What is a supercentenarian?

A supersentenarian is the term used to describe a person who is 110 years old or older. I learned this definition from one who can claim this title.



I have a friend who is now a supersentenarian, since she recently celebrated her 110th birthday on July 24. Her name is Bennie Madigan, and I met her when she moved to Cheshire, MA two years ago. She returned to her hometown to be with family, after living in Maryland and working for many years in Washington, DC for the government, starting when she was 18 years old. Her grand niece's family are friends, and I was lucky to meet "Aunt" Bennie, soon after she arrived in Cheshire.



The family helped celebrate her birthday, by having an open house under a tent in the yard at her home. The afternoon of music, a cookout, and many, many visitors from the Cheshire area, as well as many neighbors from her home area in Maryland, made her day very special. She is quite a lady, with lots of interests including reading books and newspapers, playing the piano, and doing puzzles. She has a marvelous memory of history, and is a very interesting person to talk with. Though she does have care givers to help her with daily needs, and meals, she is as "sharp as a tack" and has a great sense of humor and lots of stories to tell. I enjoy my frequent visits with her. She is a real live history book!