I tell my son the best thing he did for his health is pick his grandparents. They lived to 81, 89, 92, and 99. Admittedly each of them had different health issues affecting their quality of life in the last years. But all of them did well through their 70’s at least.
My mom’s life actually perked up quite a bit after my father passed away. She started traveling the world (they had only done Caribbean cruises) and was quite active in her community. Plus the three grandchildren (one from me).
The neurologist my mom saw told us that once an elderly person is admitted to the hospital, their recovery will more likely than not lead to a lower level of health than before the admittance.
My mom fell and broke her hip the day before her 80th birthday. I know the statistics, but she completely recovered and lived almost 6 more years.
That was one of many times she cheated death. Seriously, I tell people she was like a cat with 9 lives and unlike my dad she wasn’t active and ate a lot of junk. Genetics weren’t in her favor either as most of her close female relatives died young ( I’m talking in their 40’s).
Who knows?
We try to do healthy things because they tell us to, but I think it’s so much more about one’s genetics.
I agree. My mom was health conscious her entire life, exercising regularly and eating a very healthy diet. She was never overweight, she drank only occasionally and moderately. She ended up with a multitude of health issues that began when she was 60 … breast cancer, a-fib, valve repair, severe osteoporosis, dementia. She died in her mid 70’s. My MIL stopped exercising in her 30’s, carried excess weight since her mid 40’s, has always considered junk food the foundation of her diet … and she never had major health issues & is still hanging around at almost 99. (She’s not in good physical or mental shape, but she is not suffering from any health issues that will take her out any time soon.)
There was a recent article about just this:
(Should be a gift link)
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/29/health/longevity-lifespan-age-genes.html?smid=nytcore-android-share
(I bolded the “if”)
Some things we can’t control. Others we can… so it makes sense to focus on those and hope for the best.
I’ve been a Life Is Good tshirt wearer for years. (Unfortunately I think some of the quality has gone down and some of the sayings are not as classic). This popped up on my feed - available in a men’s version too!
Chip Conley, 65, only watched a few episodes of the sitcom, “The Golden Girls.” But Mr. Conley, who co-founded Modern Elder Academy (M.E.A.), which offers retreats and courses that encourage embracing midlife and beyond, never forgot the lifestyle it depicted: four 50-plus women living together in a Miami home, for better or for worse….Monthly rents, which will include access to campus amenities like a gym and hiking trails, will range from $1,950-$3,750 and decrease by one percent annually after two years. “We want to create stability,” said Mr. Conley. “As people get older, they’re on more of a fixed income. You want people to feel safe and loved.”
Gift link
I’ve not heard of M.E.A - sounds like their retreats and courses could be interesting. And if eventually widowed maybe their senior shared houses would be appealing (if it spreads beyond the current Sante Fe and Baja locations)
Loved this story…. retired elementary school principal gets lonely and returns to same school as their “site manager” (handyman/custodian)
It’s nice being retired in summer, enjoying more of the nice weather. (Nice too that we have AC at home. When we first built the house we did not… and work did have that perk.)
We did not have central air when our kids were young. We often “camped” in the basement in summer. I still remember when we finally got central air … ahhhhhhhh!
ShawWife and I are up at our lake house. I work in the morning – research for a challenging negotiation and then looking at how my startup venture can use AI but also protect itself from ideas leaking out. This afternoon, we will go for a two hour bike ride and then I’ll return for a call with a client. ShawWife usually does a hike to an undeveloped lake in the morning for a swim and returns to work – she’s doing paintings of water – and then we cycle.
We had two weddings – one legal (with a few friends) and then one religious (with big families etc.). Yesterday, I worked much of the day on building an AI agent. I’m learning a lot and having fun. Then we went for a cycle and then we went out for dinner at a very nice restaurant for the 42nd anniversary of our legal wedding.
Sounds like great work and life balance. I am getting very close of pulling the trigger. I have submitted applications to few colleges in nyc in order to audit few classes. I am going to pursue other interests outside of my work.
Happy Anniversary. We are celebrating our 25th in the Canadian Rockies, including 4 nights at Moraine Lake Lodge. We’re hoping we won’t be smoked out of the amazing view we’re used to seeing there.
Congratulations. Beautiful place (hopefully no smoke). When I was last there, the Moraine Lake trail was relatively crowded. But I’m guessing that you can do dayhikes from the Lodge that are not nearly so croweded. Similarly, there was a teahouse that was a very croweded hike from Lake Louise, but after the teahouse, there was a trail (I think Plain of Six Glaciers Trail) that had great views and was much less busy. The trail was on the crest of an inverted v-share structure (I think they call it the moraine crest). Great views. But pretty much everywhere you hike in that area will have great views.
You’re About to Retire. What Are You Doing for the Next 20 or 30 Years?
Workers often focus solely on their retirement savings balance. But figuring out how you want to spend the rest of your life could be job No. 1.
Gift link https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/18/business/retirement-plan.html?unlocked_article_code=1.0FA.Ee9v.syWmuaQ6PyKX&smid=url-share
Once you retire, the thing you have to learn to say is “no”. When I retired in 2011, I was asked to do many many things as a volunteer, or part time employee. I really had to pick and choose, otherwise, I would never have had any time to myself. That continues to be the case now.
It’s nice to be wanted, I suppose.