The percentage of over-60-year-olds, 80- and even 100-year-olds in the general population is increasing rapidly in most countries. What can be done to ensure healthy ageing and assure a good quality of life in old age? What are the correlates of longevity associated with psycho-physical wellbeing? Longitudinal studies underscore the multi-faceted nature of the ageing process: genetic and biological factors influence longevity, as also do social and ecological factors, which in turn help determine the life style that promotes longevity.