Ever wonder where “centenarian” comes from? The word traces back to the Latin centum, meaning “one hundred.” A centenarian is someone who has lived to 100 and may have witnessed a century of world-changing events.
Someone who turned 100 in 2026 was born in 1926. Naomi Whitehead, the oldest living person in the United States, is even older: she was born in 1910. Over their lifetimes, centenarians like Naomi have witnessed wars around the world, the first Moon landing, the rise of the internet, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Georgia State University’s Aging Well for Everyone Neuropsychology Lab is joining a National Institute on Aging–funded study of longevity. Led by Principal Investigator Vonetta Dotson, the lab is seeking adults aged 100 and older, as well as their siblings and children. By learning from centenarians and their families, researchers hope to better understand how some manage to live longer while delaying age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
Are you caring for a client age 100 or older, or do you know someone who is? Georgia State University is recruiting centenarians and their family members for a study on longevity and healthy aging. Participants receive $100 for completing the core study components.
Eligible participants may live anywhere in the lower 48 states or Canada, and they do not need to travel. Participants complete health and lifestyle questionnaires, share their family history, and take cognitive and physical assessments by phone or video call. Researchers visit participants at home to collect a blood sample and can mail an optional, easy-to-use kit for collecting a stool sample. A family member or caregiver may help when possible.
Researchers especially encourage referrals of Black participants. Black adults have a greater chance than White adults of reaching age 100 after age 85, yet remain underrepresented in research.
Contact the Georgia State University research team:
Email: longlife@gsu.edu
Phone: 404-413-5075
Study details and enrollment: https://www.bumc.bu.edu/centenarian/enroll-in-the-study/
