Matured by Age,young at Heart-inspirational Older Adults Proving That Age is just a Number

The circle of life; a wonderful phenomenon, where a child is born, and is put through stages of growth. It goes full circle, where the person returns to the earth,as dust after ensuring that the circle kept on going. Once a person attains a certain age, after coming full circle, some might feel as if their purpose had been accomplished, and that their once shining light is dimmed. Fear not, for it isn’t over until you say that it is. Time and time again humans have come up with ways to prove that age is just a number, and that anything is possible if you put your heart, soul and mind into its accomplishment. Following are a few such heartened souls who live to act as inspiration for those who are in need of a good role models.

WINIFRED PRISTELL (70-YEAR OLD): HOLDS TWO WORLD RECORDS IN POWERLIFTING

Winifred Pristell is a 70 year old woman. At the age of 70, most individuals prefer the peaceful life in a suburb, read a newspaper, and relax as the days pass by. That is not the life which Pristell chose. She is not your average ‘great-grandma’. She is a competitive weightlifter with two world records, earning her the title ‘Heavy Metal’, and acting as an aspiration for many.

Winifred’s life changed after she took up the sport in her late 40s, to get over her struggles faced due to her weight. She started to lift competitively in powerlifting meets, after she turned 60. At 68, she set world records for her age in the bench press at 176.2 pounds and 270 pounds in the deadlift. Even though she has been struggling lately with arthritis and joint issues, at 70 Winifred still works out three days per week.

RON CUNNINGHAM (92-YEAR OLD): WORLD’S OLDEST ESCAPOLOGIST

Ron Cunningham, who died in 2007 at the age of 92, was an escapologist and endof the-pier artist specializing in feats such as eating light bulbs and removing a straitjacket while hanging upside down with his trousers on fire. He lived under the honorary title ‘The Great Omani’

To impress audiences he put himself in great danger during many of his stunts using fire, water and glass at his local pub the Bedford Tavern in Brighton. It was here where he performed his last stunt in 2005. This was the escape out of handcuffs with both arms on fire with lighter fluid.he died in Brighton, East Sussex after a whisky and a cigar at his home on October 15, 2007. His last request was for a trapdoor in the hearse at his funeral. He wrote a short poem, which was read at the occasion: “They lay the Great Omani in his box / They have done it up with nails not locks / But at his funeral do not despair / Chances are he won’t be there.”

BUSTER MARTIN (102-YEAR OLD): UK’S OLDEST EMPLOYEE AND MARATHON RUNNER

Pierre Jean “Buster” Martin claimed to be the United Kingdom’s oldest employee at the age of 102. Martin worked for a well-known plumbing company in southeast London as a van cleaner, and notably refused to take a day off on the day he celebrated his 100th birthday.but he is also a marathon runner. After walking the 10 km (6 miles) distance of the Great Capital Run in 2 hours 22 minutes and the Roding Valley Half Marathon in 5 hours 13 minutes, Martin was entered for the 2008 London Marathon. According to press reports, he walked the 26 mile course in approximately 10 hours.

BERNICE BATES (91-YEAR OLD) – YOGA

Bernice Bates was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest Yogi. With the flexibility of a woman much younger, at 91, Bernice had been teaching for fifty odd years and encouraged others, especially older adults to stretch and take up yoga. Jennifer Williams–fields from Yoga U Online teaches a senior yoga class and admits it is her favourite class that requires but a few modifications:

“Although I was at first nervous to teach this population, I quickly realized that this group is the most grateful, fun and gratifying class I will ever teach. My seniors thank me for giving my time to them. But they don’t realise how much more they have given me. I’m happy to report Miss Louise not only got herself up from the floor after she fell, she was back in class the very next week and encouraging her friends to try yoga.“

YOUNG @ HEART CHORUS

This is not a single inspirational individual per-say, but an entire collection. More specifically, this is a platform which is laid out for those with hidden talents. The Young @ Heart Chorus began in 1982 in an elderly housing project. It has since outgrown its confines and continues to inspire. At the centre of the Young @ Heart ethos is collaboration, merging talent and genre to create a performance that showcases everyone’s skills and abilities. In 1983 they enjoyed their first stage production while in 1996 they enjoyed international fame, performing in Europe, Australia and Canada. In 2006, Walker George Documentary about the group was aired on Channel 4 in the UK and since has won various awards including two Rose d’or and the LA Film Festival Audience Award. There has also been a CD released of some of their best hits.

Not only does singing have health benefits, improving lung capacity, posture and being stress relieving, it is also a social activity. Singing in a choir involves listening and harmonizing with other members, this can only be achieved by being in-tune with other people. It is also thought that singing is a natural antidepressant, releasing endorphins to improve your mood.

Rylan Holey is a cellist who performs with the London Philharmonic Choir and lists why everyone should try singing with a choir on his blog. His number one reason is making friends: “I can’t count the amount of new friends I’ve made from the choir. They come from all walks of life, ages and parts of the world. Music breaks down barriers and there’s no better example of that than at a choir.”

JENNIFER FIGGE (56-YEAR OLD): FIRST WOMAN TO SWIM THE ATLANTIC

56-year-old Jennifer Figge pressed her toes into the Caribbean sand, exhilarated and exhausted as she touched land for the first time in almost a month.reaching a beach in Trinidad, she became the first woman on record to swim across the Atlantic Ocean –a dream she’d had since the early 1960s, when a stormy trans-atlantic flight got her thinking she could don a life vest and swim the rest of the way if needed.

The 56-year-old left the Cape Verde Islands off Africa’s western coast on Jan. 12, battling waves of up to 30 feet (9 meters) and strong winds.she had originally planned to swim the Bahamas, but inclement weather forced her to veer 1,000 miles (1,610 km) off course to Trinidad.

OLIVE RILEY (108-YEAR OLD): WORLD’S OLDEST BLOGGER

Believed to have been the world’s oldest blogger, Australian woman Olive Riley began her blog The Life of Riley in February 2007 at the age of 107 and made her final post on 26 June 2008 from a nursing home in Woy Woy, New South Wales, complaining of a cough about two weeks before she died at the age of 108. She had posted over 70 entries, as well as several video posts on Youtube. Her blog (or “blob” as she called it) was inspired by her experience with documentary filmmaker Michael Rubbo who, in 2005, made a documentary about her titled All About Olive.

GEORGINA HARWOOD (92-YEAR OLD): DAREDEVIL

Georgina Harwood is a South African Centenarian who celebrated her biggest birthday by jumping out of a plane, this was her third since her 92nd birthday, but that is not where her dare devil exploits end, swimming with sharks was planned for shortly after. Georgina told The Telegraph: “Her motto, she said, is: “Do it now! Whether it’s comfortable or uncomfortable, good or bad, relaxing or challenging – don’t delay.”

Though many may not feel up to skydiving on any birthday, let alone their 100th, there is definitely a lot to be said for straying outside of the comfort zone. Henrik Edberg runs The Positivity Blog and has some great tips on stepping outside of your comfort zone just a little.