Geriatric profile of Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)

During the 17 years following the death of her husband, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt immersed herself in many activities on a national and international scale, activities that justly earned her the title of First Lady of the World. The period of these activities spans her 61st to 78th years of life, a time when most people are retired. Her activities in later life reflect the internal development and political experience acquired with living the various phases of life, including aging, and her views on health, retirement, and death remain timely and in consonance with the teachings of modern gerontology. The life of this extraordinary woman was marked by intense motivation, multiple interests, vitality, and a large capacity for work and play. These attributes are important factors in living a full and productive life.