The average life expectancy for an American today is 77.9 years -- but for some people, that’s simply not enough.
Following the death of his mother, documentary director Mark Wexler devoted about three years of his life trying to understand the title premise of his new film, “How To Live Forever.” The documentary (which Wexler promises in the beginning will only take up about an hour and a half of your life) releases nationwide today, offering a comprehensive and surprisingly uplifting look at death, dying, graceful aging and longevity.
Traveling from California to Japan and back again, Wexler spoke to a variety of experts, including scientific leaders, religious figures, funeral directors and even a representative from a group that freezes dead bodies with the intent to bring them back to life when science allows.
But Wexler also interviewed a handful of people in the 80 to 100-plus community (including a few cameos from the oldest people in the world) about why they’ve been able to celebrate so many birthdays. From one of the most famous fitness personalities of modern times to a cigarette smoking marathon runner, here’s some of their most salient advice on aging gracefully:
Delores Bates at age 80, Ms. Senior of Arkansas: Continue to find new dreams
In one of the early scenes of the documentary, Wexler visits the 60-plus Ms. Senior of America Pageant in Las Vegas, where a “philosophy of life segment” replaces the swimsuit portion of the competition. (One senior cracked during this part of the pageant, “I’m may be a senior, but I’m still hot. It just comes in flashes).
Here, we meet Ms. Senior Arkansas, who at age 80 is dancing on stage after a total knee replacement. Her pastor didn’t approve of a trip to sin city, but Bates went anyway. And while she didn’t take home the crown, she says she’s still a winner -- getting married again after being widowed for 17 years. “He can drive at night,” she says. “That’s a plus when you get older.”
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