this rim-to-rim trek alongside other senior friends. Spending five days backpacking through the trails with the group allowed for ample time to socialize and enjoy the process. John claims he's pretty competitive by nature. So when he saw the open record, he decided to just go for it. Beginning at [...]
There's no stopping 84 year old Hannah Alger. This Oakland, California senior community resident recently finished a 300 mile trek across the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Yet over the last six years, she has racked up thousands of miles on her hiking adventures. Beginning at the age of 78, Hannah caught the "hiking bug" and hasn't looked back since. "It's simple", she says. "There's nothing that I have to [...]
She started running regularly at the age of 100. And while 103 year old Julia Hawkins may not be as fast of a runner as she used to be, that doesn't stop her. She definitely still lived up to her nickname, "Hurricane", in the 2019 Senior Games. In Albuquerque, New Mexico, Julia won two gold medals for running the 50 and 100 meter dash during these games. She may be [...]
97 year old Carl Reiner has been a comedic icon for more than 70 years. In 2017, he hosted an HBO documentary featuring him along with other famous people in their nineties. Among them was Mel Brooks, Dick Van Dyke, and actress Betty White. All of these celebrities have something very special in common. Their sense of humor. They truly believe that humor has enriched their lives and boosted their [...]
The holidays are a time of joy. Many people enjoy gatherings with friends and family, exchanging gifts, and other fun holiday traditions. However, the holidays can also be a time of stress, especially for seniors. Their exercise routines may be disrupted for shopping excursions. And special diets might be hard to follow due to big holiday meals. Furthermore, it can be exhausting for anyone. But when a senior has physical [...]
In 2015 at the age of 85, Joy Ryan had never traveled far from her quiet hometown of Duncan Falls, Ohio. She had never seen an ocean, desert, mountain, or major river. She had been widowed for 20 years and had never found any good way to see the world. However, this all changed drastically when she found an unusual adventure partner. Her grandson, Brad. The pair embarked on a [...]
At 97 years old, Professor John B. Goodenough is still filling the world with energy. Along with his two colleagues, he pioneered the lithium-ion battery in the 1970's. These are currently used in rechargeable devices like laptops and cellphones. This life-changing innovation made the German-born engineering professor officially the oldest person to win the Nobel Prize. Dallas News describes this extraordinary man. The Nobel Foundation even claims Goodenough and his [...]
Similar to many older adults, Peggy Wheatcroft wasn't too excited about turning 80. When asked if she wanted an 80th birthday party, she declined. She didn't want to be in the spotlight. Suddenly, she had a six decade old memory pop into her head. In the 1950's on her friend's 21st birthday, she gave her mom 21 roses. Instead of waiting for someone to give her a gift, this friend [...]
Many seniors are happy to just lead moderately active lives. But not 84 year old Dale Sanders. "Greybeard" (the trail name Sanders uses) successfully completed one of the world's most iconic hiking trails after a seven month long trek when he was 82. The Appalachian Trail is no picnic. With a distance of 2,190 miles of terrain, this would be an incredible feat for someone of any age. But at [...]
