They Made It to the Top 0.2%—in Age. Here’s What Helped Them Get There.

livemint.com:

Good genes may be a big piece of the longevity puzzle, but there are some strategies that seem to help people maintain vitality later in life. Wall Street Journal readers shared their own and loved ones’ stories about reaching and surpassing the age of 95, which would put them in just 0.2% of today’s population, according to the Census Bureau. Below, their advice on living long and well.

Be adventurous At 102 years old, Conbert Benneck of Dallas isn’t sure about the key to his long life, but he suspects it’s his adventurous spirit. Benneck’s propensity for adventure began in his teenage years, when he rode his bicycle more than 90 miles through Germany. After World War II broke out, Benneck joined the U.S.

Army. His company landed in Normandy shortly after D-Day. Once his active duty ended, Benneck completed his engineering degree at the University of Denver and went on to work as a field engineer for Sperry Gyroscope.

His job took him all over the world. When he left that company in 1956, he spent six months skiing and driving a sports car around Europe. His adventurous spirit again paid off by the time he reached Innsbruck, Austria, he recalled: “[I] met my future wife in a wine cellar on the Maria Theresa Strasse." Stay open to connection Researchers have found that social connection is key to longevity.

But those with the longest lifespans often outlive many of their friends and even family members, making it difficult to maintain a vibrant social life. Sarah Miriam Netting outlived many of her friends, recalled her great-niece Katharine Hunt of Okemos, Mich. “My Aunt Miriam lived to be 101.