Louisville woman celebrated 108th birthday with friends and family: “Every day, I wake up with joy...”

Ms. Juanita Green from Louisville celebrated her 108th birthday on 11th March. The celebration was held a day early from her actual birthday and Green looked absolutely amazing at the pink-themed birthday party, reports 11 Alive. This birthday has been an annual event for all friends and family who come to celebrate Green's amazing life. She spoke to WDRB, "I'm 108. I'm glad to be alive and every day, I wake up with joy in my heart."

Louisville Metro Council President David James had been coming to celebrate her birthday for the past couple of years. Similarly, he came to commemorate her this year, presenting a council proclamation praising Green for her life. She had been battling dementia. Nonetheless, all her loved ones were present and she can be seen sporting a big smile on her face and gratitude for everybody who came in with their wishes in her beautiful pink dress and a hat of matching colors. She looked vibrant in a pink pearl necklace while everybody sang a birthday song to celebrate the occasion.

Green is not the only American who has reached the milestone of completing over 100 years of her life. According to Statista, there were approximately 82,000 people aged over 100 in 2016. This figure is expected to reach 589,000 by 2060 in The United States. Women outnumber men in the 100-year-old age group. In 2010, women made up 82.8 percent of centenarians. There are only 20.7 men of the same age for every 100 females, per US News.

Gary Small, a professor on aging and director of the UCLA Longevity Center in Los Angeles said, "We know that women are more social than men. Other studies have found that staying socially connected predicts greater life expectancy." He added, "If you are social, it may reduce stress levels because you can talk about your feelings and things that stress you out and it seems to help many people. If you need a ride to the doctor or you fall, they can take you to the hospital or help you find the best doctor." In 2010, slightly more than a third of both female and male older adults above the age of 100 lived alone in their own homes, although the rest of the elderly lived with others. 

Amy Symens Smith, chief of the age and special populations branch at the Census Bureau said, "As people get older, things in life happen—like you might become a widow or you might have a disability, and because of those circumstances, living arrangements often change."