U.S. News & World Report, Aug. 19, 2008 Living longer, even past the 100-year mark, doesn't necessarily mean that a person's last years will be spent in sickness or disability, Danish researchers report. That's because the very old typically enjoy healthy, independent lives despite their advanced age, the study found. "This finding is not surprising," said UTMB's Dr. James S. Goodwin, a professor of geriatrics and director of the Sealy Center on Aging. "Because when you think about it logically, the reason we're living longer is because we're healthier. And if we're healthier at any given age, then we're less likely to be disabled."