How old do you want to live to be?

[Bargara Leatherboy]

I think the issue is quality of life.

 

If i choose to live to 80, but the last 10 years I am immobile and dependant on others doing all my needs, like toileting and cleaning, feeding me its better to go at 70.

 

However if I am 100, and still able to get around, enjoy life, (admittedly in a slower way), eat most of what i like and well then 100 is good.

 

Its like planning for your retirement, how much money do you need for that unknown length of time you are going to be alive

[+ WilliamM]

My aunt and also my fifth grade teacher lived to 100. Bless them, but I don't want to live beyond 84

[gallahadesquire]

A friend’s mother died at 93. She’d had leukemia at 73, and threw her game off neurologically. But she was intact to the end. Other than some outliers, I’ve had friends die at 78-80 pretty regularly. I have no financial worries; I could afford 24\7 home care when the time comes, and I MUST have a Cat. I would rather not spend down my nephews’ inheritance, and I don’t think I shall.

 

Mom had Alzheimer’s, mild-to-moderate, and died from a stroke at 80. My stepfather was bedridden with every-six-week hospital admissions for about three years until he died at 96. I think I’d rather follow in my mother’s footsteps, minus the Alzheimer’s, thank you

 

So I hope I make it to 80. I’m just 69 now, so we’ll see.

[Quincy_7]

It will be interesting to see what results life extension provides us this century. I have thought about this topic and the idea of being 100 years old with all my friends dead is quite haunting. However, though your older relatives would be dead you would still have family around in the form of nieces, nephews (kids, grandkids perhaps even) and so on so it's not like you'd have no family around. If life extension means you can be a 100 but have the body of a 60 or even 70 year old then I'd be up for it.

[coriolis888]

[quote="Quincy_7, post: 2097491, member: 13727"

 

snip

 

However, though your older relatives would be dead you would still have family around in the form of nieces, nephews (kids, grandkids perhaps even), and so on so it's not like you'd have no family around.

 

 

Not necessarily.

 

I have several clients who are old but had no siblings. Thus, there are no nieces, nephews et cetera. They have little contact with society. Very sad.

[samhexum]

[+ Tygerscent]

On 5/21/2020 at 8:15 PM, alrajee said:

I want to live up until at least 75, hopefully not being a PITA to someone.

If your a top, being a PITA is a good thing~ Then, keep at it~ 

[+ Tygerscent]

Well… a few factors: 

 Quality over quantity… 
 Also, the longer you live the more money you need coming in~ Your financial situation can greatly impact your quality of life and length of it. 
 Health care: Again a quality over quantity issue. Not just your health but, actual health care…   
 Between my hospital and farm experiences, I’ve seen death~ 
 I grew up with the “long walk” concept: When you are born the purpose of life is to be alive an experience living to your best potential respectfully. In your youth you are learning and growing… As a young adult you are experiencing things in an independent way and developing your place and responsibility in the world… As an older adult you are providing back into life in various ways and as an Elder, you teach back what you know… There comes a point in time due to age, ability, circumstances where what you have to offer back into life is completed and you now have the opportunity to gift back the space that you occupied and it’s provisions to life coming up behind you.
 It’s their turn to experience all that you have experienced in the course of your own lifetime.
 At that time you begin to shut yourself down and basically Releasing yourself from your place in life… You just start letting go and you let life occupy the people and things around you~ You lovingly give it back~ That is called the “long walk”~ You let living go and you allow yourself to pass out of life~   
 Traditionally there would be a big party for you so that you could celebrate with people that are around you who love and care about you… And it’s a very different concept than trying to hang yourself or doing something like that. 
There is also dying of a broken heart… I’ve seen that before. 

[alrajee]

22 hours ago, Tygerscent said:

If your a top, being a PITA is a good thing~ Then, keep at it~ 

I'll do it until I croak

[Guest]

On 4/5/2021 at 12:20 AM, WilliamM said:

... I don't want to live beyond 84

Yikes! Aren't you getting pretty close?

[Rudynate]

On 3/1/2022 at 9:41 AM, Tygerscent said:

 Also, the longer you live the more money you need coming in~ Your financial situation can greatly impact your quality of life and length of it. 
 

Retirement planners say just the opposite - that you need a bigger cash flow early in retirement because you're more active.  As you become less active, you don't need that much money.   The pandemic has shown us already what our later years might be like - you don't get out much, you don't travel much, you don't buy that much stuff so you spend less.

[Rudynate]

I have an old friend who just turned 90 - I don't know that I would want his life.  He is in a real fix because he is seriously mobility-impaired and he lives by himself in the top-floor flat of a San Francisco Victorian that is several steep flights of stairs up from the street.  He has reached a point where he needs professional caregivers and refuses to have them around him.  He is extremely reliant on his tenants and thinks that this is an acceptable situation that can go on indefinitely without his having to pay them or compensate them in any way.  I keep telling him "You're going to wear them out and drive them away because at some point they will burn out."  Whenever he needs to see the doctor, which is frequent, he has to hire a patient transport that costs him $500.00 for a round trip.  They have some device that I haven't seen yet that allows one person to get him up and down all those stairs easily. 

[+ Tygerscent]

17 hours ago, Rudynate said:

Retirement planners say just the opposite - that you need a bigger cash flow early in retirement because you're more active.  As you become less active, you don't need that much money.   The pandemic has shown us already what our later years might be like - you don't get out much, you don't travel much, you don't buy that much stuff so you spend less.

But… more health related costs: out of pocket medical, dental, medical supplies, care givers, nursing home, hearing aides, glasses, people shopping for you… If you are in a flat or apartment, the rent may increase while your income may be diminishing~
 A dentist alone may be more than a person pays for a weekend staycation~ Certainly more than dinner or a movie~ 
 If you have money, your growth of it must meet or exceed inflation and interest rates, things also like real estate taxes and sales taxes~
 

Edited March 3, 2022 by Tygerscent

[+ Tygerscent]

On 3/2/2022 at 11:47 AM, Rudynate said:

I have an old friend who just turned 90 - I don't know that I would want his life.  He is in a real fix because he is seriously mobility-impaired and he lives by himself in the top-floor flat of a San Francisco Victorian that is several steep flights of stairs up from the street.  He has reached a point where he needs professional caregivers and refuses to have them around him.  He is extremely reliant on his tenants and thinks that this is an acceptable situation that can go on indefinitely without his having to pay them or compensate them in any way.  I keep telling him "You're going to wear them out and drive them away because at some point they will burn out."  Whenever he needs to see the doctor, which is frequent, he has to hire a patient transport that costs him $500.00 for a round trip.  They have some device that I haven't seen yet that allows one person to get him up and down all those stairs easily. 

Yes… lots of super old people in my family: The 100+ club.
 On the one hand it’s fascinating that they live this long and then I had the opportunity to get to know them but, I can’t say that the quality of life was there for them~
 my great aunt had both of her parents move in with her and she took care of them in her house until the day they died. 
 My great grandmother had a stroke and was complete total assist~ she was unable to open and close her eyes by herself and my great aunt had to do that for her as well as administer eyedrops so her eyes wouldn’t dry out. 
 My great grandfather was bedridden~
 this living situation went on for years and years, (well, nine)… and as a family we would go visit the three~  
 I have to say that my great aunt did an amazing job of caring for her parents: The house was immaculate and both of them were always well groomed, well fed, in good form.  
 Holidays were especially important because you know… “this could be the last one”. 
 I have the greatest respect for her taking on the responsibility for caring for both of her parents in her home~ She and her husband had divorced in 1960. So, she was otherwise by herself~ Tight immediate family bonds on my mom’s side~ (Old world traditional home style). 
 I have met people along the way who will openly admit that they will do anything necessary and/or available to prevent themselves from dying~ I find it an impressive stance and personal choice~ It would not necessarily be my own choice to do the same but, I’m in no hurry or desire to leave~ when I feel my time is up and I have nothing left to contribute, I’ll do the long walk and give the space up to somebody behind me. 
 My goal is to keep my health & finances balanced with my spirit, will and desire to live~  Since I talk about death and dying with people that I’m very close to… There are people familiar with my decisions and mindset regarding my death~  
 I have found that it’s easier to plan all of that and except it when it comes if the insights are communicated & shared with trusted, close relations~  
 Death seems to be a taboo topic in american culture… though some ethnic groups here seem to openly have dialog with each other, (on a family or community level), and integrate death into their concept of life and living. 
 I love my great grandparents and great aunt… I choose not to take their path with regard to aging~ 
 
 

Edited March 3, 2022 by Tygerscent

[+ Charlie]

4 hours ago, Tygerscent said:

Yes… lots of centurions in my family. 
 

I don't know if you had any centurions in your family (love those uniforms!), but it sounds like you had some centenarians.

[+ Charlie]

Nowadays my spouse asks me almost every day how long I think he will live--he thinks a lot about death. He used to fear he wouldn't live long enough; now he worries that he may live too long. He retired early, because his father died at 58, and he expected that it might mean that he would do the same. Now he is 86, and his goal is to live just a little longer than his mother, who was just shy of 90 when she died. When I ask him why that matters, he doesn't really have any answer. There isn't anything particular that he wants to keep living for, but there is still a spark of competition left in the desire to hang on.

It is true that our expenses for things that give us pleasure have declined as we get old--we spend almost nothing on any kind of entertainment any longer, including travel--but as I started putting together figures for our 2021 taxes this week, I was surprised on how much we now spend on potentially deductible medical expenses, especially doctors, dentists, medications and health insurance, even with the help of MediCare. It will be even greater once we start depending on professional caregivers. There will probably be enough money left in the retirement accounts for some bucket list items, but will we have the energy for them?

[+ Tygerscent]

2 hours ago, Charlie said:

I don't know if you had any centurions in your family (love those uniforms!), but it sounds like you had some centenarians.

It was crazy fighting over who got the wish bone at thanksgiving 

Edited March 3, 2022 by Tygerscent

[samhexum]

On 9/28/2017 at 3:59 AM, Corporate Shill said:

I simply don't want to be old and unable to do the things I enjoy unless I end up deciding to have kids eventually when I enter my 40s. Even then, I probably still wouldn't want to live over 65 lol. I panic sometimes just thinking about the fact I'll be turning 50 in less than 14 yrs 😕 40 in less than 4!!!

 

On 5/5/2018 at 12:55 AM, tassojunior said:

I retired early at 50, make twice what I did, have assets and am having a great time. All the time.

 

On 5/5/2018 at 3:10 AM, Drained Empty said:

Somehow over the course of 13 or so years, I went from the young hotshot to the oldest person in my office. What I prided myself on -- being young and "successful" -- is now an fading memory.

 

On 7/5/2019 at 8:21 PM, Ajac said:

I notice that I am increasingly bothered by celebrities aging. I will see someone I haven't seen in a long time make a guest appearance on a show and think "Oh my god they are so old!" Than I go by a mirror and think when the hell did that happen. Time seems to pass so quickly 

 

On 5/11/2020 at 8:30 AM, sync said:

I have that same reaction when I see aging celebrities. It seems as if it happens overnight, like my balding. One morning while shaving I happened to notice that my forehead is on the back of my neck.

 

On 5/16/2020 at 11:11 AM, orville said:

Having children makes one age faster, like A LOT faster!

[DapperGent]

As old as I am still able to sustain an erection and spread my seed 😊

[Andie40]

40

[samhexum]

With age comes wisdom

[Vulgarii]

50, maybe 55.

[+ Pensant]

2 hours ago, Vulgarii said:

50, maybe 55.

Surely you jest.

[samhexum]

6 hours ago, Pensant said:

Surely you jest.

Don't call him Shirley!

[samhexum]

On 4/5/2021 at 9:57 AM, Quincy_7 said:

It will be interesting to see what results life extension provides us this century. I have thought about this topic and the idea of being 100 years old with all my friends dead is quite haunting. However, though your older relatives would be dead you would still have family around in the form of nieces, nephews (kids, grandkids perhaps even)