Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/599442
VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE REACHED 90 SHARE THEIR SECRETS TO MAINTAINING A FULL, ACTIVE LIFE. WRITTEN BY JAMES F. MILLS 90 IS THE NEW 65! Torrance Memorial Medical Center celebrated a milestone in its history this year: 90 years ago the vision of city founder Jared Sidney Torrance and his wife, Helena Childs Torrance, was realized when the doors to the 32-bed Jared Sidney Torrance Memorial Hospital opened in Old Torrance. To celebrate this historic marker, Torrance Memorial honored hospital volunteers who are more than 90-years young. As part of a celebration, guests traveled back in time to experience the music, cars and clothing of 1925. Pulse spoke with several of those nonagenarians to learn some of their secrets of living a long and healthy life. Staying active is essential. "Keep moving!" emphasizes 93-year-old Alice Young, who has volunteered for 29 years. "Whether it's walking or sports, do something active each day. I walk for an hour or so five days a week and I live in a house with stairs everywhere." Dan Colburn, 93, agrees. He started volunteering six years ago aer the death of his wife, Marlow, a volunteer for almost 30 years. "I used to walk four miles a day," Colburn says. "I'd walk to Redondo Beach pier, have a cup of coffee and come home." Colburn recently had to cut back on his walks aer suffering a stroke. He was at the hospital on his regular volunteer shi when he had the stroke and doctors were able to treat him immediately and successfully. To keep his brain sharp, he also is a ham-radio operator. "That requires a bit of thinking and also keeps me interacting with people." Having a strong support system of family and friends is also essential. "Good family connections are so important," reports Dorothy Lisman, who had almost 30 relatives present at her recent 90th birthday and has been volunteering for 57 years. "Having family around is wonderful. My youngest son moved in with me aer my husband died in 2004. It's a blessing to not live alone." Along those same lines, it's good to be outgoing and enjoy people. Ninety-year-old Lois Lunde, who has volunteered twice a week for the past 10 years, says: "It's important to like people. I enjoy different people and have met a lot of people at the hospital. Each one is individual and has unique things to offer." Keeping your mind healthy and alert is also important. Doris Griffin, 91, who has been volunteering for 18 years, reports that she does crossword puzzles routinely to keep her mind sharp. She also attends a political club regularly: "Getting out and engaging with the community will stimulate your mind." Lisman still reads the newspaper daily and also crochets. "I crochet blankets for babies in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) where I volunteer. I do two or three blankets a week. Parents still remember me for crocheting those blankets for their babies." From top: George W. Graham successfully turned the medical center into a profitable organization; Helena Childs Torrance; Jared Sidney Torrance made a will leaving $100,000 to the Torrance Hospital Association.