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Only about a quarter of those living in assisted living are below 85. Probably a lot of the younger patients have acute life-threatening conditions, such as cancer, that end their stay much sooner.
My research has shown that, despite what the media hypes, most men are dead before age 80 (93%) -- 93% of males in The US born 80 years ago TODAY (June 17) are already dead. 87% of females born 85 years ago today are already dead. (Stats are from CMS.) So the main reason they aren't in nursing homes is probably because they aren't alive anymore. Yes, we are living longer. And those of us are who 65-70 TODAY -- the majority of us MAY live to be 90 (I think it may be more those who are 65 today).
For the vast majority of those 80+ today -- the quality of life REALLY starts to diminish at around age 80. I think I quoted this in another post on this thread: a doctor recently said that modern medicine won't prolong our lives but it will prolong our dying.
My PCP, who is a geriatrician, is 65 and recently retired, said that just taking into consideration the patients he has seen in just the past 10 years, life is not worth living after 80 for the vast majority of seniors. Major health issues start at around age 70 for most seniors. And that has been my personal experience. I'm living in my third 55+ retirement community, in the past 10 years, and from what I've seen, there is NO WAY I want to see my 80th or 81st birthday. I am not of those super agers, who are still pretty rare despite what we see and read in the media.
My research has shown that, despite what the media hypes, most men are dead before age 80 (93%) -- 93% of males in The US born 80 years ago TODAY (June 17) are already dead. 87% of females born 85 years ago today are already dead. (Stats are from CMS.) So the main reason they aren't in nursing homes is probably because they aren't alive anymore. Yes, we are living longer. And those of us are who 65-70 TODAY -- the majority of us MAY live to be 90 (I think it may be more those who are 65 today).
For the vast majority of those 80+ today -- the quality of life REALLY starts to diminish at around age 80. I think I quoted this in another post on this thread: a doctor recently said that modern medicine won't prolong our lives but it will prolong our dying.
My PCP, who is a geriatrician, is 65 and recently retired, said that just taking into consideration the patients he has seen in just the past 10 years, life is not worth living after 80 for the vast majority of seniors. Major health issues start at around age 70 for most seniors. And that has been my personal experience. I'm living in my third 55+ retirement community, in the past 10 years, and from what I've seen, there is NO WAY I want to see my 80th or 81st birthday. I am not of those super agers, who are still pretty rare despite what we see and read in the media.
I only answer no to that question when I'm dealing with it theoretically in thoughtful conversation. (In other words, when I'm denying it to appear wise.)
In the middle of the night when I can't sleep and my mind circles around some imagined but surely fatal malady... then it's pretty damn scary.
Mostly I just love being alive. I'd really hate to not be that. Of course when I am not that, I probably won't care... about anything at all.
When I can’t sleep, I think of what to do in my garden when I first wake up. Then I fall asleep, never think about dying. But people in my bridge club call me the teenager of senior citizen age. Maybe in 20 years, I might think differently.
But my husband and I have told the kids, don’t know if they paid any attention when we talked to them. But we told them to pull the plug on us once Medicare is done paying for nursing care, I think it’s 100 days. If we don’t wake up in that time frame and at our age, it’s as good as being gone.
But my husband and I have told the kids, don’t know if they paid any attention when we talked to them. But we told them to pull the plug on us once Medicare is done paying for nursing care, I think it’s 100 days. If we don’t wake up in that time frame and at our age, it’s as good as being gone.
Keep in mind that Medicare pays for a nursing home only for "rehab" after you've been admitted to a hospital for some reason and then discharged but still need skilled care. It doesn't pay if you just need assistance with "activities of daily living" such as bathing, dressing, getting to the bathroom, etc.
Keep in mind that Medicare pays for a nursing home only for "rehab" after you've been admitted to a hospital for some reason and then discharged but still need skilled care. It doesn't pay if you just need assistance with "activities of daily living" such as bathing, dressing, getting to the bathroom, etc.
Yes I know. But I still don’t want to pay for LTC. They are a rip off.
Keep in mind that Medicare pays for a nursing home only for "rehab" after you've been admitted to a hospital for some reason and then discharged but still need skilled care. It doesn't pay if you just need assistance with "activities of daily living" such as bathing, dressing, getting to the bathroom, etc.
Yes, it does. Or it will -- It depends on the circumstances. What it won't do is pay for home care until we die. And that's another topic for later -- I leaving and going to be gone for most of the day. Back later.
The bigger question is not when, but how? My father died from painful cancer at 65. My mother went to bed and didn't wake up at age 91. Hers was the better way.
Exactly. Not when, but how. I had a friend die of pancreatic cancer. She was working full time, ended up in the ER one Friday night after work, with jaundice, and no prior symptoms. 8 weeks later all of her co-workers were at a memorial service. It's one of the "sledgehammer" diseases. Live life to its fullest. We never know when it's over.
Keep in mind that Medicare pays for a nursing home only for "rehab" after you've been admitted to a hospital for some reason and then discharged but still need skilled care. It doesn't pay if you just need assistance with "activities of daily living" such as bathing, dressing, getting to the bathroom, etc.
I think the criteria for Medicare to pay for rehab is 3 nights as an inpatient, not "observation" status. I remember seeing signs all over the place in the exam rooms at a medical center where I currently get care. Medicare definitely doesn't pay for assistance with daily living stuff, i.e. assisted living.
Yes I know. But I still don’t want to pay for LTC. They are a rip off.
Yes, in my view, LTC is a huge, mostly for-profit industry that provides questionable care in many cases. Read reviews and also look at the various "quality" indexes. Some of it is opaque and buried, but if you dig around, you can find out about violations in these places, and there are many in most of these LTC places. Do a lot of homework.
But my husband and I have told the kids, don’t know if they paid any attention when we talked to them. But we told them to pull the plug on us once Medicare is done paying for nursing care, I think it’s 100 days. If we don’t wake up in that time frame and at our age, it’s as good as being gone.
Best to have a living will, so there is no question about your wishes at the end. There are lots of standard forms online that can be printed, or check with your ins co. I got one from a local health ins co, filled out the forms and had it scanned into my medical record. It does require witnesses for the signatures.
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