More in U.S. reaching 100 mark

Rose Gubner became depressed when her husband of more than 60 years died in 1996. Shortly afterward, she developed diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular problems.

That didn't stop her. At 101, she still socializes with friends and goes out with her niece, Bernice Feierstadt. "She wants to take me all over," Gubner says. "She's like a daughter to me."

Like Gubner, many people who develop illnesses such as heart disease, osteoporosis and stroke late in life can live to be 100, according to a recent study in the Archives of Internal Medicine. And more people are reaching the century mark. In fact, 50,454 centenarians were counted in the 2000 Census, a 35 percent increase from the 1990 Census.

The key to a long life? Avoiding age-related disabilities for as long as possible. The study looked at 523 women and 216 men 97 and older. Those who developed illnesses before 85 were labeled "survivors." Those who developed illness past 85 were labeled "delayers." Twice as many of those who lived to be 97 and older were delayers, as opposed to survivors, the study found, with men faring better than women.

Social support is also critical to reaching 100, says Dr. Bernie Roos, director of the Geriatrics Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and the VA Geriatric Research Center.

"Thirty years ago you couldn't do it, but today it's easy. We have support ... such as Meals on Wheels. Old people who couldn't get to the store would die of malnutrition."

Gubner credits moving to an assisted living facility in Aventura, Fla., 11 years ago with getting her life back on track after her husband died. "I just couldn't take it. For a year I tried shopping, cooking on my own. But I just couldn't do it."

Medical advances, too, have been significant, especially with heart disease, the No. 1 cause of death for those older than 60. "People can get new valves, coronary arteries cleaned, stents where there are blockages so they can live much longer," Roos said.

Rebecca Bethel's heart is working just fine. She passed the century mark last November, lives independently and relies on transportation services to get to doctor's appointments from her Miami home near Brownsville, Fla.

"I have been to a doctor no more than to have babies, stuff like that, until I got up in age," she says. "After you pass 75 or 80 you start deteriorating, just like furniture. But other than that, honey, I never had any trouble."

Neither has Bernard Nenner, who is 100 "and working on the next century." He has lived at a senior facility in Parkland, Fla., in Broward County for five years "only because my wife got tired of cooking." She's 92, and "she gets fussy when the food isn't just right. It's a standing joke. We're moving every day.

"What's the big thing about being old?" he asks. "I guess in my case I see, I hear, I do and I have no problems. Some of us are luckier than others."

Whether it's luck, good genes or "resources brought to you because you are wealthy ... if you don't get enough sleep and take care of your blood pressure and weight, the genome will be aggravated and you could die of a stroke or heart attack," Roos says. For those who lead healthy lifestyles, he asks, what's the reward? "Lower insurance rates, lower tax rates? ... We don't provide the incentive."

The Health Foundation of South Florida is trying to change that.

Peter Wood, vice president of programs and community investments, is working on a project, now in the planning stage, to tackle four threats to an aging population: sedentary

lifestyles, chronic disease management, falls/injuries, and depression.

"We don't have the support structure to ensure good quality of life for older adults," Wood says. "My sense is we can keep people alive, but the key is to keep quality of life high."

Bernard Nenner

Born: May 4, 1907, in Manhattan

Children: One son, one daughter

Residence: Aston Gardens at Parkland Commons in Parkland, Fla.

I went to work at 15 as a delivery boy for A&P in New York, became a manager at 20, got married and became a father at 21. I went into one business after another, a chain of dry cleaner stores, photography, waste paper. Eventually I opened mobile home parks in Florida. During a tornado in 1965 I was in one of the trailer offices and the next thing I know, I'm up in the air, floating. It was a nice feeling. One day somebody bought the parks, made me a ridiculous offer and I retired comfortably. I owned a Rolls-Royce, a cabin cruiser and a nice condo on the beach.

I'm famous for being the librarian at Aston Gardens. My hobby all my life has been reading, re-educating myself. I was 89 when I married Frances, my second wife. My first wife had heart trouble and lung cancer. She was around 85 when she died.

I drive, I swim and I get my exercise climbing up and down the stairs and lugging books. I never smoked. I don't eat meat in general, but once in a while I'll have corned beef or chicken salad. I started taking Coumadin, so I can't have a glass of red wine every night. That's what I miss.

I smoked one marijuana cigarette outside of a fancy dance hall in Harlem. For 10 cents you'd buy it, and it wasn't bad.

Rose Gubner

Born: May 6, 1906, in England

Children: Two sons

Residence: Imperial Club in Aventura, Fla.

I was 6 months old and sitting on my mother's lap when we came across the ocean. We were three boys and three girls and I was the second child. They're all gone. We lived on the east side of New York. I had to go to work when I was 16 and help support my family. Life was really bad then.

I got married and we came down to Miami and lived on 69th Street in my first nice apartment. In 1996 my husband had a massive stroke.

Days later, he was getting better, but then he had a massive heart attack. By the time I got to the hospital with my son's family, he died.

I was alone for the first time, and we decided I should come to the Imperial Club. There's a guy who plays the piano. I like to sit and listen. I sit outside a little bit and we talk and reminisce. Once in a while I'll have tomato juice with vodka, a little bit, just to join the crowd.

One brother died a few years ago. He was 92 or 94. He could have lived to 100, I think. You wonder sometimes why.

Rebecca Bethel

Born: Nov. 20, 1907, in the Bahamas Children: Two sons, deceased

Residence: Miami

I was about 14 when I came here by boat from Nassau with my sister.

I worked baby-sitting for quite a while and I married John Bullard in 1923. A lot of people say I look good, but I have pain -- arthritis. They give me medicine, but I drink Serasee and aloe. I boil the Serasee and strain it off and I soak the aloe.

I go the doctor and they get the stethoscope and say, "Breathe, breathe, breathe ... You're all right." I ask him, Do I have heart trouble? "No." Do I have diabetes? "No." Then I wonder what I'm taking pills for. My eyesight is pretty good. My hearing is not so good. I bought a hearing aid, but it worried me. A breeze is blowing, but when I put the hearing aid in, oh boy, it's like a storm is on.

My oldest son was 61 when he died. My other one was a year old. He never recovered from a bad cold. I had about seven miscarriages. I work in the yard and I work a little in the house, but my activity is mostly in my church.

My daddy was 100 and something when he died and my mother was in her 90s. I never smoked in my life, never drank in my life, and I eat whatever I feel like fixing. Oatmeal, fried chicken or fish, rice, a little bit of grits, string beans or broccoli.

In my church I fuss with them for making a big deal about my age, but they say, "You're older than the church, so why not?"