Stories on what it's like to go from age 70 to 80 (emotionally, moving)
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I just turned 79. At this point I know the best is behind me. I'm still in fairly good health, but I have the usual stuff like need new knees, eyes getting worse, and only have about half my teeth. I have always been a person that likes a project. The planning and completion were always fun. Now I hesitate to even start a project.
This is a nice thread. Has people raised these to our politicians, local senators etc. as they keep on raising FRA, instead of fixing the social security problem. It implies if someone retires at 67, (s)he has 7-8 years (on an average) of living (not existence).
My mom just passed away at almost 92. She was still going strong until 89 or so. Had a couple of falls, broke a hip, cracked a vertebrae. She was still chipper until a few weeks before she passed. In a wheelchair, but still lively. Old age just took its toll.
I am so sorry for your loss. It hurts to lose your mother.
I just turned 79. At this point I know the best is behind me. I'm still in fairly good health, but I have the usual stuff like need new knees, eyes getting worse, and only have about half my teeth. I have always been a person that likes a project. The planning and completion were always fun. Now I hesitate to even start a project.
I've seen this with both my parents, where a hobby or interest becomes virtually undoable.
I think the lesson for younger retirees is to look ahead to when you wont be able to do the things you like to do and either modify how you do them or have backup hobbies/interests that are more doable.
But, again, I think a lot of this is mental as well and comes down to glass half full or half empty.
My father who had always been obsessed with gardening and his yard work, eventually hired someone to do the lawn, but still did some of the trimming and gardening. Then he stopped trimming and grew tomatoes in large pots rather than a garden. Also, while supervising the lawn people. Also, taking them under his wing and getting them more clients because he respected their hard work ethic.
Later that morphed to advising my sister on her garden and helping pick her tomatoes. As well as knowing all the produce that's the best at any season and where to get it.
My mother who enjoyed flower gardening, that turned into getting the lawn people to plant things she bought or ordered. As well as doing more, container gardens for porch and house.
They have both also adopted other interests that are easier for them to do.
Getting older from what I observe is a lot about loss of all kinds. The people I want to be like are the ones that accept that and have the resilience to pay more attention to what they have than what they don't have.
My mom just passed away at almost 92. She was still going strong until 89 or so. Had a couple of falls, broke a hip, cracked a vertebrae. She was still chipper until a few weeks before she passed. In a wheelchair, but still lively. Old age just took its toll.
Clem, I'm so sorry to hear about your mom. I knew she was in declining health but didn't see where you posted about her passing. Maybe on the other forum but I haven't been there for quite a while. Age 92 is, maybe, a good place to stop? Not sure I even want to live that long myself.
As you know, my mom passed away a year and a half ago at age 87. Up until she started having mini strokes she was still going pretty good but after that it was, pretty much, downhill for the last six months.
My observances of the older generation that has passed away are that it's mostly genetics and that a lot of them went down hill right about age 80. My ex and I lost all four of our parents at about 80 and I can remember going into work and telling a younger co-worker that things start happening at 80, people seem to die in many cases.
Yet, of that same generation, the side of the family that had the great genes lived well into their 90s. My aunt was living in elderly housing and went on a senior bus trip to a casino, came home, fell on the ice, and broke something. She never really recovered. A month previously she had cooked a big Christmas dinner for us!
Her brother lived well into his 90s and also died from a fall and a broken bone. But he was sharp as a tack and active right up until that day.
Their mother, my Gram, was one of those lively little ladies full of pep and rarin' to go. At age 81, she boarded an ocean liner and went to England to see her family. I was impressed! She, like the rest on that side, was very strong willed, could almost be mean if she had to be. Shall we say, "outspoken?" She would tell the doctor off, she could tell anyone off. But she did it in a nice way.
She ate anything but never gained weight, she smoked one cigarette a night, and she drank a swig of whiskey at night in bed. Said the whiskey was medicinal. Never overdid anything though.
The people who lived into their 90s had the energy to exercise and stay active. They all ate right and no one was overweight. There were no hip or knee replacements. They were disciplined to eat, sleep, take walks, do what was required, on schedule. They were in charge. But they had the genes that gave them the pep and energy to begin with.
All of them were intensely interested in something, whether it was antiques, golf, politics, gardens, books, games, crocheting, rug making, and I can still see my Gram in her old age, reading big thick books with her magnifying glass. She read James Michener's Hawaii, I remember. She'd get really excited playing kiddie card games with us kids--she had great enthusiasm for everything she did.
Gram finally had to go into a nursing home where she passed away in her mid 90s and the doctors said she just died of old age, nothing more.
Myself and dh--we are past age 70 and I think 70 is the start of the downward trend for many. I was fine the day I turned 70--went swimming in the ocean and out to eat later on. A few months later I was diagnosed with a degenerative disc in my neck. Then, OA in my toes.
Husband is mid 70s and is like my Gram--too much energy and wants to be always on the go. I send him on errands to keep him happy! He was a heavy smoker until he met me about 9 years ago. I think the smoking may have affected the circulation in his legs but so far neither of us are on any medications. We eat right and he walks a lot with the dog. I'm more reclusive and more of a homebody and I know I should be exercising.
This is an interesting thread. Thanks, Riverbird.
But so much if it is in the genes. That and any environmental interference (such as prescription drugs that have dangerous side effects) seems to determine most of what will happen. I see so many younger people who probably won't even live as long as we in our generation. They eat fast food and don't even know how to cook. Many are very overweight and suffer from the results of obesity.
I see a lot of surgery and illness in their future, unfortunately.
Clem, I'm so sorry to hear about your mom. I knew she was in declining health but didn't see where you posted about her passing. Maybe on the other forum but I haven't been there for quite a while. Age 92 is, maybe, a good place to stop? Not sure I even want to live that long myself.
As you know, my mom passed away a year and a half ago at age 87. Up until she started having mini strokes she was still going pretty good but after that it was, pretty much, downhill for the last six months.
Thank you. She was on hospice for a month. Not eating. Just slipped away.
Mom was in pretty good shape at 70, dad died when mom was 68 so she was traveling and having fun at 70 driving across the state to see her sister and her mom. Over that decade she slowed down a lot she was getting tired eyes to started getting one of us to drive her more than 100 miles or so. When she was 80 her mom died but before that she would try to take care of her some until mom was 78 and grandma went to assisted living. After mom was 80 her hips hurt all the time but she helped her sister take care of her brother in law for months at a time and she moved in with my brother so she didn't have to maintain a house. She got pancreatic cancer and hurt all the time and died at 86. She was glad to die since she hurt and was tired and it meant not needing new hearing aides. Her early 70s were the good years the later she was too much caregiver. At 80 I got her a cane and by 82 she was using it pretty often at 86 she needed a walker even in the house.
I am 68 and not looking forward to rapid decline but I probably have 10 more good years.
Nor'Eastah, I'd be interested in what arthritis drug you are referring to if you feel like posting it or happen to know.
I'll always remember this: it was Darvon.
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