More Pictures of Health

Ridin' Life's Highways to Health

“I think about life, not my age.”
—Diane H., 76

Last year, Diane and her older brother Tom took a cross-country motorcycle road trip. They traveled 6,000 miles across the U.S. and back; Diane in the cycle’s sidecar.

They visited graveyards, passed sugar cane fields, rode through swarms of bees and, on at least one occasion, spent the night “at the worst dump ever.”

“It was fabulous!” Diane says. “Even breaking down in the desert without any cell service was an adventure!”

Losing four of her 11 siblings has taught Diane that each day should be appreciated. “You must keep going. That’s what life is all about,” Diane says. “At the end of every day, I want to feel like I’ve accomplished something, even if it’s something small.”

Diane has remodeled her bathroom and painted her house. She refinishes furniture. She washes her own cars (including her 1923 Model T touring car), walks at the park and mows the lawn. And when friends and neighbors need help, “they know they can call me,” she says.

Diane is determined not to let anything keep her from experiencing her best life. Four years ago, she quit her 40-year smoking habit. “I decided that I control my life, not outside influences, like cigarettes.”

She also won’t be influenced by anyone saying she can’t do something because of her age. “I don’t wake up each morning thinking ‘I’m 76,’” she says. “I start every day thinking of who I’m going to see, where I’m going to go and what I’m going to do today.”

Meet John 2.0

“I wake every day at 4:45 a.m. I’ve always been a morning person. It just gets me going and feeling refreshed.”
—John P., 68

John today is an engaging, fit and active senior who tells people, “This may be the happiest I've been in my life.” That wasn’t John 25 years ago.

“Back then I was smoking two packs a day and drinking way too much,” John says. “And I was very overweight.”

The day came when John decided it was time for healthy changes. “Cigarettes went first,” he says. “Then I got on Weight Watchers, started eating better and lost 50 pounds.” Finally, he gave up alcohol.

Eight years later, health is still a priority in John’s 2.0 life. He exercises daily, starting with a 10- or 14-mile bike ride.

His mental health in mind, John reads a positive devotion at bedtime and makes time for his passions: going to the theater and helping other SCAN members as a Peer Advocate. The road to health hasn’t always been smooth. A bad fall off his bike once left him with a broken elbow and bruised ribs. Luckily, he bounced back quickly and was able to march in a Pride Parade a week later.

John hopes to be as healthy and happy as he is now for as long as possible. “My doctor says I need more upper body strength. So, I’m lifting weights and working on other ways to move forward on my health journey,” he says. “There’s always something more you can do. You just need to find what’s right for you.”

Handmade Happiness

“My mind doesn’t feel 100. I can still do so much.”
—Alice S., 100

Alice’s incredible life experiences have made her a lively centenarian with a quick wit and a memory a 50-year-old would envy. She lived as a refugee in Hong Kong and the Philippines during World War II. She taught herself to sew and became a seamstress to the stars. She bowled for 40 years and did water aerobics for 25.

Through it all, Alice has been forever learning, moving and connecting with the world. Even after retiring, Alice stayed busy sewing couture wedding gowns and other handmade items for clients and family. When threading a needle became difficult, she taught herself to crochet bedspreads, tablecloths and the delicate doilies she gives to visitors.

Alice found many of the members at the local YMCA didn’t know each other. So, she formed a social group that met regularly. The group even traveled together for many years. “I used all the money I made from sewing to travel,” she says. “All over Europe and 31 cruises!”

Alice stays closer to home now but is still on the move. Most days, she climbs on her stationary bike for a 15-minute workout. After two falls, she started using a walker. “I was OK but now I’m a lot more careful,” she says.

“I don’t have health problems other than diabetes—but I can eat anything I want, just in moderation,” Alice says. “I’m healthy, and I feel good.”