Yuma life expectancy near top, says AARP

Yuma ranks fourth in the nation in life expectancy, according to the upcoming edition of AARP The Magazine.

The story will be featured in the September/October issue due out in early August.

The National Centers for Disease Control. through their national vital statistics system, recently reported that the average life expectancy of Yuma residents is 80.87 years, bested by only Corvallis, Ore.; Naples, Fla.; and Ames, Iowa, at the top with 81.02 years.

The survey is one of several published by AARP in its "Healthiest Hometowns" feature. The magazine looked at over 20 criteria to evaluate cities across the country and considered not only physical aspects such as clean air and recreational areas but the availability of health-care providers and educational facilities, said Jim Dau, AARP spokesman.

Despite not making the list of cities in AARP's robust living feature, Yuma was singled out for the exceptional longevity of its residents.

"There's something in every city for people to take advantage of to stay healthy and live long," Dau said. "We encourage readers to look at what makes their city healthy and take advantage of it, whether it's biking trails, boating in waterways or the health-care facilities it provides."

And one of the vibrant health-care facilities Yuma has to offer is the La Mesa Rehabilitation and Care Center. Scott Little, administrative director, said he wouldn't be surprised about the AARP survey. He noted the average age of La Mesa's residents is in the mid-80s but for rehabilitation patients, who usually need to stay just 18 to 22 days, it is in the mid-70s.

"It really comes down to our interdisciplinary approach," Little said.

Cindy Barczynski, La Mesa nursing director, said they had one of the best discharge rates in the county because of their interdisciplinary system, which is a teamwork of physical, speech and occupational therapy, dietary care and social services that helps get residents back into the community as soon as possible.

James Putman, La Mesa physical therapy coordinator, noted their program promotes mobility and independence, which keeps temporary patients' spirits up.

"If we get them moving, we keep their joints mobile, which increases their flexibility and in the long run it makes them more functional."

One of the La Mesa's permanent residents is a transplant from Chicago who wanted to escape the drudgery of shoveling snow and dodging the rains. Evelyn Doyle, 91, has Lived in Yuma since 1983 when she retired as a library assistant from the University of Chicago.

Doyle was persuaded to moved to Yuma by her son and daughter, who preceded her to the desert Southwest.

"I love the weather," Doyle said. "The people are very nice in Yuma and I enjoy every bit of it."

An ardent sports fan, Doyle loved not only cheering for her hometown teams but swimming, playing basketball and baseball (a left fielder) when she first arrived in Yuma. Once her grandchildren enrolled at Yuma Catholic High School, she became a dedicated Shamrocks cheerleader.

Enjoying the occasional pranks she likes to pull on her inquisitive grandchildren, Doyle said, she told them when they asked about her age she was 16, "because that's how I feel."

"Today we went shopping at Target and had lunch there," Doyle said. "For anybody my age who has to go to a place to be cared for, this place (La Mesa) is wonderful."

Julie Engel, interim CEO of Greater Yuma Economic Development Corp., noted part of Yumans' longevity is owing to the superior care of Yuma Regional Medical Center, which has top-notch doctors from all over the world.

But it is not just health care that keeps Yumans going but opportunities to hike on Telegraph Pass or in Palm Canyon or biking on trails in the restored East and West Wetlands Parks. Also, the winter farmers markets at Arizona Market Place, Park and Swap and the Yuma fairgrounds make it easy for residents to maintain a more natural diet.

"Yuma is a very relaxing community to be in," Engel said. "It's a healthy lifestyle because it's not rushed and a very comfortable location in which to live."

---

William Roller can be reached at
wroller@yumasun.com or 539-6858.