What is it like to be old?

Question

I saw this old lady on tv the other night. She was 114 and she was the oldest person at that time. She kept falling asleep when people were talking to her. What do you think it's like to be really old?

How do people cope with the prospect of imminent death? Does it make you feel different about death if you're old or are you still scared of it? Any personal stories about this?

what if you were really old but you didn't believe in God and you enjoyed your life so far. Would it still be ok that you didn't think you had long to live? how does if feel to be 90 I wonder?

Answer 1

it feels great, youngin!

Answer 2

Iv'e thought about this alot... and have been asking older ones I know for along time. They all say the same thing..."mentally nothing changes" but the body grows weaker, and I guess that they learn to cope with many things because of the speed their bodies change. For instance... Imagine that you slowly lost use of a hand... it may start small, with a numbness now and again, but eventually the strength would fade....you would either compensate by using your other hand, or changing your habits, but your brain would learn what your new limitations were. The same is true with our older people. The effects take years to allow them to adapt to there new limitations (though they still think as they always have).
I was watching my grandmother when she passed away... and in the moments that she went I learned that death was okay... and not anything to be fearful of. She knew she was going and she had years to learn to accept death... and when it came... it was peacful and calm.

Answer 3

That's like saying "What would you do in such-and-such circumstances?" and you're going to get as many different answers as there are people on earth.

Having lived to the "ripe old age" of 54 and having been born with cancer (I've been cancer-free since I was 12 days old, thank you very much), I'm pretty happy with where I am now. I have a LOT more fun now that I don't worry about what anybody thinks of me (yes, of course I used to let it bother me). I'm fairly healthy, so I'm grateful for that.
Being afraid to die? I guess all of us are, to some degree, but I hope that when the time comes, I'll be as gracious about it as I've seen my family be in these circumstances.
Besides, I'm here for a good time...and that's pretty much what I've been doing all my life.

Answer 4

well iknow that its ok cause you are still alive it is just like you are the age you are now. you see that when you are 16 or 90 or 100 you are still looking out the same eyes that you did when you were that old. there fore death isn't that thought of that much. my dad passed away at 87 and he went well he was ready its just something its hard to explain and with god you have learnt hes there for everyone and you are in peace. you need to have a little religion in your life cause its the way humans are. take care and not be scare.

Answer 5

Four years ago, I experienced an 'episode' one night where I (basically) awoke in an Intensive Care Unit two weeks later ~ and four weeks after that, I was allowed out of bed.

During that time I was on a variety of drugs that were 'piped into me' ~ having me 'tired' and delusional, exhausted and experiencing hallucinations (when awake! ~ 'Intensive Care Psychosis').

Having survived all of that, I then had to learn how to walk again.

Being 'tired' and falling asleep like I did, seemed perfectly natural ~ as you fall asleep when you are tired.

Having to stay in bed (for at least - ones own safety) is mind numbingly 'boring' ~ whilst not having the patience or the ability to listen to the radio, watch TV or read a book.

Also, there is the 'irritation,' hurt and upset of 'people' placing things near to you (like water) BUT, not being 'safely' within arms reach. .........And, the being 'Dependant' on others is a huge DRAIN on your self and your patience and your energy ~ APART from all these other 'drains' you can experience.

Then there is ther act of reaching or walking when your limbs (through TOTAL lack of use) feel as if they weigh a ton and your sense of balance is rubbish and each step you take is shrouded by the possibility of falling and hurting yourself further.

I could write on at length, but think you've maybe got enough to go on from with this.

Sash.

Answer 6

I watched my dad die recently over a period of some months he just sort of whithered away. He had 'dead mans hunger' and ate like a horse but got like a skeleton! He still enjoyed a good laugh but was in total denial about death - really thought it wouldn't happen. He only once said something to my mother - it was that he didn't want to leave us, he was still having fun - but he wasn't scared. He ended up on morphine so had no idea when the time came - he didn't believe in God either.

Answer 7

it cant be all bad. old age seems to give you the right to speak your mind without thinking twice about any ones feelings. you can repeat yourself all the time and wind people up. you can also moan continuously about the youth of today. you get to watch TV all day (with a free TV licence!), get a heating allowance, free prescriptions....
i don't think old age is anything to be scared of, and most old people i know seem to be have accepted the inevitability of death

Answer 8

whatever your age no one know when their time is up but to be a 114 years i'm sure the body is tired and we are conditioned to die so i'm sure the old expect it and are ready for it ,when one of my parents was in her 80 s she often told me she did not mind dying but she did not want to leave her children behind which were all grown up of course .

Answer 9

Imagine smelling like **** 24/7. And falling down a lot. there ya go.

Answer 10

Make the most of today and forget about tomorrow.
Yesteryear's go by very quickly!

Answer 11

To quote Art Linkletter "Getting old is not for sissies."