Maria Branyas, World's Oldest Person, Dies in Spain at 117 (yahoo.com) 60
Maria Branyas, who was the world's oldest person, has died peacefully in a Spanish nursing home at the age of 117. From a report: "Maria Branyas has left us. She has died as she wanted: in her sleep, peacefully and without pain," her official X account said, and a spokesperson at the nursing home confirmed the news without providing details. Branyas had suggested that her demise was imminent on Monday on X, saying: "I feel weak. The time is coming. Don't cry, I don't like tears... You know me, wherever I go, I will be happy." Her X account is handled by her daughter.
She had turned 117 on March 4, according to Guinness World Records, and had become the oldest person in the world in January 2023. Born in San Francisco, California, in 1907, she moved with her Spanish family back to the northeastern region of Catalonia when she was seven. She spent the rest of her life there, living through the 1936-39 civil war and two pandemics a century apart - the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic and the 2020-2021 COVID-19 pandemic. In 1931, she married Catalan doctor Joan Moret, with whom she had three children. Her husband passed away in 1976 and she also outlived her son, August, who died in a tractor accident at the age of 86, Guinness World Records said on its website.
She had turned 117 on March 4, according to Guinness World Records, and had become the oldest person in the world in January 2023. Born in San Francisco, California, in 1907, she moved with her Spanish family back to the northeastern region of Catalonia when she was seven. She spent the rest of her life there, living through the 1936-39 civil war and two pandemics a century apart - the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic and the 2020-2021 COVID-19 pandemic. In 1931, she married Catalan doctor Joan Moret, with whom she had three children. Her husband passed away in 1976 and she also outlived her son, August, who died in a tractor accident at the age of 86, Guinness World Records said on its website.
Please no (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Please no (Score:4, Funny)
eventually they just hung her skin-sack up on the wall.
Where she demanded continual moisturization.
Or was it more a Face Of Boe kind of gig?
Re:Please no (Score:4, Interesting)
It was Tithonus (a guy). Eos, goddess of the dawn was in love with him, and asked Zeus to grant him immortality. Unfortunately, Zeus did not give Tithonus eternal youth.
To relieve his misery, Eos turned him into a grasshopper (or a cicada, it varies), so that whenever she heard the chirps, she could remember him.
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Please no (Score:4, Interesting)
Re: (Score:3)
...if spending decades in nursing is something they look forward to...
On the list of things I find more distressing than spending decades in a nursing home, I've got: not spending decades in a nursing home.
As long as I've got my brain, I'm content. When people ask me how I'd prefer to die, my go-to answer is "the heat-death of the universe." There is so much to learn, to see, to experience even if you're in a home... if you've got your mind. If you lose that, well, yeah, that's the day it's over for me.
Re: Please no (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
I don't think you have to worry much either way. I personally do not know of anybody living more than 10 years in a nursing home.
I wonder if there are some stats of the median time spent in a nursing home by country or region.
Re: (Score:2)
Just keyed your "wonder" into perplexity.ai and this is what it said.
Answer
While comprehensive global statistics on median time spent in nursing homes are limited, I can provide some insights based on available data:
United States
In the US, the median length of stay in nursing homes is relatively short:
The median length of stay for nursing home residents is approximately 5 months
53% of nursing home residents die within 6 months of admission
.
There are significant differences based
Re: (Score:2)
Thanks...if this data is close to reality. You get killed ...ooops i mean you die...very quickly in a nursing home.
Re: (Score:2)
I don't think you have to worry much either way. I personally do not know of anybody living more than 10 years in a nursing home. I wonder if there are some stats of the median time spent in a nursing home by country or region.
2 years here in Manitoba, Canada. My mom lasted 2.5, and during my visits it was pretty clear there was "regular turnover".
Re: (Score:2)
People are in a home because they do not have the awareness and mobility to look after themselves: shopping, cooking, housework is physically, and sometimes mentally, impossible.
Winter is a regular killer of old people (I already knew that visiting charities: Their shops have more stuff in winter), mostly of women. While aging happens in spurts, there is a point of instability: The body continues to decline, causing death in a matter of months.
Re: (Score:2)
There is so much to learn, to see, to experience even if you're in a home... if you've got your mind.
Having recently watched my 96 yo mother slowly succumb to Alzheimers over a period of years in long term care, I should emphasize that latter part is key, but still not always ideal.
Most of the people in that home had cognitive issues, but there were a few who were there only because they needed the physical support (eg wheelchairs) but were perfectly fine mentally, and it was them I felt sorry the most for. Living in such a facility surrounded by failing people would incredibly depressing. People wand
Re: (Score:2)
When people ask me how I'd prefer to die,
Snu snu.
Re: (Score:2)
"When I die I want to go peacefully in my sleep, like my father, not kicking and screaming like his passengers".
Thank you, I'm here all week, please tip your waitress, etc...
Re: (Score:2)
> As long as I've got my brain, I'm content.
Don't be so sure. That brain might be focused on pain or fulfilling a basic need like breathing or peeing.
Re: (Score:3)
Once, that was my answer too. One learns that much of the world is repetitive: Young people choosing the same delusions, me seeing the same deformed personalities on a different body. No, one tires of having the same fight every day: I know why old people are grumpy. Plus, there's the damage of age, itself. Now, I worry how good my eyesight will be: The realization, one day, I won't be able to stand and walk outside, is incomprehensible and scary.
When muscles, eyesight, and awareness of the surroundi
Re: Please no (Score:1)
Aging is a biological process, and thus amenable to being interfered with. Living longer, of course, implies extending the peak of our 20s.
Re: (Score:2)
Aging is a biological process, and thus amenable to being interfered with. Living longer, of course, implies extending the peak of our 20s.
So far, all life extension is on the failing life of old age.
And we've been stuck there for a long time. Even though we have allowed people to live longer with chemical assistance, we haven't extended some pretty hard limits. We have more 100 year old people now, but not a soul has reached 250 years old. And the 100 year old people - living in advanced support, likely bedridden and incontinent - miss me with that.
Re: (Score:2)
Aging is a biological process, and thus amenable to being interfered with. Living longer, of course, implies extending the peak of our 20s.
So far, all life extension is on the failing life of old age.
And we've been stuck there for a long time. Even though we have allowed people to live longer with chemical assistance, we haven't extended some pretty hard limits. We have more 100 year old people now, but not a soul has reached 250 years old. And the 100 year old people - living in advanced support, likely bedridden and incontinent - miss me with that.
We have seen two things. The first is the compression of senescence -- the period of decline and enfeeblement compressed into a short period at the end of life (this is not "extending the peak of our 20s" more like extending healthy middle age). The second is pushing us closer to our natural biological age limit (about 80 for most people). There is no evidence at all yet of any extension of the human maximum lifespan.
There has been a belief among gerontolgists that there is a decline in the death rate at ab
Re: (Score:2)
I've known perhaps half a dozen Centenarians, including an 111 yr old, all living at home, fairly fine intellectually, still sorta getting around with some help, canes, elevator on the stairs kind of things, all close to deaf which was the hardest part of interacting with them.
Some people win the genetic lottery. Was reading a while back that one Elizabeth the Firsts maids lived to a hundred, they had good pensions. Looking, all I get are hits in Maids of Honour and such, high rank. I do see Lettice Knollys
Re: (Score:2)
I've known perhaps half a dozen Centenarians, including an 111 yr old, all living at home, fairly fine intellectually, still sorta getting around with some help, canes, elevator on the stairs kind of things, all close to deaf which was the hardest part of interacting with them.
That's the thing about humans - we all live to different ages. Some die old, some die young.
Now perhaps my outlook is skewed, because as our families parents were dealing with the death process, I got to spend a fair amount of time visiting nursing homes, where I met a lot of people who were husks of humans, incontinent, not mobile and drugged to maintain tractability, and mentally not there.
Now, if I were to feel like I do now at my age when I'm 111, I won't complain. Probably won't happen though.
Re: (Score:2)
The natural hard limit seems to be around 120 years, maybe a couple of years more. And centenarians are not typically the ones that are bedridden, at least not until their last year or two.
Re: (Score:1)
Besides, the only way we can have an egalitarian society, which is the most important thing any civilized society should and must strive for, is if all people died at the same age. Then we can also ensure that all people receive social security benefits fairly.
Re: (Score:2)
"Congratulations, you took care of your body over the long run, and by doing so you have surpassed the max life span we allow in our society. Your execution date is set in order to keep life fair for all."
Re: (Score:2)
So then, may I suggest 30 years old [wikipedia.org].
Re: (Score:2)
Actually, you REALLY should go with the book Logan's Run [wikipedia.org]...
The age in the book was 21yrs....the crystal changed every 7 years.
The book was WAY better than the movie...more detailed on the lands/areas they visited...the cubs, Box...many more.
And in the gun, it was much more terrifying...basically a 6-shooter which different charges in each cylinder...the worst being "homer". which homed in on body heat and when it hit you, it unraveled your entire nervous system. P
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
At this point, I'm just hoping for a vampire to bite me on the neck...and turn me.
Although, I would prefer maybe to wait till I can lose just a few more pounds, I don't wanna be a fat vampire for eternity....if I have the choice.
Re: (Score:2)
At this point, I'm just hoping for a vampire to bite me on the neck...and turn me.
Here ya go - Selma Hayek as a vampire in "From Dusk to Dawn", https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com] Doing a snake dance.
Re: (Score:2)
The recent research indicating that aging may happen in spurts was something I find interesting. To me it looks like something must be slowly failing and then a tipping point hits with a bunch of secondary effects.
The reason I find that interesting is it would seem to imply that there are fewer underlying causes than the common view of "everything is slowly failing constantly". That means fewer things to fix.
I do not want to live forever, but practical immortality where barring death by misadventure I liv
Re: (Score:2)
That's why we need more research into curing the disease known as aging. Imagine living to 120 in the body of a 25 year old. (or longer, but lets assume genetics just 'give out' at some upper limit, until the allele and telomere problems are solved.)
Will we see that as an improvement, or just still feel that we aren't living long enough. It is a relative thing - at least to me. Perhaps I'm an outlier, but living forever doesn't sound that great to me.
I'm good to hang around as long as I'm not in too much pain, or can't get around, or develop dementia. Oddly enough, my mental acuity isn't degrading like I've seen in so many my age group. So that's a good thing. The pain thing might be my undoing - I'm allergic to opioids, aspirin eats my stomach, an
Re: (Score:2)
and if spending decades in nursing is something they look forward to, I'm hoping to exit this life with some dignity
You may have a dim view of a nursing home now, but it has zero to do with dignity. Many people are in a nursing home for the comfort and social aspects. I can only give you the personal anecdote that my grandma basically saw a nursing home as a new lease on life - more people to talk to - more activities to do, and the aspect of having the help when needed without having to call my aunt and ask her if she could come take her shopping was a bonus.
Yeah some people in nursing homes are wearing diapers and are
Re: (Score:2)
and if spending decades in nursing is something they look forward to, I'm hoping to exit this life with some dignity
You may have a dim view of a nursing home now, but it has zero to do with dignity.
Having familial experience with family in nursing homes, spending a good bit of time visiting them, and going over their drug lists, because doctors use them as a profit source, is it your premise that people on Haldol https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org] are having a great time? Most were. It numbs a person out. But the doctors will write out new prescriptions to handle all the side effects, then new ones to handle those drugs side effects.
Many people are in a nursing home for the comfort and social aspects. I can only give you the personal anecdote that my grandma basically saw a nursing home as a new lease on life - more people to talk to - more activities to do, and the aspect of having the help when needed without having to call my aunt and ask her if she could come take her shopping was a bonus.
Yeah some people in nursing homes are wearing diapers and are bed bound, but that's not a reflection of nursing homes in general. When I visited
We're always hearing about the oldest person dying (Score:3)
Being the world's oldest person seems to be more dangerous than beaming down to a planet in a red shirt.
Re: (Score:2)
This is almost certainly based on reported, rather than rigorously documented, old ages. In other words the person has a 22% chance of living another year -- or soon claiming to have done so (actually reporting an earlier birth year).
Sigh (Score:2)
She died too young.
Re: (Score:2)
She died too young.
Yeah; it makes you think.
It was the vaccine (Score:2, Funny)
She took the Spanish flu vaccine back in 1918 and that's what did her in.
My grandpa "only" died at 84 but (Score:5, Funny)
he had the greatest death.
He died in 1995 but to this day, whenever I think of him, I can't help laughing my ass off.
My grandpa died fucking his mistress of 40 years. I shit you not: his heart gave up in the middle of the action. His mistress had the scare of her life.
This happened at 2 am. After the lady called the police and the police did what they had to do, they went to my grandparents' house, banged on the door and woke up my grandmoter. The conversation went something like this:
- Ma'am, I'm sorry to inform you that your husband has died.
- Oh really? He told me he went to the bar this evening. What happened? Is that where he died? Did he drink too much?
- Er... not exactly...
- Well... Tell me what happened!
So they did tell her. The sheriff told me her face was priceless :)
To put things in perspective, my grandmother was a nasty piece of work. She was not nice with anybody, least of which with my grandpop, who was the kindest man in the world. So he found true love in the arms of another woman and kept it secret for 40 years, from my grandmother and from us, literally until the end.
When the police told me he had died suddenly and without pain - and from what I understand, in the middle of an orgasm - and they they told me how my grandmother reacted, I pissed myself laughing. Well done grandpop! I'm still laughing today, and I'll probably go to my own grave laughing.
Of course I was sad that my beloved grandpa died. But Jesus what a way to go. I want to go like that too!
Re: (Score:2)
My doctor told me that the age difference between myself and my much younger girlfriend could result in serious complications, even death.
I replied, "If she dies, she dies."
Re: (Score:2)
Urban myth.
As the old joke goes (Score:4, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
NIce for her (Score:2)
"She has died as she wanted: in her sleep, peacefully and without pain."
And not screaming in fear like the passengers in her car.
A Living 117-Old Person Wasn't News, Yesterday (Score:2)
Long nursing home stay = no inheritance 4 u (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
US residents will eventually not have a choice, if they keep allowing the 0.1% of the wealthiest find scams to avoid paying their percentage of taxes. Estate tax is the only way to collect money from the uberwealthy, without actually taxing the individual while he is biologically alive.
Possibly 117, But Probably Not (Score:2)
In places where there is reliable documentation for birth dates and individual identity there is no documented case of someone living past 115 [wiley.com].
Not true. (Score:2)
I don't know about you (Score:1)