Meet the 10 Oldest People in the World Right Now
Get to know the ten oldest supercentenarians on Earth presently - from a 116-year-old former nurse in Spain to a 114-year-old Brazilian nun. Learn about these ten record-breaking elder humans defying the bounds of aging!
- Maria Branyas Morera – 116 Years Old
As the verified oldest person alive, Spanish woman Maria Branyas Morera assumes the mantle at 116 years old. Born in 1907 in San Francisco to Spanish immigrants, she lived in the U.S. and Mexico temporarily before her family returned to their native Catalonia region of Spain. Morera built a life with her husband Joan, raising three children as a mother and working as a nurse. Today, she enjoys her great-grandkids and remains the last surviving European born in 1907.
2. Edie Ceccarelli – 115 Years Old
Hailing from California, 115-year-old Edie Ceccarelli represents the oldest living person in the United States. Her parents – Italian immigrants Agostino and Maria Recagno – welcomed her in 1908 as the first of seven children. Ceccarelli lived independently until age 107 when she relocated to a retirement community. Though diagnosed with dementia, she still walks with a walker’s assistance.
3. Tomiko Itooka – 115 Years Old
As Japan’s second oldest citizen, 114-year-old Tomiko Itooka enjoyed an active adulthood. Born in 1908, she grew up playing volleyball and later managed her husband’s textile factory in Korea while raising children. Even in her older age, Itooka visited holy sites and climbed mountains with no cane assistance up to age 100! She credits staying physically and socially engaged to her long life.
4. Inah Canabarro Lucas – 115 Years Old
Defying early health scares, this 114-year-old Brazilian nun has deep religious faith to thank in part for her longevity as Latin America’s oldest resident. Sister Inah Canabarro Lucas relocated from Uruguay to Brazil in the 1930s, where she enjoyed two fulfilling vocations teaching children and serving as an educator nun. The still-active supercentenarian only began using a walker at age 110.
- Juan Vicente Pérez Mora – 114 Years Old
This 114-year-old Venezuelan gentleman is the world’s oldest living man. Juan Vicente Pérez Mora came into the world in 1909 as his parents’ ninth child. Growing up in rural Venezuela, he labored on agriculture farms before purchasing his own operation. Pérez even served as a small-town sheriff in 1948! He attributes religious faith, hard work, and daily aguardiente liquor to his record-setting vitality.
6. Elizabeth Francis – 114 Years Old
A 114-year-old Louisiana native, Elizabeth Francis holds the distinction as the oldest verified person in Texas presently. She relocated to Houston years ago, even operating a coffee shop inside a TV station during the 1970s. Francis’ sister Bertha Johnson also enjoyed remarkable longevity, living to age 106. Today, this supercentenarian matriarch enjoys a large, multi-generational family.
7. Ethel Caterham – 114 Years Old
England’s oldest citizen, 114-year-old Ethel Caterham enjoys bridge games and driving at advanced age. She globetrotted to India as a youth before marrying a British major while stationed in Hong Kong years later. There, Caterham ran an English nursery and school for local children. Her adventurous life certainly set the foundation for resilient longevity!
8. Okagi Hayashi – 114 Years Old
At 114 years of age, Ms. Okagi Hayashi holds the distinguished title of oldest living individual in Japan’s Gifu Prefecture. The busy mother of eight children still enjoys visits from her extensive family – including 22 grandchildren, 39 great-grandkids, and 5 great-great-grandchildren! She offers living proof that an engaged family life keeps people young at heart.
9. Pearl Berg – 114 Years Old
This spry 114-year-old Californian represents America’s oldest living Jewish woman. Though she claimed a Louisiana birth in 1910, records indicate Pearl Berg was actually born in Indiana in 1909. A enduring passion of Berg’s has been involvement with her temple community, where she still occasionally attends religious services. Faith and community bonds likely strengthened this supercentenarian across the decades.
10. Tane Matsubara – 114 Years Old
Tane Matsubara was born in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, on 15 October 1909, as the eldest of ten children. At the age of 20, she got married and had eight children (five sons and three daughters). Following her marriage, she lived in Imakane in Hiyama Subprefecture. In 1936, she moved to Biratori, where she was selling tofu. In her later life, she lived with her sons in Tomakomai and Hidaka, until she moved into the nursing home in Tomakomai in 2007. Even as a supercentenarian, she was able to read newspapers, and if there was a character she didn’t know, she would ask around and learn. As of 2023, she had 18 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great-grandchildren.
These ten supercentenarians certainly defy the odds by living vibrant, engaged lives past 110 years old. While longevity has genetic influences, lifestyle habits and outlook also play key roles. The oldest people globally often cite positivity, community, activity, and purpose as pillars of their sustained vitality despite advanced age.
For additional longevity tips, here's an in-depth 60 Minutes segment on a magical island where people live longer than anyone else on earth! It's part of the "Blue Zones" - areas of the world highest in longevity.
As our global senior population grows, these elders set inspiring examples that the sunset years can be filled with joy and meaning. Their wisdom and spirits have much to teach us. At CareYaya, we celebrate these incredible supercentenarians making the most of their record-setting lifespans through family connections and fulfilling hobbies.
May we all learn from their resilience, optimism and lifelong curiosity! If you want to help seniors in your own community enjoy purposeful golden years, consider volunteering, donating or simply getting to know the elders around you. Together, we can ensure the oldest members of our human family feel valued and supported.