109-Year-Old Woman Jessie Gallen Talks Key To Living A Long And Healthy Life

Recent years have seen a rise in societal awareness of aging-related conditions, in part because of demographic trends that indicate a sharp increase in the elderly population. What is the key to a long life? Ask a centenarian (someone who is 100 years old), and you will get a variety of answers. Some will likely mention a healthy diet and regular exercise, while others will attribute their longevity to good genes. For 116-year-old Susanna Mushatt Jones, she asserted that eating bacon contributed to her long life.

A survey was commissioned in 2015 by a group called Holiday Retirement, with all respondents over the age of 100. One of the many questions asked was for the centenarians to share the secret to living such a long and meaningful life. Most of them had similar answers, ranging from spending time with family, saving money early, not running away from life’s problems, and staying physically active.

Jessie Gallan Reveals Her Secret To Long Life

One of the centenarians interviewed, Jessie Gallan, who lived until she was 109 years old, gave a response that everyone adored. Born in Kintore, Scotland, on a farm in 1906, Gallan grew up in a two-room cottage with her six siblings consisting of five sisters and a brother. They slept on straw-filled mattresses, and she only went to school for a short time before leaving to work in a farm kitchen and become a wealthy businessman’s housemaid. She eventually began a career in the service industry in both the country and the city.

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While speaking with the Daily Mail in 2015, Jessie said, “My secret to a long life has been staying away from men. They’re simply more trouble than they’re worth. I also made sure to exercise regularly, eat a nice warm bowl of porridge every morning, and never married. I’ve always worked hard and rarely took vacations. When I was 13, I left home and started milking cows. I’ve always had good jobs with pleasant coworkers. It’s incredible to see how different the world is now from the one I grew up in.”

Gallan Died At 109 Years

Gallan relocated to Aberdeen’s Crosby House, a senior care facility. “Jessie is a lovely woman, Sarah Jane, her best friend, is here, and they are always together. She enjoys music and exercise, and she is a self-sufficient individual. She’s always on the move,” one of the support staff at the home had told a local news station several years ago.

Rebecca Streeter, a senior support worker at Crosby House, revealed that the centenarian was still involved in group activities at her age. “She enjoys her exercise. She attends all of the concerts and loves her church on Sundays, and she has led a very healthy lifestyle.”

Gallan died at the age of 109 years old as Scotland’s oldest woman in March 2015, three months after revealing her secret to living a long life to the world.