Betty is 84 years old. She was born in Missouri, graduated from high school here in 1933, and attended business college shortly after she was married. She played basketball in junior high and high school. Then, finding herself a young widow with a small daughter to rear, Betty moved to California. She lived there ten years before moving to Nevada. She was in Nevada for 17-18 years. Remarried to a military man, she next lived in Greenland for two years. She has been widowed again for 25 years, and lives in the midtown region of a city in Western Missouri. Her daughter now lives in Arizona, and Betty has worked as a Senior Companion for 17 years.

She now has an office and does telephone work with the elderly. For many years Betty traveled to Arizona a lot to visit her daughter, but in 1987 her house was broken into while she was gone. She injured her knee (or rather re-injured it) in 1991, and the doctor told her to slow down and quit traveling around so much. That ended her trips to Arizona. Her house has three stories, and it is getting difficult for her knees to navigate them.

While Betty does not attend church at the current time, she has been a member of the Christian Church since she was 12 years old. When she was a child, her hometown had six churches, and not enough people to go around. So, five of the six, including the Christian Church, joined together to form a Presbyterian Church. "And I've been a Presbyterian ever since," she said with a chuckle.

When asked what makes her feel good about what she does, Betty replied, "I'm old with age, but not with anything else. I like to work and have friends who are younger. I especially feel good when helping old people." As to what makes her feel bad, Betty quickly answered, "I don't feel bad about anything I do!" Betty made good money while she was in Nevada, but in those days tips did not have to be declared to the IRS, and consequently she paid very low taxes, and made small contributions to Social Security. The down side of that came when she turned 62 and discovered she could only live very modestly on her Social Security check. She owned her home and was debt free, but she needed a little "extra" to live a bit more comfortably. About that time, she read in the paper that the Senior Companion program had just started. "It sounded good to me," said Betty. "I now get paid for working four hours each day and then I volunteer for the rest of the day." She usually puts in equal amounts of time into her volunteer job and her "paid" job. "I'm much better off working than staying at home, " says Betty. "I try to do too many things I shouldn't do when I'm home. Also, I like to be around people, and you can't put me in a rocking chair, because I'm not going to sit there."

"[The volunteer agency] has been nice to me. Because of that, I do all I can do in return." What does she do that is 'really her'? "Talk and act like a fool!", she said, laughing. "But seriously, I try to keep things neat and tidy and help other people." Helping other people who appreciate help means the most to Betty, "Because when they appreciate it, I want to help them again." Asked why others might think of her as a model of successful aging, Betty said, "Because they see what I'm doing." Betty also said that she didn't do anything to prepare for her aging years. "I just lived a good life and always kept busy."

In answer to the question on how she would cope if faced with a challenge, Betty replied, "I am faced with a lot of them. The first thing I do is pray for help. Then, I do the best I can to work through them, and if that isn't enough, I turn to good friends - or to my daughter - for moral support."

If things are not going as she'd like them to, Betty admits, "I worry a little. But then I come to work and I'm told 'There's no need to worry about it,' so I just put it out of my mind and get busy. I also talk to my daughter every week, and she helps me keep from worrying."

Asked what she does to turn around her times of feeling 'blue' Betty said, "Mostly, all I need to do is come to work. I feel down lots of the time when I first get up in the morning. But, I wash my face, put on my robe and go downstairs. I drink some juice take my medicine (just a little blood pressure medicine), go back upstairs, and get dressed for the day. Then I fix myself something to take to work with me for lunch, and I'm on my way!" She is a firm believer that staying busy -- especially when you're helping others -- is the best possible medicine for good mental health. Her daily indulgence is to watch "Jeopardy" on TV every afternoon. Betty said that she does not 'exercise' but that she has always worked and stayed active. In younger years, she was an avid ice skater.

Her only 'official' preparations for her aging years have been to buy her own home, and to "put away some savings." While she lives on a modest income these days, she feels somewhat secure that because of her savings, she could buy anything she really needed.

Betty was a union member during the years she lived and worked in Nevada, but she is no longer involved with that. About 25 years ago she earned her nursing LPN. However, she stayed in nursing only about 10 or 11 years because she really didn't enjoy it.

According to Betty, "I've always had friends from all different sources. Some were from work, some from church, and some were neighbors." Regarding her mental outlook, she responded, "I feel good about myself, and I don't think that has changed much over the years."

If she could do things differently, the only major change Betty would make would be, "To hold a job with a regular salary and retirement benefits."

Any parting words of advice for others on aging successfully? "Keep active, and keep going to church. Don't ever forget about the Lord, because He will see you through when nothing else will. Stay active. Don't stay in bed and feel sorry for yourself."