Came across this article reporting that the largest factor in determining one’s longevity ins heredity. NYT has a similar one, but I am not a subscriber.
My read is that I have a good chance of living into my 90s, based on my grandparents’ ages.
However, I am much more concerned with quality of my senior years than quantity. Therefore am doing my reasonable best to take care of myself.
1 Like
My grandfather on my dad’s side made it to 85, as did my grandmother on my mom’s side. But in my family line deaths have happened between 62 and 75. I’m 68 so I’m expecting mid to late 70’s. I also care more about quality than length. If I can’t recognize my daughter or grandson, I want them to withhold food, because I’m no different than a dog at that point.
Aren’t the two people you mentioned in your family line? I’m confused.
My dad had his first heart attack at 35, lived to 71. Had quit smoking, then restarted. Lung cancer, along with the heart stuff.
Yeah, quality is more important than quantity, but it would be nice to have some of both. I have shit to do. Too many people I know retire and die within 5 years.
Yep. the only two that made it to 80’s. My mom and her siblings (4) were in their mid 70’s (her brother died at 42). My dad’s only brother, whom I share the wonderful diabetes, died at 62 and dad at 74. My sister died at 68. My grandfather on my mom’s side was 63.
My dad died at 84, after suffering from COPD (emphysema) for his last 20 years. My mother died 2 years later at 87. She had afib, but I think she just decided it was time.
I had a bit of a panic attack recently - my best friend who was 10 days older than me died in November, but he had health issues. My exes cousin was 67 with no health issues and she died a couple of weeks ago. I think of her when I heard the Saturday “Social Security Strategy” guys on the radio. My exes cousin was 67…waited until then to retire and claim social security. That was in December. She got two checks and died. I retired in 2019 and have been getting my limited social security checks all this time. They say the break even age is around 80, which I don’t expect to make. And even if I do, the past 7 years have been the best years of my life. But I can feel changes.
Genetics are funny. My grandfather died at 90 something and smoked four packs a day.
My other grandfather died in his 60’s but it was due to radiation exposure. His father lived to his 90’s.
My dad died at 53 it smoked and didn’t take care of himself. I think excessive drinking is a root cause for many deaths.
I don’t know the scope of my dad’s smoking, but he usually had a Pall Mall or Old Gold fired up. When he was 64-65, his doctor told him that if he didn’t quit he has already had his last birthday. He did, but had to take daily breathing treatments after that (nebulizer 3x a day).
My grandather that made it to 85 smoked. His wife died at 62 (he was 73) and he had he had pneumonia. Back then you could smoke in hospitals and they finally put a guy in his room on oxygen to try to keep him from smoking. So he took an ashtray and sat on a gurney in the hall. A doctor passed and told him he would live to be 100 if he gave those up. He asked him if he ever thought he might not want to be 100. He gave up cigs, but not his pipe. He had a main aortic aneurysm (surgery was still not routine back then) that burst on him. They said he was dead before he hit the ground. That’s how I hope to go…with all my wits, living on my own and fast.