Eileen Carrs, who lives in Palmerston North, a city on New Zealand's North Island, about three hours drive north from the capital, Wellington, celebrated her birthday on September 14th.
At 109 years old, she is currently New Zealand's oldest woman.
Irene currently lives in a nursing home. Last year, there were restrictions on visiting due to COVID-19, so this year, for the first time in two years, she was able to celebrate her birthday surrounded by family and friends.
There are seven Yashago!
Irene was born in 1913, the year after the Titanic sank (the sinking of the Titanic seems to be a common historical reference in English articles). In terms of events that occurred in Japan, this was the year after the death of Emperor Meiji.
Eileen has lived through both the First and Second World Wars and has seen five generations of British monarchs ascend to the throne, from Queen Elizabeth three generations before her to the new King Charles.
She and her husband, with whom she has been married for 54 years, have two children, and currently have three grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and seven great-great-grandchildren.
Irene said,
"I've never even argued with my husband"
He said that one of the secrets to his long life was a happy marriage.
The secret to longevity
When asked how it feels to be 109 years old,
"I'm getting a little old."
Irene replied.
The secret to her longevity, besides a happy marriage, is an active lifestyle.
She drove until she was 95 years old and enjoyed many hobbies, including dancing, bowling, golfing and horseback riding.
He also rarely drinks alcohol, only enjoying the occasional glass of sherry.
"Whenever my family gets together we always drink sherry together. But it's always just one glass (laughs)."
The grandson commented:
Irene also drinks a lot of Milo, which may be the secret to her longevity!
By the way, Milo, a drink that has been popular in Japan for a long time, is pronounced "mairo" in English.
Life expectancy in New Zealand
The average life expectancy in New Zealand was 81.7 years in 2019. The increase in life expectancy compared to the previous year was highest in the 1980s and early 2000s, but is still increasing slightly each year.
By the way, data on average life expectancy from 2020 onwards may be handled differently depending on the organization surveying population data, and may omit data that is thought to be affected by the new coronavirus.
In New Zealand, data shows that life expectancy in 2021, including the number of deaths due to COVID-19, has decreased slightly compared to 2020. However, it is still higher than pre-COVID data.
According to data from the UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund), New Zealand ranked 16th in the world in terms of average life expectancy (years) for men and women in 2019. New Zealand is a country with a long life expectancy, even when viewed globally.
The fact that there are many rural areas, the people are surrounded by nature, and the active national character may be the secret to their longevity.
