Currently, there are over 120,000 people aged 100 years or more in Europe. In Poland, there are 4,000 centenarians. And although demographic forecasts say that the number of people above 100 years of age will be on the rise in the decades to come, each centenarian is a unique case that should be the focus of interest for medical and social researchers. In this article, we are going to present the results of qualitative research carried out among people aged 100 or older and show their perception of their own old age in the context of their individual life stories. The results prove that despite individual differences, experience, and functional limitations, the respondents are very open to other people and take the passage of time and their developing age with a pinch of salt. The most important aspects of life for the respondents are positive social relations in their closest environment, deep and authentic faith, and an optimistic attitude. All of the centenarians tried to be physically active, and those who were bedridden remained intellectually active (reading, prayers, conversations). They were at peace with the ailments and difficulties associated with old age and treated them as something natural.

This article presents the results of qualitative research carried out among Polish centenarians who have not experienced loneliness. Objectives: An attempt to find factors protecting against loneliness. A total of 17 cases were included in the research. Method: A collective case study (Stake, 2009) with in-depth interview was applied to the research carried out by the authors. The results show that activity together with personal characteristics (lifelong optimism) allows the building of positive social relationships and contribute to protection against loneliness among the oldest old. Discussion and Implications: The centenarians interviewed experienced many traumatic events in their lives and still they did not know the feeling of loneliness. The cases researched were diverse with respect to social and economic status, health condition, and family status but the common aspect was their lifetime activity and their high level of optimism. The lifelong activity of the respondents allowed them to build social relationships and establish new acquaintanceships, both intra- and intergenerationally. Promoting examples of “positive long-livers” may play preventive role and contribute to the quality of life in late old age, and as societies are ageing, the results are also important for public health.

Artykuł z zasobów e-mentora: Transformacja starszych kobiet pod wpływem oddziaływań edukacyjnych uniwersytetu trzeciego wieku - studium przypadku. E-mentor - internetowe czasopismo poświęcone nastepującym zagadnienion:e-learning, czasopismo, sgh, szkoła główna handlowa, internetowe czasopismo, e-mentor, nauczanie przez internet, kształcenie ustawiczne, metody kształcenia, formy kształcenia.