SuperAging in the News
5 Science-Backed Tips to Boost Longevity That Won't Cost a Dime
On social media, the pursuit of aging well usually involves loosely studied supplements, high-tech wearables, and pricey gyms or spas. But living a longer, healthier life doesn’t need to be so complicated (or expensive). To live longer and live well, according to longevity experts, going back to basics is really all you need. Here are the simple habits these experts recommend—and they don’t cost a dime.
At 91, this usher is the beloved guardian of umpires at Busch Stadium
Vito Adamo, 91, held out his palm in front of a man nearly a foot taller and many pounds heavier to stop him in his tracks.
“Hold on, sir!” he says. Adamo guards the umpires’ locker room area at Busch stadium. No one without a badge or authorization gets by him.
Chicago SuperAger Edith Renfrow Smith turns 111
Edith Renfrow Smith has spent over a century defying expectations. Widely recognized as the first Black woman to graduate from Grinnell College and the oldest participant in the SuperAging Research Initiative at the University of Chicago, she marked her 111th birthday in July 2025 with the same energy and wit that have inspired generations.
'Every day that God gives you, use it'
Edith Renfrow Smith, who turned 111 Monday, is still reading, still voting, still baking, still an advocate of living every day to the fullest.
How 'SuperAgers' Stay Sharp And Active Longer Than Their Peers
Ever noticed how some people get to their 80s and 90s and continue to be healthy and active? They spend their days playing mahjong, driving to lunch, learning shuffle dancing, and practicing Portuguese. Those are “super agers,” seniors who stay fit well into old age. How do they do it? Is it luck or genetics? In this live broadcast, Hosts Flora Lichtman and Ira Flatow discuss the science of aging with two experts on the topic, cardiologist Eric Topol and neuroscientist Emily Rogalski.
SuperAger Secrets: Keep Your Mind Sharp Past Age 80
Superagers seem to have cracked the code that enables them to maintain the brain health of much younger people. Even as they pass their 80th birthdays and beyond, they stay sharp. What do superagers have to teach the rest of us?
Unlocking the secrets 'superagers'
Why do some octogenarians have exceptional memories? Emily Rogalski, Professor of Neurology at the University of Chicago, has been working in this area for years.
Unlocking the Secrets of SuperAgers
Dr. Rogalski is the Rosalind Franklin Professor of Neurology and the Director of the Healthy Aging & Alzheimer’s Care (HAARC) Center at the University of Chicago. Her multimodal research focuses on two aging perspectives: primary progressive aphasia (PPA), in which neurodegenerative disease invades the language network, and SuperAging, in which 80+-year-olds are resistant to memory decline associated with aging.
Unlocking the secrets of Michigan's 'superagers' who defy the golden years
A four-state study aims to tease out the clues to superaging. Among the study participants is Sandy Vong, a volleyball trailblazer who coached the University of Michigan’s women’s volleyball team to a Big Ten championship. He continues to watch and offer guidance to the current players and coaching staff at each practice. He’s 96.
10 habits to keep your brain young
Don’t let age hold you back: it’s never too late to build a more resilient brain and body.
Researchers Unlocking Secrets to Healthy Aging
Population studies show adults over 80 are the world’s fastest growing demographic and in Canada, they are quickly outpacing other age groups. Yet, despite this surge, society is woefully unprepared in terms of health care, housing, accessibility and social programming.
The Catalysts | The SuperAgers with Dr. Angela Roberts
Why do some older adults in their 80s, 90s and even 100s age well? What’s the secret to their excellent cognition? Is it genetics or environmental factors? Join us as we take a sneak peek into the world of the SuperAgers.
In this episode, Western Professor Angela Roberts flips the aging problem on its head and looks at why some age exceptionally well. Discover what makes the Canadian cohort of SuperAgers extra special – a diverse group of older adults with exceptional cognition, an unquenchable thirst for life and adventure, and to top it all, resilience against time and adversity.
What Makes SuperAgers Stay Healthy for So Long? |Science Friday
A common worry among older adults is how their brains and bodies might decline as they age. A small but fortunate group will live past their 95th birthdays, while staying cognitively sharp and free of major health complications. They’re called “SuperAgers.”Researchers are working to figure out some of the genetic factors behind SuperAgers’ longevity—and how that knowledge might help the rest of the population live longer and healthier lives.
Unlocking the Secrets of SuperAgers with Emily Rogalski | Big Brains Podcast
We used to think aging inevitably led to memory loss, but a small group of people—known as SuperAgers—are defying the odds. These individuals, all over 80, have the memory performance of someone in the 50s. The question is: how?
One of the leading experts studying SuperAgers is University of Chicago neurologist Emily Rogalski. She explores the fascinating science behind SuperAgers—uncovering what makes their physical brains different and how their lifestyle choices could be the key to a having a sharper, healthier brain well into old age.
Chicago Hyde Park Village Celebrates 10 Years
Fourteen years ago, 35 people crammed into Susan Alitto’s Hyde Park living room with a plan to form a “village” for older adults to help each other age in their own homes. “People realized that as we got older, we did want to stay in our own homes, but we probably would need some help,” said Alitto of the group. At the time, Alitto was 75-years-old and semi-retired, working part-time. Soon, she found herself working full-time for the Village.
How to increase your odds of becoming a 'SuperAger'
In a relatively new field, researchers are examining what contributes to people in their 80s and 90s having stronger brain power than their peers. Many are wondering if those findings can be distilled into a longevity routine or pill to help everyone become a SuperAger. Is it possible to increase your odds of becoming a SuperAger?
She's still busy at 105. How do Canada's 'super agers' keep going?
The 105-year-old Levack, Not., woman spends Tuesday afternoons in town playing with her friends at the golden age club, often bringing home-baked treats to share with her friends. Charlebois is an avid reader and loves to sew. She makes hats for babies at the nearby hospital – having picked up knitting as a new hobby when she was 100 years old.
Is London a Blue Zone? Scientific evidence says maybe.
What do Jack Kerr, Janet Smith (a pseudonym for privacy), Jean Hewitt and Dolores Shackelton have in common? Through all are presently Londoners, they were born in different places, come from diverse backgrounds and have dissimilar work histories. Despite those differences, they all love to read, all have a positive view on life and are over the age of 80. They aren’t personally acquainted but all are contributing to science in a new and exciting way – participating in the SuperAging Research Initiative at Western University.
A Peek Inside the Brains of 'Super-Agers' | New York Times
Most research on aging and memory focuses on the other side of the equation – people who develop dementia in their later years. But, “if we’re constantly talking about what’s going wrong in aging, it’s not capturing the full spectrum of what’s happening in the older adult population,” said Emily Rogalski, a professor of neurology at the University of Chicago, who published one of the first studies on super-agers in 2012.
Ask an Expert | June Scott, Travel Enthusiast
Scott, 92, has visited more than 100 different countries in pursuit of her globetrotting passion for experiencing other cultures. She credits her late husband with instilling in her a sense of adventure before he passed away 25 years ago.
Study finds more clues as to why 'SuperAgers' have better brains | CNN
In the largest observational study to date on “SuperAgers” — people in their 80s who have brains as sharp as those 30 years younger — researchers in Spain found key differences in lifestyle that may contribute to these older adults’ razor-sharp minds.
Inside the Mind of Super Agers | AARP
Some people in their 80s and 90s show shockingly little decline in their brainpower. Scientists are beginning to understand what makes them different and how the rest of us might benefit.
Unlocking the secrets of SuperAgers |Michigan Today
SuperAgeres are showing us it’s possible to enjoy quality cognition as we age.
Unlocking the secrets of 'SuperAgers' | Western Alumni Magazine
A pioneering study at Western is set to explore Canadian individuals in their 80s, 90s and beyond who retain remarkable cognitive capacities — those known as ‘SuperAgers’
What We Can Learn from SuperAgers | BottomLineInc
Why do so many older people experience age-related memory loss? Why do so many develop dementia? Researchers have devoted tremendous amounts of times and money to study of cognitive decline over the years… but far less attention is paid to the flip side of these questions – why do some older people not experience age-related memory loss or dementia?
At 109, education pioneer Edith Renfrow reflects on 'The greatest century we have seen' | WGNTV
Edith Renfrow Smith is about to turn 109 years old, and as she sits down in a leather chair in the dining room at a senior home, she’s ready to talk about everything, just don’t ask her how she’s feeling.
All the right moves: Middle Tennessee woman shares secrets to SuperAging
Scientist are working to uncover the secrets of this small, elite group of people over 80 whose memory still functions as well as that of someone in their 50s or 60s.