When would you like to die? Or, should we seek to live forever?

Mike Harding · Guru

When would you like to die? Or, should we seek to live forever?

KevinJ · Senior Member

Personally, I don't care when I die. I would however like to know where I will die as that is one place I will never visit.

TheHeaths · Guru

An interesting consideration Mike. We are in our mid 60s presently, and will fight tooth and nail to hang on to what we have. We both still enjoy good health for our age, and enjoy our life.

My Dad, however, is in his mid 80s, and following Mums loss with the debilitating effects of Alzheimers 3 years ago, and the onset of more and more age related issues (although still in good health compared to many), he is a firm believer that we can live too long. He and Mum had a good life, and on more than 1 occasion, he has suggested he would have preferred for them both to go in their mid 70s, when both vigorous and active, before he had to watch Mum go down hill and spend 3 years in a nursing home before she died.

Certainly a thing to ponder as we all begin the end game!

bilbo · Senior Member

Mike wrote ..."When would you like to die?"

I " think" I will know.......when bodily functions start to fail......when mind starts to fail/go silly or both.

Long term Top Enders (bushies) are lucky .... they have a good "option"....and I dont mean a boomstick!

Where??? again I am lucky....I even know the address today! (its where I live)

cheers Bilbo

peter67 · Guru

Had a friend who knew exactly when and where he was going to die, the judge told him.

Bicyclecamper · Guru

I am not going to give my exact age, as a hybrid human, but if I was still on Lima 5, I would be 156, earth years. But here on earth I'm over 60 , but under 65. I will get to live to around 300 when I go back to Lima 5, but we have a planet that is not polluted, especially with radioactive fallout, which is the known reason why humans are dying here on earth.

dogbox · Guru

quietly in my sleep before i get to the point that i need someone to assist with daily functions

Buzz Lightbulb · Guru

When I've finished spending my children's inheritance. biggrin

oldbloke · Guru

Mike Harding wrote:
An excellent article by Giles Fraser considers the wisdom of Western society's modern struggle with the concept of "more is always better" in the area of living longer and whether longer equals better?
This is a subject dear to me as although my health seems good currently I'm mid sixties and expect I'll only be able to sustain my nomadic lifestyle for, say, another 15 years maximum. So where to after that? An aged care home? I don't bloody well think so....
Giles Fraser - Unherd

That thought has often come to me. If you sell your home (if you own one) and live full time in a van

What becomes of you when you get to your 80s?

Bicyclecamper · Guru

oldbloke wrote:
Mike Harding wrote:
An excellent article by Giles Fraser considers the wisdom of Western society's modern struggle with the concept of "more is always better" in the area of living longer and whether longer equals better?
This is a subject dear to me as although my health seems good currently I'm mid sixties and expect I'll only be able to sustain my nomadic lifestyle for, say, another 15 years maximum. So where to after that? An aged care home? I don't bloody well think so....
Giles Fraser - Unherd
That thought has often come to me. If you sell your home (if you own one) and live full time in a van
What becomes of you when you get to your 80s?

What becomes of you when your 80?. You park your van in a c.van park, maybe put up a permanent annex, level to your van floor, and a ramp, going to your annex door. The only problem with this, though, are a lot of van parks get sold to become housing, leaving you in the lurch. Unless you pick a place away from major centre's then you have problems getting to medical and maybe shopping.

dorian · Guru

The right time to die is when you go from living to existing. If you're not enjoying life, or if you've lost your independence, then that would a sign that you're merely existing.

yobarr · Guru

dorian wrote:
The right time to die is when you go from living to existing. If you're not enjoying life, or if you've lost your independence, then that would a sign that you're merely existing.

Over many years of travel,in many countries,I have met a great number of people in exactly that situation.In my youth,my mother was Head Honcho at an old folks' "retirement home",where the "residents" (captives) would be showered,fed,have their toileting needs seen to,and then sat in,and sometimes tied to, arm chairs in a huge "common room".They would then spend the day just staring at the floor,and very rarely were they visited by family,unless it was Christmas time,when the place was packed with visitors.These old folk didn't want to be there,with many saying that they simply wanted to die.These people were merely existing.Cheers

Plain Truth · Guru

Well I am turning 80 next birthday, we are planning a caravan trip next month, if we aren't in lockdown.

Going to try a couple ,of new, to us, free camping spots. We won't stop till we drop. Hoping for the weather to warm up.

Blues Man · Guru

Good on you Plain Truth ,great attitude .Keep on truckin

.

dogbox · Guru

Plain Truth wrote:

Well I am turning 80 next birthday, we are planning a caravan trip next month, if we aren't in lockdown.
Going to try a couple ,of new, to us, free camping spots. We won't stop till we drop. Hoping for the weather to warm up.

what happens when the "we" becomes me

yobarr · Guru

dogbox wrote:
Plain Truth wrote:
Well I am turning 80 next birthday, we are planning a caravan trip next month, if we aren't in lockdown.
Going to try a couple ,of new, to us, free camping spots. We won't stop till we drop. Hoping for the weather to warm up.
what happens when the "we" becomes me

Probably,when this happens,the partner still alive will continue to travel,as I have done after cancer killed my Mrs.She insisted that I not change the plans we had spent years making,which were to travel for as long as we were physically able to.Cheers

-- Edited by yobarr on Wednesday 15th of September 2021 08:53:38 AM

dogbox · Guru

yobarr wrote:

dogbox wrote:
Plain Truth wrote:
Well I am turning 80 next birthday, we are planning a caravan trip next month, if we aren't in lockdown.
Going to try a couple ,of new, to us, free camping spots. We won't stop till we drop. Hoping for the weather to warm up.
what happens when the "we" becomes me
Probably,when this happens,the partner still alive will continue to travel,as I have done after cancer killed my Mrs.She insisted that I not change the plans we had spent years making,which were to travel for as long as we were physically able to.Cheers

-- Edited by yobarr on Wednesday 15th of September 2021 08:53:38 AM

how would it have worked out if you were the one that went first ?

Whenarewethere · Guru

One day bush walking I tripped & fractured 4 ribs. Eventually I will have a more serious accident & time will be up.

Plain Truth · Guru

What will happen when "we" becomes "me". That is something we have never worried about.

Why worry about things that you cannot control, when the time comes ,we can be sure who ever is left will be looked after by our children.

Our biggest worry today is what to order at the Indian restaurant when we go out for lunch,and what bottle of wine to get.

Blues Man · Guru

Plain Truth wrote:
What will happen when "we" becomes "me". That is something we have never worried about.
Why worry about things that you cannot control, when the time comes ,we can be sure who ever is left will be looked after by our children.
Our biggest worry today is what to order at the Indian restaurant when we go out for lunch,and what bottle of wine to get.

Once again , Great attitude.

dorian · Guru

Plain Truth wrote:
What will happen when "we" becomes "me". That is something we have never worried about.
Why worry about things that you cannot control, when the time comes ,we can be sure who ever is left will be looked after by our children.

You should at least have an Advanced Care Directive. That tells others how you want to be treated, or not treated, when the time comes. For example, leaving it up to your children, or your surgeon, to decide whether you should be resuscitated is unfair.

You should also plan to have sufficient resources available to afford your own residential aged care needs so that your children are not left to make unpleasant compromises. I'm a carer, and I'm totally burnt out. Having gone through my experience, I would not want to burden my loved ones with my personal needs when my time comes. I didn't always think this way, but I now have a hands-on perspective.

Des and Jane · Senior Member

Its not when but HOW I DIE that concerns me.

Would hate to be caught in a fire...drown...or be involved in a serious accident and die a slow painfull death.

Whenarewethere · Guru

A couple of hundred years ago the French had a quick solution.

These days vets have a humane system.

Possum3 · Guru

Their quick solution lasted until well in the 1970's The use of the guillotine continued in France well into the 20th century, diminishing during the 1960s and 70s, with only eight executions occurring between 1965 and the last one in 1977. In September 1981 France outlawed capital punishment and abandoned the use of the guillotine.

dogbox · Guru

Possum3 wrote:

Their quick solution lasted until well in the 1970's The use of the guillotine continued in France well into the 20th century, diminishing during the 1960s and 70s, with only eight executions occurring between 1965 and the last one in 1977. In September 1981 France outlawed capital punishment and abandoned the use of the guillotine.

what has this got to do with us old persons, getting to the end of our rope

Whenarewethere · Guru

Tether!

Corndoggy · Senior Member

Forget the living forever bit. Will never happen. Lets say live for 25 years longer. What a problem that will cause. World is heading towards being over populated as we are now. Put population growth from births with everyone going 25 years longer, what's the population at the end of your 25 years? Someone can figure this one out. Births in a year plus all the naturally occurring deaths for a year that won't happen X 25 years.

Don't expect a pension for your extra 25 years. Thats not in the budget.

-- Edited by Corndoggy on Wednesday 15th of September 2021 12:18:38 PM

Possum3 · Guru

dogbox wrote:
what has this got to do with us old persons, getting to the end of our rope

It was a reply to WAWT's comment; A couple of hundred years ago the French had a quick solution.

peter67 · Guru

dogbox wrote:
Possum3 wrote:

Their quick solution lasted until well in the 1970's The use of the guillotine continued in France well into the 20th century, diminishing during the 1960s and 70s, with only eight executions occurring between 1965 and the last one in 1977. In September 1981 France outlawed capital punishment and abandoned the use of the guillotine.

what has this got to do with us old persons, getting to the end of our rope

No no no dogbox, getting to the end of your rope is called hanging!

Mike Harding · Guru

dorian wrote:
The right time to die is when you go from living to existing.

That is my take on it too.

I have no wish to lose my pride and dignity sitting drooling in a chair trying to wring another a few years out of life.

I have left instructions that I am not to be resuscitated and intend to take matters into my own hands when I feel the time has come. I just, dearly, wish this process could be legalised and happen in a calm and friendly environment - after all, it is *my* life (not your God's) to do with as I choose.

Given the recent assisted dying legislation in Vic and WA (others?) I guess what I seek will come eventually but not soon enough for me I think.

I am reminded of a quotation from the author Kingsley Amis:

"No pleasure is worth giving up for the sake of two more years in a geriatric home at Weston-super-Mare."