Though plenty of people want to live a long time, they don't find the idea being of 100 years old particularly appealing, a researcher tells the New York Times. Good news, Prof. Daniela Jopp finds: The people who make it to 100 tend to feel pretty optimistic about life, even with, "on average, between four and five illnesses which are pretty disabling." Her findings are especially intriguing considering that half of people born after 2000 are expected to live to be 100 or older. Among the highlights of her research, along with findings noted in the Washington Post, which reports that America currently claims 55,000 centenarians:
- Those who are at least 95 generally say they're happier with life than those in their 60s and 70s, Jopp notes. That may be because younger seniors haven't yet adjusted to the aging process and the health issues that may accompany it, she suggests.