Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
As I was folding laundry this morning, I got to thinking about super old people and I wondered how they manage to do all of the things that are required of daily living. I thought about taxes and what a long process that was to gather info and recap it all for the accountant and how a super old person would be capable of doing this. I wondered if people in rest homes still do their taxes. If they have income (even just SS), they have to do taxes, correct? How do they manage it?
There are so many daily tasks to attend to - paying bills, paying fees, shopping, banking, tax prep, filing, solving all kinds of daily problems as they arise (calling people, coordinating, troubleshooting, etc.) . . . I just don't see how a super old person can do any of this - not just that it is physically and mentally taxing, but it takes time and organization. If you have cognitive issues, I have no idea how you manage - day-to-day.
Does a person have business concerns in assisted living or in a rest home? Do they do banking, taxes, etc.?
What do you think about this?
I have a personal belief that, in general, people are living too long as a result of artificial medical means, so the social and practical implications of aging go through my mind from time to time. I also do not look at death as a bad thing, so that contributes to my perplexity about some of these questions and the logistics of it all.
Last edited by imcurious; 04-15-2013 at 12:24 PM..
Your family
Neighbors
Friends
You pay people
The government steps in and pays people
You do things slowly, possibly repeating
You are older and you've learned how to do things efficiently
You are less demanding and therefore don't "do" as many things
I write from experience. My 91 year old dad is in a board and care and my 90 year old mom lives alone and doesn't drive. She uses a cheap senior dial a ride thing call Access in Los Angeles County and Calabasas Dial a Ride. I do their taxes. Neighbors help her shopping. SHe has a gardner and a cleaning lady. She has a handy man.
"The government steps in and pays people" ??? What country do YOU live in?
Medi-cal, Medicare pays nursing home costs for people who pass an assets test and an income test.
The government will pay your nursing home even if you have a home worth hundreds of thousands of dollars (but little else). Meanwhile, the guy with no home but a million dollars in investments has to spend down those investments before the government will pay for his nursing home. A primary resident isn't a countable asset.
Also, the Access thing my mom uses is heavily subsidized my the government. She pays like $3 and the van takes her to LAX, the Getty Museum, Downtown Los Angeles, Burbank Airport, her doctor appointments, shopping, visits to my dad, etc.
I didn't ask about nursing homes. I asked about tasks of daily living - taxes, banking, etc. Does the nursing home do all of this? I had never heard of that. Most of them do not even wash your clothes (unless you pay extra).
I didn't ask about nursing homes. I asked about tasks of daily living - taxes, banking, etc. Does the nursing home do all of this? I had never heard of that. Most of them do not even wash your clothes (unless you pay extra).
In your original post you did mention nursing homes. OK, people can get subsidized services for some things. There are also free tax preparation services. Meals on wheels. Things like that.
I didn't ask about nursing homes. I asked about tasks of daily living - taxes, banking, etc. Does the nursing home do all of this? I had never heard of that. Most of them do not even wash your clothes (unless you pay extra).
Lives alone and handles all of that herself. She is in a condo, so no outside maintenance, but she is still sharp, does her own taxes and is computer savy. Family will occasionally grocery shop for her. She does have a maid once a week, week but she cooks and cleans her kitchen herself and does her own laundry.
I got to thinking about super old people and I wondered how they manage to do all of the things that are required of daily living. What do you think about this?
"The government steps in and pays people" ??? What country do YOU live in?
I didn't ask about nursing homes. I asked about tasks of daily living - taxes, banking, etc. Does the nursing home do all of this? I had never heard of that. Most of them do not even wash your clothes (unless you pay extra).
Jeeeez. People tell you what they think and you jump down their throats? If you already know the answer you're looking for, just include it in the original post so others don't waste their time trying to respond.
Jeeeez. People tell you what they think and you jump down their throats? If you already know the answer you're looking for, just include it in the original post so others don't waste their time trying to respond.
Way to kill your own thread...
Thanks for your contribution!
I reiterated the intent of the thread, re: how to deal with daily tasks - whether in or out of assisted living or nursing home to avoid having the thread be about nursing homes. Charles' response indicated that nursing homes take care of daily tasks such as banking and taxes and that's why I asked which country he lived in as I had never heard of them providing such services.
I still don't understand how people accomplish these tasks once they get too old . . . my question was more of a curiosity and a statement about how complicated life is and how many details there are and wondering how millions of super old people manage. Not everyone has resources, family, or assistance so it was those people I was thinking of.
Charles' response indicated that nursing homes take care of daily tasks such as banking and taxes and that's why I asked which country he lived in as I had never heard of them providing such services.
I still don't understand how people accomplish these tasks once they get too old . . . my question was more of a curiosity and a statement about how complicated life is and how many details there are and wondering how millions of super old people manage. Not everyone has resources, family, or assistance so it was those people I was thinking of.
Ah no, he gave a list of who could help with these tasks.
If the person has no one, then it would likely be someone appointed by the court or some social service agency, i.e., the government.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My 90 yr old Mom
