The anxiety about growing old and dying can be obsessive for some but others embrace the challenge. Today, Sampan explores this duality through the eyes of two local centenarians and two experts on aging.
On January 1, 2024, according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, Amy Guen turned 101 years old. She keeps health at the forefront of her mind. “If I don’t, the doctors will!” she chuckled as we wrapped up our long conversation about her family’s history as providers of traditional Chinese medicine, her long career as a pioneering social worker and activist in Boston, and her personal philosophy for keeping healthy.
Born in 1924 as the oldest of 6 children, Guen’s family lived above her family’s traditional Chinese medicine shop — at that time referred to as the Chinese Herbalism Shop in Boston’s Chinatown. Guen’s grandfather immigrated to the United States to open his herbalist business to serve the Chinese laborers who were busy building the tracks for America’s Transcontinental Railroad. Her father followed in her grandfather’s footsteps but unfortunately, Guen’s time with her father would be short, as he died when she was only 10 years old after her mother had died not long before when she was 8.
Guen graduated from Boston College with a degree in social work in 1952 and immediately found a job. She quickly became very interested in how she could improve the health of the neighborhood, much like her father and grandfather did as herbalists. She helped lead projects in the 70s and 80s like the South Cove Community Health Center and South Cove Manor, a nursing home for Chinese speaking senior citizens. With this long career as a social worker focused on public health, she became identified as a pioneer in Boston for culturally competent social work.
Guen firmly believes that eating simple foods with consistent balance is important for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. “I eat a lot of green vegetables, simple and natural foods. The trick is to eat with your head and not with your eyesight. Look for health with a capital H”. Dr. Alice Lichtenstein, a Senior Scientist and Director of the Cardiovascular Nutrition Team at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, affirms Guen’s theory. about eating. When Sampan asked Lichtenstein how people can add years to your life, she encouraged us to : “Prepare the majority of food at home and take advantage of sales on healthy in-season foods. Stock the freezer with frozen vegetables and fruits. They tend to be more affordable than fresh and have a long shelf life. Nutritionally they are as or more nutritious than fresh. Because they are already washed and cut up they are convenient for incorporating into soups, stews and stir fries, making it more likely their presence in the diet will be increased. Eat whole grains instead of refined drains to maintain adequate fiber intake and try to get more protein from plant sources rather than meat sources as it’s good for both dietary quality and the environment.”
Phil Schwartz is 102 years old. He will turn 103 in February. He is a World War II Veteran who grew up during the Great Depression in a very poor home. His father supported the family by cleaning the streets through the WPA for quite a while and his mother was a particularly savvy cook who could make a lot with a little. He met Miriam Perlsey and married her shortly after he was drafted and sent to Italy for a few years, where he served in the 34th Infantry Division. He remembers that his wife Miriam (Mim) was wonderful. “If you knew her for five minutes, you liked her. My wife and I lived for each other, for many, many years. She passed from pancreatic cancer about ten years ago and she was the focus of my life.”
Schwartz describes that in the past ten years, he tries to exercise daily and uses the stationary bicycle In the building. He used to be a smoker but gave it up. “I think that’s helped me live longer. My doctor told me ‘you’re quitting’ and I went outside and threw my cigarettes away and I never smoked after that.” He told Sampan that he lives in a good place. A woman prepares a weekly schedule for everyone and they have music. “I try not to miss any of that. And I’m fortunate to have my son nearby. He’s only ten minutes away. “
Both Guen and Schwartz work at “aging well.” They stay focused on their health and balancing all aspects of living. Sampan spoke to Dr. Thomas T. Perls, Director of the New England Centenarian Study and Professor of Medicine and Geriatrics at Boston University about creating a balance of the mind, body and spirit for a long life. He specializes in epidemiology, genetics of aging, and exceptional longevity. The New England Centenarian Study, started in 1995, is the largest and most comprehensive study of centenarians in the world. It aims not to focus on the fountain of youth but on what Perls refers to as “the fountain of aging well.” He suggests that one reason why the mind/body/spirit connection may contribute to longevity is that it helps a person manage their stress.
Epilogue
At 102, Phil Schwartz says that he tries to be nice to everyone. “I don’t discriminate against anybody…I try to be as nice and as friendly as I can be. People have to be nice to each other because we all have the same problems. Try to be good to each other. Try to help each other. Be friendly with each other.”
At 101, Amy Guen’s activism and deep commitment to community keep her moving. She still participates in activities which have important meaning to her. Sampan recently saw her at a Community Forum on Violence in Boston. Her active schedule has proven pivotal in living a long, healthy, happy life.
