Are you scared of getting old and decrepit?

I am getting that way ( one does; it’s inevitable), and I don’t look forward to my future as I see it in my mother (who is 88).

I am terrified. My body began falling apart a couple years ago and I keep waiting for the other shoe to fall. Under fifty I felt like a million bucks: no pains, no ear hissing, plenty of energy to fast dance the night away. I could even drink alcohol and feel fine the next day .

Welcome to Fluther kiddo – good first question.

You wrote: I’ve always imagined myself dying by the time I hit the age of 40.

Why is that?

Use the @ sign to respond to someone specifically.

Scared? No, I don’t think so. I’m fighting it, and yet succumbing slowly. I plan to live as long as I can, and as long as my mind is ok, I’ll be ok, and if my mind isn’t ok, it won’t matter. I may not even know how badly off I am. But likely I will know. Still, I hope to enjoy the things I can enjoy and not dwell on the things I can no longer do.

Other than periodic panic attacks and nightmares, ever-increasing doctor bills, constant insurance concerns, painful joints, and sprigs of unwanted hair, no, I’m not at all worried about getting older/old.

I’m not at all worried about getting old.

I’m worried about being forced to be around other old people.

My mom is 89, and still somewhat active. My Grandpa (her dad) lived to 97, he was active and agile until he was 94. I have meet people that are vigorously active well into their late eighties. I guess I don’t fear that. We know enough about caring for ourselves now, in many ways if you don’t get cancer or some other disease, a lot of it is actually a choice in caring for one’s self.

I never thought I’d make 30, I was pretty wild in my 20’s, but here I am almost 40, pretty wild.

One of the coolest things I heard that changed my thinking a little was “Embrace and enjoy getting older, a lot of people don’t have that luxury.”

Just don’t neglect your 401k or anything because of your thoughts on your life expectancy, that’s my suggestion anyway.

I’m pretty unhealthy already at age 20, so…yeah.

So far I’m fairly okay with it. The women in my family are long-lived and reasonably healthy. My maternal grandmother lived to 96 and my Mom is 92, still drives and lives on her own. She’s been perfectly healthy until the past few years when she had both hips replaced (a year apart). She recovered quickly both times and she’s still doing fine. My father died in 2000 and he was 8 years younger than my Mom. So, I worry about it some, but it can’t be helped or avoided, so I just do the best I can to stay healthy, plan for my financial security and enjoy life. There are many things about getting older that I really like – the wisdom that comes with experience being one of them.

I don’t worry, but not exactly excited about the body stuff. I am an old soul type to begin with, and I do really love the wisdom of being older now, but yeah, the body stuff creepeth up. It is what it is, we are all mere mortals and regardless of what you do you are going to die, of something, sooner or later. Meh…60 years, 80 years, a 100 years, it is ALL so insignificant in the grand scheme of the universe. I have no fear of dying but preferably it won’t be an agonizing experience. haha

I’m more worried about my finances, being a quality over quantity type my worst nightmare is having to work in Walmart in my old age. Just shoot me please!

I am already decrepit.

I am decrepit and yet, not.

I look forward to it. My family history is such that if I don’t take up smoking or drinking excessively I should live to a grand old age. I just turned 40 and I’m loving this age. It really is all about attitude. I’m aiming for witty cool old lady.

I can’t wait to get old. It’s a natural extension of my current indolent lifestyle, and less will be expected of me. Plus I think gray and white hair is pretty.

Getting decrepit, who doesn’t fear that? It sucks to be sick and unable to do the things you love to do. But I’m good at adapting and am confident that I’ll always be able to find something in life to enjoy.

Welcome to Fluther!

@wildpotato Right, adapt or die! haha
Me too, gotta roll with the punches and we have to reinvent ourselves many times in this life. :-)

My ex MIL was in terrific health her whole life. At 87 she was going out dancing with her new husband each week and they made lots of friends. At 90 they were dancing and she hit the floor. She said she didn’t remember falling which to me means she had a stroke. The damage to her leg was dreadful. From then on she was stuck with at least one “pin” or rod in her leg and had to use a cane; you can’t dance with a cane. She said she’d dance again but never did. Then at 94 she had to go to a nursing home. A “nurse” turned her over by grabbing just her arm. It broke , then became infected and killed her at 97. Her own mother died the same way. A nurses’ aide turned her over by the arm and broke it. Nice to know they’re so well trained.

@wildpotato : Thank you very much, I hope to have fun. Thank you all.

@KeepYourEyesWideOpen Well hey ya young whippersnapper, come on out to the microfarm and I’ll pay you to do some chores today. I’ll feed you lunch, crack jokes all afternoon and share a little happy brownie break time with you.
Old hippie farm chicks need chore boys or girls..lol

For me it is am I scared of gettin old“er” and while the thought of actually being older no longer scares me the thought of not being physically able to do what I want, when I want because my own body refuses to cooperate is still troubling particularly when you realize what restrictions you have had to already place upon yourself to date.
For instance, I took up snowboarding about four years ago and I refuse to get into the ½ pipe or the terrain parks preferring to get down the hill with all 206 bones whole.

No, but my penis definitely is, proud fucker that it is.

@ucme Man, you’re going to give some nurse a run for her money in the nursing home. haha
I can see it now, you will be the one that everyone is warned about. Watch out for Mr.ucme in room 17, he’s a dirty old bird. I bet you’re going to fake being incontinent just to get the girls to check your diaper. lolol

@Coloma If by then i’m still capable of feeling horny, then you can bet nursie will be getting her boobs honked!

I already am. It is not so bad. In fact, I am content.

My mother had a terrific run for her money until she reached 93; the next three years before her death were colored by her senile dementia but she still enjoyed her meals, TV, reading, some gentle walking and primping for dinner in the communal dining room in her facility.

It beats the alternative.

I think I need to start looking for someone to drive this daisy soon.
I hate driving at night anymore, the deer dodge in the dark and seeing things that aren’t there. haha

A bit, yes.

Nope. I grew up with a chronic disease that could kill me any day, in the short term or long term. It takes around 10 years off your life expectancy on average even if you break your hump trying to take care of yourself every single day.

I’m more scared of being alone for the rest of my life, however long it is.

Welcome to Fluther, and great question by the way.

@Coloma I have not driven at night in a year. Sometimes the car in front of you is actually a mile in front. But I remember the deer problem. As much as I loved and miss them they would scare the hell out of me at night just missing the front bumper. Here, we don’t have deer. We also have a difficult to see hairpin turn to get to our neighborhood and the first time I tried to get here I got lost. I mean really lost. You can go miles with no lights, no houses, no store lights and it is so hard to see the turn.
And, @Coloma, as far as having to work at Walmart in your old age do they hire the elderly? I know they do regular drug testing. lol

I’m not scared of getting old necessarily, because obviously that’s inevitable- but what I’m terrified of is being sick or unable to do the things I wish to accomplish in life. I never want to retire, I always want to be doing something, and if I can’t… That’s just scary. I mean, life is so short as it is and I don’t want old age to further limit my ambitions.

No, I hope I live to be 100. At 70 I am more alert and younger looking than many people my age. The women in my family live well into their 90’s so I don’t expect to have any issues I can’t handle.

I am not sure.

No. I try not to worry about the future these days.

@NostalgicChills – you said it exactly. We won’t ever retire, we will just keep going. The businesses we take over keep getting less physically demanding but still plenty to keep us going. I keep the nembutal handy in case of dire illness.

I keep on imagining what it will be like when my wife’s skin is not smooth like it has always been. I’m not sure it will matter, because I think it will be smooth enough, and she will be beautiful enough, as she has always been. I need to be attracted to her, and believe she is attracted to me, too. Otherwise it’s just not going to work, although after all these decades, I can’t imagine how I could break up with her, so I’m sure it will all keep on moving right along.