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Reprinted from
Seniors Aloud, a platform for seniors to share their views and speak out on
issues that matter to them.
Heed the Good Doctor's Advice.
 At
the age of 97 years and 4 months, Shigeaki Hinohara is one of the world's
longest-serving physicians and educators. Hinohara's magic touch is legendary:
Since 1941 he has been healing patients at St. Luke's International Hospital in
Tokyo and teaching at St. Luke's College of Nursing. After World War II, he
envisioned a world-class hospital and college springing from the ruins of Tokyo;
thanks to his pioneering spirit and business savvy, the doctor turned these
institutions into the nation's top medical facility and nursing school. Today he
serves as chairman of the board of trustees at both organizations. Always
willing to try new things, he has published around 150 books since his 75th
birthday, including one "Living Long, Living Good" that has sold more than 1.2
million copies. As the founder of the New Elderly Movement, Hinohara encourages
others to live a long and happy life, a quest in which no role model is better
than the doctor himself.
If the name
Dr Shigeaki Hinohara does not ring a bell, let me share some
amazing facts about the good doctor as an introduction.
He has published about 150 books since his 75th birthday.
In 1970 enroute to a medical conference, his JAL plane was
hijacked by
the Japanese Red Army. He survived the four-day
ordeal. The experience taught him to value life and he vowed to
dedicate it in service to others.
He was director of St Luke's Hospital during the 1995
sarin
attack on the Tokyo subway by Aum Shinrikyo. Thanks to his
motto of "Always plan ahead", the hospital was well-equipped to
take in 740 victims of the attack.
His book "How to Live Well" published in 2001 has sold more than
1.2 million copies. It was originally titled "How to Die Well".
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Here are some quotable quotes from Dr Hinohara. Read the
full interview by Judit Kawaguchi. Dr Hinohara
shares how he keeps himself active, healthy and happy.
- Energy comes from feeling good, not from eating well
or sleeping a lot.
- All people who live long, regardless of nationality,
race or gender, share one thing in common: none are overweight.
- Always plan ahead.
- Share what you know.
- When a doctor recommends you take a test or have some
surgery, ask whether the doctor would suggest that his or her spouse or
children go through such a procedure.
- To stay healthy, always take the stairs and carry
your own stuff.
- My inspiration is Robert Browning's poem "Abt Vogler".
- Pain is mysterious, and having fun is the best way to
forget it.
- Don't be crazy about amassing material things.
Remember: you don't know when your number is up, and you can't take it with
you to the next place.
- Hospitals must be designed and prepared for major
disasters, and they must accept every patient who appears at their doors.
- Science alone can't cure or help people. Each person
is unique, and diseases are connected to their hearts. To know the illness
and help people, we need liberal and visual arts, not just medical ones.
- Find a role model and aim to achieve even more than
they could ever do.
- It's wonderful to live long. Until one is 60 years
old, it is easy to work for one's family and to achieve one's goals. But in
our later years, we should strive to contribute to society.
- If you keep working, if you keep learning something
new, you'll never get old.
Click here for more fascinating insights about Dr Shigeaki Hinohara.
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