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# Milestone
Fresh air, good food and a morning coffee: 106-year-old shares secrets to long and healthy life
Elizabeth Dempsey still enjoys the odd glass of sherry and having her hair set every week and her nails manicured.
SIPPING ON A glass of sherry and enjoying some strawberry and sponge cake, 106-year-old Elizabeth Dempsey was presented with a cert by the Minister for Older People Helen McEntee this afternoon.
Elizabeth, or ‘Lizzy’ as she is more commonly known, celebrated her 106th birthday with relatives and friends in Ailesbury Nursing Home in Sandymount last Thursday.
Today she received a copy of the proclamation and a commendation for reaching such a significant milestone.
Asked about the secrets of living a long life, Elizabeth said: “Plenty of fresh air, good food and an 11am coffee that sets me up for the day.”
She added that she always used good creams and make-up and still gets her hair and nails done weekly:
I’ve always been very particular about my hair and skin … good creams and make-up have been important to me.
Lizzy still enjoys the odd glass of sherry and having her hair set every week and her nails manicured.
Dempsey says she is most proud of her career. She worked at a solicitor’s office until she was 75 – starting as a junior, getting her degrees and working up to head of the department in Cartan O’Meara & Kieran.
I’ve had a very even existence and got the balance right in my life. I try not to stress and worry unduly. I worked nice and quietly in an enjoyable job and have lived a calm life.
She holds a very positive outlook, saying, “The people here at Ailesbury are so good to me and I am very happy here.
I enjoy great company and friendship here and I have comfort and reassurance because I am not on my own. I am living a very happy life.
Speaking at Elizabeth’s presentation, Minister McEntee said, “It has been a real pleasure to meet Elizabeth today and to present her with this special commemorative certificate that recognises the truly magnificent milestone she has reached of one hundred and six years of age.”
Elizabeth is one of over forty centenarian nursing home residents across the country who are being presented with special commemorative certificates by Nursing Homes Ireland to mark them being 100 years of age or older on this special commemorative year.
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