Researchers are to study this 119-year-old woman in a project to unlock the secrets of longevity and old age.
Dona Deolira Gliceria Pedro da Silva lives in Itaperuna, in the northwest of the Brazilian state of Rio.
She was born in 1905 and turned 119 on 10th March, with local media saying she could be the oldest woman in the world.
And now researchers from the Centre for Human Genome and Stem Cell Studies at the University of Sao Paulo want to study her.
Local media reported that Dona’s family believe that she is the oldest person in the world and that she has broken the Guinness world record set by the 117-year-old American-born Spanish woman Maria Branyas Morera.
Dona’s granddaughter Doroteia Ferreira da Silva, who is also one of her caregivers, said: “It’s hard to surpass my grandmother, you know? She was very active at home.
“She took care of the house and yard, took care of the pigs and chickens. In terms of food, the only thing she doesn’t eat is pineapple because she has allergies.
“She gives us baths! I think grandma will even reach 130 years old.”
Doroteia said that their family is very big, explaining: “The family is very large, the grandmother is the only living sister, the other three brothers have already died.
“She had seven children, but only three are alive. There are 20 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren and 37 great-great-grandchildren.”
And according to geriatric expert Dr Juair de Abreu Pereira, the 119-year-old woman is in extremely good health.
He said: “Dona Deolira is interactive and lucid. She is doing very well in the comprehensive geriatric assessment, however, due to her advanced age, she cannot walk and has some hearing loss.”
He also said that she does not take any medication for hypertension or diabetes or any other comorbidity.
He said: “In my opinion, she is in very good health and is being very well looked after by her family. God bless Mrs Deolira.”
The doctor said that the family are now trying to have Guinness World Records recognise Dona as the oldest person in the world.
Despite being in such good health for her age, another of her granddaughters, 63-year-old Leida Ferreira da Silva, said: “My grandmother uses a wheelchair because she fell and fractured her pelvis, but she didn’t need surgery.
“My uncle, at the time, didn’t let me [have the operation done]. The chair is actually quite old.”
As a result the elderly woman also attracted the attention of researchers at the Centre for Human Genome and Stem Cell Studies at the University of Sao Paulo.
Dr Mateus Vidigal is one of the medical experts on the case.
He said: “Genoma-USP has been studying Brazilian centenarians with the aim of analysing and understanding the contribution of genetics to longevity and quality of life.”
He said that Brazil has about 37,000 centenarians, which is just 0.02 per cent of the population.
He added: “We have also studied exceptional longevity, which includes individuals over 110 years old who have had their age validated by international organisations.
“Mrs Deolira’s case is a rarity to be studied because she is at least 50 years past the life expectancy of the average Brazilian, which is around 75 years old.
“She also survived the COVID-19 pandemic. So, we are very interested in studying her for all these reasons.”
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below.
Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
The Ananova page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.
