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Sliver · 08-24-2012, 11:00 AM

There doesn't really seem to be any script for how to be and what to do past the prime retirement years of say 55 - 75ish when people still have the energy/health to travel, golf, etc. Not that there would be an exact age, but say past mid-80s life seems to get very empty for a lot of people, particularly when great-grandchildren enter the fray because they get kind of schlubbed off to the side.

Grandparents have a very clear role in a family, but great-grandparents don't. They seem to be almost one generation too many in a lot of families I've seen - not because they have no value, but more because we don't really have a role for them.

There are always going to be exceptions, but I'm talking about the more standard-issue elderly people that just sit around their apartments or old-folks homes vegging out watching TV just waiting for the one/month visit from family.

We can definitely live a long time in this country, but holy crap does the quality of life ever fall of a cliff at a certain point. Are people just living too long now? I remember in high school my buddy's grandma telling us that we never want to live to be her age (90s) because all your friends will be dead. Sure we had a chuckle at that sad old lady at the time, but there was probably a lot of truth in what she said.

TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT:

So if you're planning to make it past 85, what do you want to be doing? Keep in mind you have to be realistic about what your abilities/energy level will be (e.g. you won't be snowboarding).

08-24-2012, 11:00 AM	#1
Sliver evil of fart Join Date: Sep 2009 Exp:	Becoming Elderly There doesn't really seem to be any script for how to be and what to do past the prime retirement years of say 55 - 75ish when people still have the energy/health to travel, golf, etc. Not that there would be an exact age, but say past mid-80s life seems to get very empty for a lot of people, particularly when great-grandchildren enter the fray because they get kind of schlubbed off to the side. Grandparents have a very clear role in a family, but great-grandparents don't. They seem to be almost one generation too many in a lot of families I've seen - not because they have no value, but more because we don't really have a role for them. There are always going to be exceptions, but I'm talking about the more standard-issue elderly people that just sit around their apartments or old-folks homes vegging out watching TV just waiting for the one/month visit from family. We can definitely live a long time in this country, but holy crap does the quality of life ever fall of a cliff at a certain point. Are people just living too long now? I remember in high school my buddy's grandma telling us that we never want to live to be her age (90s) because all your friends will be dead. Sure we had a chuckle at that sad old lady at the time, but there was probably a lot of truth in what she said. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT: So if you're planning to make it past 85, what do you want to be doing? Keep in mind you have to be realistic about what your abilities/energy level will be (e.g. you won't be snowboarding).