ADVICE OF DELANY SISTERS ON MAINTAINING INDEPENDENCE IN OLD AGE

(Miss Sadie Delany, aged 106, and her sister, Dr. Bessie Delany, deceased at 104, had definite rules for living a long and healthy life. Both exercised every single day, whether they felt like it or not. Both always downed chopped garlic and cod liver oil at breakfast and ate at least seven vegetables at lunchtime. The sisters also made a habit of living as stress-free a life as possible. They steadfastly refused to install a telephone, preferring more personal methods of communication. Other strategies for the sisters’ serenity were published in the Delany Sisters’ Book of Everyday Wisdom in 1994).

Bessie and Sadie, the Delany sisters are famous for remaining physically and mentally active into their second century. After they became 101 and 103 years of age respectively, the book on their experiences was a best-seller book, the television shows were very popular. I am quoting some of their pieces of advice, comments and wisdom:

“No matter how old you get, you think of yourself as young. In our dreams, we are always young.”

Sadie Delany

“Most folks think getting older means giving up, not trying anything new. Well, we don’t agree with that. As long as you can see each day as a chance for something new to happen, something you never experienced before, you will stay young—–even after a century of living, we haven’t tried everything. We‘ve only just started.”

Sadie Delany

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