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here is my plan: when i get old, i figure there is no reason to keep a nice figure anymore, so i am going to bake, bake, bake cookies all day. and eat whatever i want! and i am going to get really fat and jolly! and finally when i am 400 lbs and about to have a heart attack, i am going to jump out of an airplane and go out with style! i'd rahter die like that than in a nursing home.
Excellent plan.
I decided a long time ago that when I'm really old, like maybe 108, and feeling like I'm not long for this earth, I'll put a very fine vintage bottle of wine ( or 2 or 3) in my back pack, kiss my family goodbye, then off into the forest I'll go for a long hike. I'll find a nice cushy spot, drink my wine and fall asleep one last time.
That is a very long way off, so until then, I'll wear my sneakers and take a great big bite out of life every single day!
My wife's mom is 86 and has a partially blocked artery. The doctor doesn't want to operate because of her age. When she asks him how much longer she will be around, he can not give her a certain time frame, but says that it will be awhile. We plan on flying to Vegas this Dec. to see her for the last time (possibly). Her and my wife's sisters are driving in from Southern Calif. My wife's brother is flying in Florida for the family get-together also....he knows that she may not be around after Dec.
Funny thing is: In e-mails we get from her, she will say, "another weekend and I'm still here". The statement doesn't make us feel real good and we tell her, "please don't talk that way". Well, the way she figures, she has lived out her life, doesn't drive anymore and basically is ready to go whenever the good Lord is ready to take her.
Location: Comunistafornia, and working to get out ASAP!
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I work in an assisted living facility for the elderly here in California. [www.eskaton.org] (broken link) Everyday I am with seniors. We all say when I get old I'm going to do this or that. You have now idea what will happen. I've taken care of residents 65-103 and every where in between. Many of our seniors walk and are very active at these ages.
We would do will to take good care of them, God willing, there will be caring compassionate people around to take care of you I was talking to a lady at work yesterday (she's 97) we were talking about getting old. She said, I never thought I was getting so old until one day my daughter came to me and said Mom, you can't live alone anymore." She said, for her, when her independence was taken away that's when she felt old.
Another dear lady (101 years old) once told me about pain. "Well, the stuff you know isn't so much a problem it's the unexpected problems that just pop up is what throws you off." She also said about life. "Do everything you can, do the things you love, and keep moving." She lived to 101!
Here are some facts, people are living longer and they are able to stay in their own home longer. Many seniors are wealthier too. They don't want to be thrown aside but want to be active contributors to society. They are a wealth of interesting information. And they're funny they have great sense of humor you would to if you lived to 101 All they want is someone to listen to them even if for 30 minutes, best way is to ask them questions. They long for independence (no we can't let then have a DL for safety reasons) take them to the store, the mall, or out to eat anything that gets them moving and involved.
And guys they don't want to sit around playing bingo all day
Excellent plan.I decided a long time ago that when I'm really old, like maybe 108, -- then off into the forest I'll go for a long hike. I'll find a nice cushy spot, drink my wine and fall asleep one last time.
my grandmother is 88 as of August this year. She's had one major artery blocked in her neck out of the two for 15 years. They won't operate because she's so old and the surgery would likely kill her. My grandmother goes everywhere, lives alone, babysits everyone's cats when they go out of town, has a regular schedule and goes to the Indian reservation and Lake Tahoe to gamble the penny and nickel slots regularly. She knows she could drop at any time of a massive stroke, but she doesn't pay any attention to that. She instead complains that her legs aren't what they used to be and she has trouble walking for long now...which absolutely pisses her off! I think she's going to be around a lot longer. She's perfectly lucid and after her cataracts were operated on, sees pretty well now again. She's got her house which she keeps in immaculate condition, her friends, her church, her grandchildren, a daughter who helps out, and she's content. For me, I can't believe how old I already am! I used to look at people my age when I was 20 and think...day-yam! They're lookin' beat up! For whatever reason, my true age hasn't caught up with me. Most people are shocked when I tell them my age, and they think I look in my early thirties (which now makes me feel good). When I was 29, I lost a job because the vendors I had to deal with thought I was 18... My mom says my good genes come from her (naturally!). But there are things I've noticed about aging that never bothered me before, one of them being that if I scrape myself and get a scab, what used to take a week to repair itself now can take weeks and leave a red reminder for months. I don't heal as fast as I used to. That bothers me. Even so, I intend to stick around a long time. I'm not interested in what the age is that I finally die at for the most part, as long as I've done all I wanted to do and had a good fun meaningful life. I know my soul is saved and going to Heaven, so no matter what happens or when, my eternal life is guaranteed. As for my earthly time, one never knows. I've done so much already that I'm amazed how much I've crammed in without even trying, all of my 'life' goals I've achieved already. So now it's moving forward with new goals that I am working on.
I decided a long time ago that when I'm really old, like maybe 108, and feeling like I'm not long for this earth, I'll put a very fine vintage bottle of wine ( or 2 or 3) in my back pack, kiss my family goodbye, then off into the forest I'll go for a long hike. I'll find a nice cushy spot, drink my wine and fall asleep one last time.
That is a very long way off, so until then, I'll wear my sneakers and take a great big bite out of life every single day!
Actually, I'm switching my plan to yours. that is much more my style!
What is old?
In my 20's, "old" was 10-yrs added to my age.
In my 30's, "old" was 15-yrs added to my age.
In my 40's, "old" was 20-yrs added to my age.
At age 47, "old" is 115!
What is old? Allowing yourself to have no purpose in your life. That can creep in at any age. I was "old" when I allowed myself to feel "no purpose" in my life in my 20's. I feel younger today - 20-yrs later.
What is old? Stopping whatever it is that makes you feel good, alive, spritely, vivacious & wanting to get out of bed each morning.
What is old?
1. Allowing yourself to give up.
2. Allowing yourself to feel as if you can't make a difference anymore.
3. Not using the intelligence/choice-making power you've learned/fostered throughout your life to change the former.
What is old? Forgetting/choosing not to celebrate where you are right now.
What is old? Listening to others "run their lists" about how horrible it is to be old/alone/helpless/hopeless/abandoned/wronged, at any age. Please step aside "old man/woman", I've got some celebrating to do. Come join me! Or just sit there, run your list & live "old" each day...
What is old?
In my 20's, "old" was 10-yrs added to my age.
In my 30's, "old" was 15-yrs added to my age.
In my 40's, "old" was 20-yrs added to my age.
At age 47, "old" is 115!
What is old? Allowing yourself to have no purpose in your life. That can creep in at any age. I was "old" when I allowed myself to feel "no purpose" in my life in my 20's. I feel younger today - 20-yrs later.
What is old? Stopping whatever it is that makes you feel good, alive, spritely, vivacious & wanting to get out of bed each morning.
What is old?
1. Allowing yourself to give up.
2. Allowing yourself to feel as if you can't make a difference anymore.
3. Not using the intelligence/choice-making power you've learned/fostered throughout your life to change the former.
What is old? Forgetting/choosing not to celebrate where you are right now.
What is old? Listening to others "run their lists" about how horrible it is to be old/alone/helpless/hopeless/abandoned/wronged, at any age. Please step aside "old man/woman", I've got some celebrating to do. Come join me! Or just sit there, run your list & live "old" each day...
What is old? It's an absolute choice.
Have fun everyone!
Baltic_Celt
Yes, I sort of like your approach. We have been sold a bill of goods about aging.
I can remember being too "Young" to go outside alone.
I can remember being told you are too Old for Her, at something like the ripe old age of 25.
Society says the old can't be young and the young must wait until they are old which usually puts them into a position of being too Old as the goal posts get moved.
There seems to be mixed attitudes that can be turned off / on like a switch. Madison Avenue likes to play it both ways, depending on what is being sold.
Frankly I never have been able to make my age fit what I wanted to do. Sort of like having a shadow that won't follow in sync with your stride.
There is one interesting parallel where you can see the process in reduced scale. Some pets, like a dog. There is a book (Best Seller) 'Marley & Me' - John Grogan where the dog is followed in the book from puppy to time of its death. Dog is a totally screwed_ up. Won't ruin the end for you.
I have had a dog that was truly remarkable, got her after she was abandoned by a former owner that moved and just left on the street. Street wise hound for about a year, until she adopted me and starting living on my porch. Of course you know the rest of that story. Watched her for about 15 years age and noticed the changes. Now in her final years. Be 17 next March, 1990 model with all the options. The interesting part is how she adapts as the body ages and the physical abilities decrease. Those lil gears are still working under the ears.
So far if you read most of those posts, most people are content to dance around the issues. Time to tackle and answer all those burning questions for me. It is almost more difficult than trying to explain sex to your kids.
I like the quote by Francis Bacon: "I will never be an old man. To me, old age is always fifteen years older than I am." (Hopefully, that applies to women, as well! ).
I love your post, Baltic Celt! I will try to remember that philosophy as I grow older.
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I was talking to a lady at work yesterday (she's 97) we were talking about getting old. She said, I never thought I was getting so old until one day my daughter came to me and said Mom, you can't live alone anymore." She said, for her, when her independence was taken away that's when she felt old.
off we go into the
