Do you Want to Live to be 100?

[GingerPoppy]

I want to live as long as I am able to with a reasonable quality of life.

 

My dad is nearly 70. He has MS but is fairly healthy. I certainly can't imagine life without him right now. Is he as agile as he was 10 years ago? Not at all. But he gets around in his van, lives in a small apartment on his SS check, comes over here for dinner and to see the boys, goes camping and fishing with us, reads and watches movies he enjoys. I hope he lives comfortably for many more years.

 

Barring severe disease or painful condition, I think blithely stating a wish to only live into one's 60s or 70s is ageist and a consequence of an overly youth focused culture. I think elders have a lot to teach the world about history, perspective, traditions, patience and more. Even if someone has less mobility or is becoming forgetful, their life still has value. My children have benefited tremendously from their grandparents in their lives and from meeting some of their great grandparents. Had my dad died at 60, he never would have met my kids. Had he died 5 years ago, my son would not have learned to fish or tie flies from him, or been introduced to opera with a skilled ear or learned all of the ridiculous jokes my dad tells or spent time learning to cook with him. Sure, he needs a cane to get around sometimes and there are days he needs his power chair. But looking at the impact he has had on my child's life, I am glad that he lives despite a health condition and glad that he outlived his financial resources (like many seniors, he survives SS, a subsidized apartment and help from his kids).

 

Yes!

 

Great post, and spot on I think.

[Rosie_0801]

Live to 100? Sure.

 

Merely exist to 100, heck no.

 

It took my grandmother 15 years to finally die of boredom.

 

Rosie

[Kari C in SC]

I'm not going to make it a poll or anything, but it's something very much on my mind.

 

I've never really seen the appeal of living to be 100 or beyond. Too many of my friends and family will most likely die before me - perhaps even some of my children. Also, as a Christian, I don't want to stay here forever. I want to go to my heart's True Home. I have no desire to stay an extra long time... heck I'd be happy if God sees fit to take me in my 60s. Honestly.

 

So, I'd love to know what the appeal is of living to 100. Especially since I know some people who are living a long time and their life isn't all that peachy. I know the news likes to tout out the centenarians who are still very active, but I honestly think they are the exception and not the rule.

 

I volunteer for hospice so I'm around older people a lot. Granted, they are older people who are sick and in hospice. But, My FIL will turn 102 this year. He was very active, both mentally and physically, up until his mid 90s. He would play chess against grandmasters and win! He swam 3x per week. Definitely no couch potato. But, since his mid 90's he has been slipping - mostly mentally. He now just sits in front of the tv being cared for by his wife and round the clock nurses.

 

Another friend is in her mid-late 80's. She's another very active person. She lived on the 11th floor of her apartment but would almost always take the stairs. She led Bible studies and was a leader at her church. She's dealing with dementia. She remembers less and less each time I visit her and her world is shrinking.

 

I have so many mixed feelings on this. My own mom will be 72 tomorrow and I worry so much about her leaving me. I just need her so much right now and I need her to be okay. At the same time - one of the very first things I said the day I found out my son had died was - "How am I going to live another 40 years without him?" I still very much feel this way. I want to be here for my other children. I want to see them grow up and I long to be a grandma. At the same time - I need to know. I need to know where my other child is - if there really is a heaven and is he there. So, I think about dying some day and this pain I carry being gone. I do not think about dying today (don't worry!). But as my mom ages - I have so much fear of her being gone. She is truly my best friend and she listens to me about everything and she hurts as much as I do. I need her to be okay until I feel stronger. As I said - tomorrow is her 72nd birthday - it would also be my son's 23rd birthday.

[photomo]

My grandmother is turning 88 this year and she still has a great quality of life. She lives by herself, she drives, she takes the other elderly members of her church to the dr, grocery store and walks people dogs if they are ill.

 

Both her brothers lived to be in thier mid 90"s and did in their sleep and they were the same. They still drove and lived at home with their spouses.

 

none of them have/had serious medical issues.

both my great uncles died in their sleep.

 

If my quality of life could be like theirs then yes I sure as heck hope to live til 100. My grandmother enjoys life and all her children,grandchildren,great-grandchildren , and yes she even has great-great grandchildren.

[Parrothead]

Since I'll just be finishing school at 50, you betcha. I'll just be getting started with the second half.

 

There is too much to do to just sit around getting old.

[TravelingChris]

I noticed a number have said as long as they had their health. Well if I had that atitude, I would have died at 30. So that isn't my perspective at all. Do I expect to live to 100? No. People with my diseases- RA, asthma, blood clotting issue, etc. don't tend to live as long as others without these diseases. On the other hand, there is no history of dementia or Alzheimer's in my family so I don't think I have anything to worry on that end. Anyway, I am enjoying life even with my many diseases and plan to continue enjoying it. I think I am doing what God wants me to do and I plan to continue to do so until I die.

[6packofun]

As long as I can be useful for God, I'd be OK with living that long. But when I really think about it, I hope that I can see my children grow into adulthood, do as much as I can for God while I'm here and go quickly to be with Him when I'm too tired, too sick, or too demented to keep on going. LOL I am serious about the dementia aspect, btw. That is the worst possible way to live (whether I sense/understand it at the time or not) while creating a huge burden and sadness for my family as I forget them. I'd rather die.