Published Dec 19, 2023

Secret to Long Life: 105-Year-Old Woman Says Try Not To Be Too Crabby

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Milestones: Celebrating the Joys of Life

Cincinnati Bengals fan Florence Hackman, a great-great-grandmother living in Ohio, turned 105 on December 16, 2023. She says her secret to longevity is drinking Fireball cocktail daily with friends, exercising every day on a bike, and maintaining a positive outlook.
Healthy aging isn’t just about accomplishing medical check-ups or managing illnesses. It’s also about maintaining a high quality of life as you age, keeping your body and mind as robust as possible, and living life to the fullest. SurvivorNet has put together some tips that can help you age healthily, which include: Physical Activity, Nutrition, Social Engagement, Mental Stimulation, Regular Check-ups, and Sleep.
Remember, consistency is the key. Building these habits and making them part of your daily routine can potentially slow down the aging process and improve your overall well-being.
Even small steps can have a significant impact, so it’s never too late to start. After all, aging is just another word for living. And our aim should not be to just live longer, but to live healthier and happier.

Cincinnati Bengals fan Florence Hackman, known by friends and loved ones as “Flo,” just commemorated an extraordinary milestone. The great-great-grandmother turned 105 on December 16, 2023 and revealed her secret to longevity amid the celebrations, and it’s a lot about outlook.

Hackman, who has lived through a lot, including two World Wars and two pandemics, enjoyed her 105th birthday by watching a Bengals-Vikings game at a firehouse, equipped with Fireball whiskey and good company.

But the secret to reaching the impressive age of 105? Hackman told Ohio news station WCPO that she credits her long life to the daily Fireball cocktail she drinks with friends, exercise she does on a bike, and positive outlook she never ceases to lose.

She also shared her life philosophy and encourages others to “stay with the happy people.”

Hackman, who is the youngest of nine siblings and grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, told the news outlet, “I’m so happy I could be around this long.It’s just amazing to me that I’m still here.

“You can’t do anything else but just go one day at a time (doing) the best you can do. That’s what I try to do and try to be nice to people and try not to be too crabby. Just live one day at a time.”

The Deerfield Township resident added, “You’ve seen a lot when you live this long.”

Of course, we don’t know exactly what is contributing to Hackman’s longevity, but we do know her mom lived until 104. We also admire her continued joy for life and determination to keep doing the things she loves.

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Understanding Aging

It’s understandable that aging can feel like a mystery at times, and it’s great to see Hackman taking life day by day with a positive attitude. After all, we’ve all heard phrases like “Age is just a number,” but what does that mean? And how does it impact our health and well-being?

From the day we are born, our bodies and minds start to change and grow. This continuous process is, fundamentally, what we call ‘aging.’ Life is a journey filled with countless changes, and aging is an integral part of that journey. Quite often, when we talk about aging, we focus on the physical changes, but it’s also about the evolution of our mental and emotional states.

SurvivorNet has provided an overview of aging to guide you through this universal process.

Some key points to remember about aging:

Aging is a natural biological process that affects everyone.
The experience of aging can vary greatly among individuals.
While aging comes with some inevitable changes, many aspects of aging are influenced by lifestyle choices and attitudes.

With the right information, support, and proactive strategies, aging can be a rich and fulfilling stage of life.
Aging isn’t something to fear or shy away from—it’s a phase of life that we all share.

Healthy Aging Tips

Healthy aging isn’t just about accomplishing medical check-ups or managing illnesses. It’s also about maintaining a high quality of life as you age, keeping your body and mind as robust as possible, and living life to the fullest. SurvivorNet has put together some tips that can help you age healthily:

Physical Activity: Try to incorporate at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise into your daily routine. This could be walking, cycling, swimming—any physical activity you enjoy!

Nutrition: Eat a balanced diet heavy on fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains. Limiting processed foods, sugars and unhealthy fats can make a big difference in your overall health.

Social Engagement: Stay socially active. Whether it’s attending family gatherings, participating in group hobbies, volunteering, or just catching up with friends, maintaining social connections can significantly enhance your emotional health and well-being.

Mental Stimulation: Engage in activities that stimulate your mind. This could include reading, doing puzzles, learning a new skill or language, or even playing memory-boosting games.

Regular Check-ups: Don’t forget about your regular medical, dental, and eye check-ups. Prevention is always better than cure!

Sleep: Good sleep is vital for your overall health. Practice good sleep hygiene – keep a regular sleep schedule, make your sleeping environment comfortable and quiet, and try to avoid screens before bed.

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Remember, consistency is the key. Building these habits and making them part of your daily routine can potentially slow down the aging process and improve your overall well-being.

Even small steps can have a significant impact, so it’s never too late to start. After all, aging is just another word for living. And our aim should not be to just live longer, but to live healthier and happier.

Learning About Positive Psychology

One way to cope with body image, mental health, and all that comes along with aging, is through positive psychology, an approach to mental well-being that focuses more on a person’s strengths and how they can help themselves rather than just trying to curb individual symptoms and/or diagnose a disorder.

“It is a fundamental sort of different way of thinking about patients, thinking about their experience,” Dr. Samantha Boardman, a New York-based psychiatrist and author, told SurvivorNet.

“It’s not just focusing on what’s the matter. It’s also asking them, what matters to you?”

Dr. Boardman noted that positive psychology is a reimagined approach to dealing with mental struggles. “Making people feel less bad is not the same as making them feel good,” she said, referring to how this new approach encourages people to try to find happiness rather than just try to stop sadness.

This approach can be a major benefit to people who are dealing with an illness like cancer because it focuses on finding those great parts of life.

What is Positive Psychology & How Can it Help?

“Positive emotions have unique benefits above and beyond managing negative emotions,” Dr. Boardman explained. “Sometimes you can treat a patient and get rid of some of their symptoms, and it’s not necessarily then that you find a flourishing patient you might even get an empty patient.

Dr. Boardman continued, “So, really tapping into those resources where do they find positive emotions? What provides a sense of engagement for them? How can you promote positive relationships?”

Milestones Really Matter

Florence Hackman may have never battled cancer, but she’s certainly seen a lot and been through it all during her 105 years of life. She’s truly an inspiration to anyone dealing with challenges or all that comes with aging. Remember, by making a list, whether physically or mentally, of all the things you want to do or moments you want to be there for, it can make you even more determined to push through the hard times, like cancer treatment.

Chrissy Degennaro is the perfect example of how determination can help you appreciate milestones even more. Degennaro has been battling a rare blood cancer called multiple myeloma for 14 years, and was first diagnosed when she was 36-years-old. She had a 2-year-old son at the time, and once hearing the news, almost expected to not be able to see him enter kindergarten. However, she was determined to try as hard as possible.

Over the past 14 years, she’s gone through 27 rounds of chemotherapy, two stem cell transplants, participated in a CAR T cell trial, and had two CAR T cell transplants. Needless to say it’s been a difficult road, and continues to be, but she’s enjoying every day to the fullest.

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“You know, I do live one day at a time,” Degennaro told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview. “Now, maybe I can go a week, a month, but things are looking pretty good. I’m able to be here for more milestones for my son, for more holidays, more birthdays. I do feel like I have had another chance at life.”