Costa Rican man, 119, seeks recognition as world’s oldest person

Costa Rica’s Jose Flores - seen here with his granddaughter, Hellen Flores - lives in Sardinal, a hot town on the Nicoya Peninsula - one of the world’s five regions commonly known as Blue Zones, where people tend to live longer and healthier lives and are more likely to reach the age of 100.

Costa Rica’s Jose Flores – seen here with his granddaughter, Hellen – lives in Sardinal, a hot town on the Nicoya Peninsula. It is one of the world’s five regions commonly known as Blue Zones, where people tend to live longer and healthier lives and are more likely to reach the age of 100.

PHOTO: REUTERS

SARDINAL, Costa Rica – In a modest wooden home in Sardinal, about a 20-minute drive from Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, Jose Flores spends his days napping, eating meals prepared by his granddaughter, and arm-wrestling with her.

His family and official records indicate that he is 119 years old, which would make him the world’s oldest man, though international verification of his birth date is still pending as specialists review historical documents.

Sardinal is a hot town on the Nicoya Peninsula – one of the world’s five regions commonly known as Blue Zones, where people tend to live longer and healthier lives and are more likely to reach the age of 100.

Residents attribute their longevity to calcium- and magnesium-rich water, a diet based on corn and beans, physical work, and strong family and community ties.

Hellen, Jose’s granddaughter and carer, said that her grandfather, who had spent his life working in the countryside, now lives “calmly and happily”.

From time to time, he recalls stories from his life, tells the occasional joke, and says one of the secrets to his long life is his family.

“Without love, without affection, without care, he would not still be here,” she said.

For Jorge Vindas, founder of the Nicoya Peninsula Blue Zone Association, which studies longevity in the region, other factors also help explain longevity cases such as Jose’s.

According to his identity card, Jose was born on July 11, 1907.

“Family and social networks are number one, along with spirituality and the strong faith of these people, who are very physically active,” Vindas said.

He added that they eat healthily and lead calm, low-stress lives.

On the verification process, Vindas said the association has historical records that still need to be confirmed by international organisations, including Guinness World Records.

“We have a large number of documents, from the birth certificate and baptism certificate to documents from later in life, when he was already a father and beyond,” he said. “Once all that documentation is reviewed, we hope it will be validated and that we will have good news soon.”