My mom will be 97 in a couple of months. She lives in assisted living. She is mentally sharp, physically just frail, uses a walker in order to be safe on her feet. But she is tired and bored and verbalizes that she is more than ready to “go on”. My dad has been gone 10.5 years. It is a weird experience to know her, love her and of course not want her to die, yet at the same time one can empathize with her plight. Still, all in all, she is doing great and for whatever reason, she is meant to be here. I tell her she is here for her family, we love her and look to her as our matriarch and example of a life well lived.
Those in wheelchairs who wheel their own wheelchairs do get exercise.
Your post about your mom is very touching. Thanks for sharing.
Yes, it can be hard for elders who have lost their spouse, friends and others and aren’t quite sure why they are still here. When they’re willing and able, they can and do engage with others but they sometimes do seem weary.
H’s aunt lived past age 100. She was mentally sharp but got frailer and frailer as she aged. Once she had a stroke in her 90s, she needed 24/7 care. She had to be lifted out of bed and tied to sit up in wheelchair.
I don’t want to spend my last days/years in a nursing home or assisted living. I hope to live a healthy life and then…
That’s the difference between turning 50 years old and 60 years old. When I turned 50, I said, “Well, with a little luck and longevity, my life might be only half over”
I am not going to borrow worry from tomorrow to ruin my today. It’s such a waste to rent space to this in your mind.
Positive thought. If you look at adult life beginning at 21.
Turning 60 still gives you an entire life if you live to 100. So cheer up everyone!
All any of us can do is live our best life— no dress rehearsals. We should also give thought and talk to loved ones about how to hand end of life issues which can arise at any point in time.
Several of my favorite MDs are 70+ and amazing at balancing work and life. They inspire me and keep themselves fit and mentally sharp.
I wish humans came with an off switch that becomes activated only after a certain age. I would pull my plug out of the wall if needed, but alas, I was not born with one.
On a side note, we have not had a shoe or a house painting thread for a while… these retirement etc. threads can get too depressing. 
Yes, there are so MANY of those elderly who do that. All of those elderly wheelchair bound FIT people wheeling their wheelchairs everywhere.
COME on, UCB. Yes, we see young and fit wheelchair bound young people who do amazing things…but we aren’t talking about those people when we talk about wheelchair bound elderly are we?
My relative was very sad about the day her dad opted to use a wheelchair. She knew that he would rapidly gave his legs atrophy and then he wouldn’t be able to walk any more. He had very little stamina and poor balance.
They had a personal trainer for awhile for their mom who is still physically strong st 90 but has no memory and needs assistance to remember to eat, have meals prepared and do other things.
It often seems the mind gives out but body remains strong or body is strong but mind gives out. I haven’t met that many people who have both give out simultaneously.
People have said to me that my mom might be getting ready to die, and perhaps she is on the path to the final exit and letting go of her attachments to life on earth. In her case, poppycock. She lives for her single violin students weekly lessons, enjoys contact with people, and living with my sister, participates in a number of household decisions and activities and observes the political scene. She still likes to travel when someone will take her. Fragile, she walks with a cane, but has not fallen in many years. If she had the resources for an assisted living or senior apartment with intellectually stimulating activities she would be having the time of her life. But sometimes I think the ups and downs of ordinary existence are keeping her going.
She sometimes says she has lived too long, as she sees how her care can be a bit of a burden. She is forgetful, and her health has been a bit of a bumpy ride in recent years, though she really is quite good right now. It is hard to say how long this party will last, but for now she is enjoying being alive. She is afraid of dementia, and I told her to get more physically active, so she is out walking more frequently with her cane in the neighborhood. This could come to an end tomorrow, or continue for a few years more. We shall see about 100.
@VaBluebird , that sounds like my mother. Not quite totally sharp any longer, she does experience intermittent confusion, but just as many good days or even a confused morning and perfectly good afternoon and evening. She has really just not known what to do with herself since Dad died nearly 10 years ago 
She’s cute and dresses well, takes care of herself, physically has really had very few maladies, a bit of glaucoma, a wee bit of HBP, and she’s taking few meds, but she’s just not been content since he died. I guess, married 60+ years, he was her focus, her purpose. Her sisters also all died 20+ years ago, so she has no one in her generation.
She’s bored and yet also unable to do many things she had previously done- arthritis means no sewing,difficult to play cards, reduced vision means reading and puzzles are rough. Essentially, it’s watching TV or watching family interact.
@somemom, would she like books on tape, perhaps?
The weight bearing exercise comment made me think of something I saw recently:
One of those enclosed trampolines (enclosure keeps you from falling off the trampoline). Wouldn’t that be a fun way to pound on those bones? The image of an old lady (me) jumping on a trampoline makes me smile.
I hate running but I run at least one mile every day. I’m at 190 days straight now. It has made a huge difference in my ability to lose weight and how I feel about myself. On our trip overseas, I sometimes had to make due by running in place for 15 minutes!
Not that I necessarily want to live to 100 or think anyone should, but here are my suggestions for living longer better: 1) Avoid the extremes: be neither obese nor underweight, get some exercise but don’t destroy your joints with overuse. 2) Stay mentally active. 3) Maintain social connections. 4) Avoid frailty. 5) Know your family medical history and, if you have children or siblings, give them this information, too.
How about running through the airport to catch your connection flight after your incoming flight was somewhat delayed so that you have only ten minutes instead of an hour to reach the gate for your connection flight at the other end of the airport? 
Regarding books on tape, here is what we found with my dad: he needed the picture and sound of television to really follow. He too easily lost his place when we gave him audible books or podcasts. He has Netflix and Amazon Prime. Both are 100 percent worthwhile.
My aunt is in her 80’s, living in a mountainous region. She’s a member of a ski group that skis several times a week together. She’s one of the youngest. She also quilts, plays canasta & mah jongg and is very socially active.
My MIL is in her 90’s, still drives during the day and is physically fit. Social life is the biggest problem - her friends have either passed away or moved closer to their kids (which she won’t do). She’s lonely.