Centenarians: Who They Are and What We've Learned
Question of This Study
Centenarians, who reach the remarkable age of 100, have become more common over the years, but we don't know much about them. This study sought to uncover the characteristics of Sweden's centenarian population, shedding light on their living arrangements, socio-demographic profiles, health, and geriatric care, meaning formal home care or residing in a care home.
Study Findings
- Who Are Sweden's Centenarians?
- Mostly Women: Of the 5,882 centenarians studied, the majority (81%) were women, emphasizing the remarkable longevity of the female population.
- Living Arrangements: Many centenarians (40%) lived alone, while a small proportion (8%) cohabited. The rest of the centenarians lived in care homes (52%). Male centenarians (18%) were more likely to cohabitate than female centenarians (6%).
- Familial Proximity: About 67% had a child living within a 50 km radius.
- Income: The majority (77%) had incomes below the median for older adults in Sweden, highlighting economic vulnerability.
- Health Status of Centenarians (Figure1)
- Comorbidities: Over half of the centenarians had at least one chronic health condition, with 1 out of 3 experiencing multiple health issues. Heart failure was the most common diagnosis, followed by myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular disease.
- Prescribed Medications: Almost none were free from drugs, with a high proportion of polypharmacy (Men, 62%; Women, 66%), indicating a substantial medication load.
- Gender Difference: Women received more prescribed drugs than men, although men had more morbidities.
CCI Charlson comorbidity index, COPD Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, RAS Renin-angiotensin system
- Geriatric Care Transitions (Figure2)
- Care Homes: Roughly half of centenarians at the age of 100 resided in care homes, with a higher proportion of women (54%) than men (41%).
- Care Needs: Two years later, only 4% continued to live at home without formal care, while 64% had passed away.
Conclusion
Sweden's centenarian population is not characterized by exceptional health or independence. Instead, they face many health issues, polypharmacy, and a heavy reliance on geriatric care. With most centenarians living alone and having limited incomes, they belong to a vulnerable demographic group. Strategies need to be devised and implemented to address the healthcare and social support demands of this growing population. Only 2% of the centenarians had no diagnosed morbidity, a maximum of 1 drug, and no geriatric care. This study provides valuable insights into the lives of centenarians, dispelling the myth that they are uniformly healthy and independent. As the number of centenarians continues to rise, understanding their unique needs and challenges becomes increasingly critical for healthcare and social services planning.
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Aging Clinical and Experimental Research
This journal offers a multidisciplinary forum on the progressing field of gerontology and geriatrics. The areas covered by the journal include: biogerontology, neurosciences, epidemiology, clinical gerontology and geriatric assessment, social, economical and behavioral gerontology.
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