'Enjoy every day and celebrate' says woman who keeps positive, working past age 100
MIAMI - More people are working well past retirement age and while it's financially necessary for some, others say it keeps them young and their brain sharp.
Norma Fink is one such woman. She continues to rally at over 101 years old.
"I was born November 16, 1921, like it or not," Fink recalled. "Very early in the morning."
Now, Norma says her mornings consist of a good breakfast -- she never skips it -- and then two days a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, she goes to work at the Veltri Tennis Center in Plantation.
It's a job she's held for about 5 decades!
Norma graduated from NYU in the early 40s, married and moved to California and eventually settled in South Florida, had two children, and then three grandchildren.
Norma says she has stayed happy and healthy through it all.
"I was never in the hospital until after I was 100," she said. "I was lucky, what can I tell you."
Lucky, perhaps, but her lifestyle likely played a factor.
Some studies show people who work past traditional retirement age tend to have better cognitive health and decreased risk of dementia.
It's also beneficial for mental health.
Research indicates working, or even volunteering, later in life reduces loneliness and depression and provides a sense of community.
"I like people. I'm not nosy about what they're doing. But I like them," she said.
Norma doesn't seem fazed by much. A trait that serves her well. She says "Gracious living never goes out of style".
"Enjoy every day and celebrate. No matter how terrible and lousy it is. Hey! I'm here, go ahead! What can they do to me anymore? Enjoy it and celebrate."
That positive attitude does wonders for her mental health.
Despite a recent cancer diagnosis -- she didn't even recall the exact type-- Norma says it doesn't bother her.
Instead, she treats each day like a party.