A centenarian who is as fit and active as ever at 101 has shared her secrets to a long and healthy life.
Ann Angeletti suggests there are a number of things people could do to boost their chances of longevity, but she says there's one thing, above all others, that's kept her thriving for more than 10 decades – work!
To put things into perspective, Ann was 80 and considered elderly more 20 years ago.
An inspiration to her local community in New Jersey, US, she continues to lead by example, running her own successful jewellery business alongside her daughter and granddaughter.
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She still works six days a week in her shop, Curiosity Jewellers, travelling into the city to haggle and strike business deals. Her appetite for hard work, she says, is as strong as ever.
Naturally industrious, Ann always worked hard. From a young age, she demonstrated impressive dedication, leaving school to help in her family’s grocery store.
During World War Two, she worked in a Navy Yard while her husband was off fighting. She then became a waitress, but she knew her passion was elsewhere – in fashion and jewellery.
Ann insists she still loves working, claiming she has to keep doing it. “If I retire, I die, so I can not stay home,” she told Eyewitness News ABC7NY in a recent interview.
She's also offered several other tips simple for people who hope to live into their hundreds.
Ann puts a great deal of importance on self-care, explaining how the basics are often the most important and the most overlooked.
She said: “You must get up. You must shower. You must eat. You must take care of yourself.” she explains, emphasising that it's everyday habits that contribute to greater longevity.
In addition to looking after the body and mind, Ann also says finding and developing personal happiness is crucial to a long life. “If you don’t like what you’re doing, then change,” Ann said. “Always focus on building relationships first."
It's a philosophy Ann herself subscribes to, stressing that building connections with her customers is crucial in both the development of herself and her business.
She added: “See, I don’t care if customers don’t buy. They come in and we have coffee.”
Ann remains a pillar of her local community, and many admire her remarkable ability to keep on moving and working so actively despite her age.
“You are the biggest inspiration for me myself,” a business associates said to her. “I love you, always asking for a better price.”