Dick Van Dyke's wife says there's a 'curse' that comes with her husband living to almost 100
There is a downside to living such a long life like Dick Van Dyke.
"He's outlived everybody," his wife Arlene, 53, said. "That's the curse of living to almost 100."
As the world faces an aging population, loneliness among older adults is becoming a growing public health concern.
Dick Van Dyke may be 99 years old and leading an active life, but longevity comes with its own set of challenges too.
During a "Dick & Arlene Van Dyke Present Vandy Camp" event in California, the actor and his wife, Arlene, spoke about the heartbreaking reality that comes with him living to almost 100.
Van Dyke reflected on the death of his longtime friend Ed Asner and shared that they were supposed to remake "The Odd Couple," a 1965 Broadway play about two roommates that has been adapted into a movie and a TV sitcom over the years. Asner died in 2021 at the age of 91.
"That would've been such fun, and we lost it. I've lost a lot of friends," Van Dyke said, per People.
"He's outlived everybody," his wife, 53, said. "That's the curse of living to almost 100."
Despite losing so many friends and costars over the years, the "Mary Poppins" star is "still so positive," she said.
"Well, life's been good to me. I can't complain," he added.
This isn't the first time that Van Dyke has spoken about aging and longevity.
In a 2023 CBS interview, the "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" actor said he would have taken better care of himself if he had known he was going to live such a long life. He also reflected on outliving his friends Norman Lear, who died a few weeks before the interview, and Carl Reiner, who died in 2020 at 98.
"Everybody I knew and worked with, there's no one left," Van Dyke said.
In 2024, Van Dyke told Entertainment Tonight that regular exercise has been the "secret" to his longevity.
"I've often tried to think, 'What did I do to live this long?' and I can't figure out," he said. "The only thing is I've always exercised. We still go to the gym three days a week and work out."
According to the CDC, the average life expectancy in the US is 74.8 years for males and 80.2 years for females.
However, the number of centenarians in the US is projected to increase from 107,000 in 2025 to about 444,000 in 2055, per estimates from the United States Census Bureau.
But living that long often means outliving friends, partners, and peers, making loneliness a growing concern among older Americans.
Additionally, Rose Anne Kenny, a professor at Trinity College Dublin whose work focuses on aging, said that research has shown that having social interactions and good friendships could be as important as exercise and diet for longevity.
Several baby boomers told BI that they are finding budget-friendly ways to maintain a healthy social life, including taking up new hobbies and returning to work.
A representative for Van Dyke did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by BI outside regular hours.
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