Advice from a senior senior

[Ronstar]

I stopped for new tires today. While waiting for the tires, an older gentleman came in, bought some tires, and sat down next to me and started a conversation. Somewhat surreal - it was like someone was trying to send me a message.

He was 95, an avid bicyclist, and talked about his life and travels. From our talk, I got the following advice:

Get a good education
Travel when you're younger
Move to an area with nice weather and services close by when you retire.
Downsize when you retire
Get plenty of exercise
Drink plenty of water

That was plenty much it. It was great having a talk with someone a generation older and capable of giving much needed advice.

Anyone still getting advice from the older generation?

 

[Meadbh]

Yeah, I got advice from a 70 year old last week. She told me I was "too young to retire".

 

[Clone]

Quite a few years ago, I had an older guy tell me-

"A young guy like you could have a lot of fun on a water bed like that!"

Maybe I should have listened more seriously.

 

[euro]

Yeah, I got advice from a 70 year old last week. She told me I was "too young to retire".

funny - same thing just happened to me too....

 

[brewer12345]

Anyone still getting advice from the older generation?

Yep, every time I read a thread here.

I look at the contrary examples between dad and (now departed) FIL. Dad worked hard all his life, continuing into his early/mid 60s. He bought a new to him boat when I was 12, replacing the unsuitable Searay that had as its sole plus a tiny cabin. I once asked him why he kept the Searay for so long and he said that sometimes the only way he could get away for a couple hours was to anchor in a quiet cove and head into the cabin. He has to this day a legacy of severe stress-related health problems.

FIL was laid off in his 50s from a corporate job. He did not have quite enough assets/pension to make it work, so he did some consulting, taught some adjunct college classes, and in general lived a good life. If the Parkinson's hadn't taken him down I would peg him to make it into his 90s.

 

[Bestwifeever]

I stopped for new tires today. While waiting for the tires, an older gentleman came in, bought some tires, and sat down next to me and started a conversation. Somewhat surreal - it was like someone was trying to send me a message.

He was 95, an avid bicyclist, and talked about his life and travels. From our talk, I got the following advice:

Get a good education
Travel when you're younger
Move to an area with nice weather and services close by when you retire.
Downsize when you retire
Get plenty of exercise
Drink plenty of water

That was plenty much it. It was great having a talk with someone a generation older and capable of giving much needed advice.

Anyone still getting advice from the older generation?

I had an encounter in December 2015 with a woman who was meeting her grown granddaughter for lunch as I was waiting for my toddler granddaughters. We chatted about ourselves for about twenty minutes and she told me to cherish my life and my husband as things could change in an instant--no practical advice but emotional. She was about as old as my mother would have been had she not passed away 43 years ago to the day that we had this conversation. I wish I had asked for her phone number.

 

[marko]

I've mentioned a few times about the older guy I met one night. We were waiting for our table at the restaurant bar and struck up a conversation.

He said: "How old are you? 60?...you need to realize that even if you live to be 90, you only have 15 or 18 good summers left. Twenty at the max. Enjoy them wisely"

 

[2017ish]

In-laws (85, 88) for finances, how to plan, and the need to loosen the purse strings and take advantage of your relative youth at early retirement!

My mom (only 76) for how one can enjoy life with friends and family, even with little in the way of assets. (And, of course, her mother, who was thriving in her 90s with little in way of income/assets, but a host of descendants who enjoyed their time with her.)

 

[W2R]

Anyone still getting advice from the older generation?

Absolutely, and I value it greatly.

It probably sounds corny, but honestly I still get advice from my mom. Granted, she passed away 10 years ago, at age 98. But I think of her often and I know just what she would have told me, in various situations that I encounter in life.

 

[aja8888]

I got the following advice:

Get a good education
Travel when you're younger
Move to an area with nice weather and services close by when you retire.
Downsize when you retire
Get plenty of exercise
Drink plenty of water

That's it in a nutshell.

 

[eytonxav]

I have a friend who is 76. I guess the best advice from him was to drink more water.

 

[W2R]

I have a friend who is 76. I guess the best advice from him was to drink more water.

I keep a 64 oz container of water right by my easy chair, and refill it at least once each day. It's easy for me to get enough water in when it's right beside me like this.

 

[rodi]

My step mom turns 90 next month. She regularly advises the following:

- Keep moving - if you stop, you'll stop.
- Exercise the brain every day. (She does sudoku's every morning)
- Just have fun!!!!

 

[Hermit]

That's it in a nutshell.

And I always thought it was Faster horses, younger women, and more money!

 

[Fedup]

It is for my grandfather of course, younger women, gambling, alcohol, all within reason of course. He lived until 89 without any modern medicine. He was also a very laid back person, never worked in his life, no stress that he had to deal with.

 

[Out of Steam]

Yeah, I got advice from a 70 year old last week. She told me I was "too young to retire".

funny - same thing just happened to me too....

My officemate is almost 70, and he thinks I'm nuts to want to retire at 60.

 

[HadEnuff]

I've mentioned a few times about the older guy I met one night. We were waiting for our table at the restaurant bar and struck up a conversation.

He said: "How old are you? 60?...you need to realize that even if you live to be 90, you only have 15 or 18 good summers left. Twenty at the max. Enjoy them wisely"

this point has been drilling itself into my consciousness lately. I punch 30 years into the calculators, but in reality, "good years" might be, if I'm lucky, more like 15....

gotta remember that.

 

[Jerry1]

I got the following advice:

Get a good education
Travel when you're younger
Move to an area with nice weather and services close by when you retire.
Downsize when you retire
Get plenty of exercise
Drink plenty of water

And then realize that at 60:

even if you live to be 90, you only have 15 or 18 good summers left. Twenty at the max. Enjoy them wisely.

Together, what a great piece of advice. Thanks for sharing.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Anyone still getting advice from the older generation?

Pretty much everyday. My Dad will be 90 in a few months and still amazes me with his wit and intellectual abilities. There are few days that go by that I don't learn something useful from him.

He told me something last week that I think would help a lot of people:

Do you know the fastest way to becoming wealthy?

One house, one spouse, and one car.

He also holds a happy hour on Sundays (for years, now) and I have always been the youngest one there. Over the years, I have gotten some great advice from some very amazing people.

 

[harley]

What's this drink plenty of water stuff? If that's the best advice I have to give at the end of my life I'll be on anti-depressants. My advice will be:

Don't waste time regretting things. If it sounds fun and possibly survivable, give it a shot. Only drink good booze. And retire as soon as you financially are able to.

 

[txtig]

And I always thought it was Faster horses, younger women, and more money!

You forgot older whiskey!!

 

[Elbata]

It is for my grandfather of course, younger women, gambling, alcohol, all within reason of course. He lived until 89 without any modern medicine. He was also a very laid back person, never worked in his life, no stress that he had to deal with.

How was he supported throughout his life?

I enjoy culling wisdom from my older friends. Sometimes still get surprised by what I hear. 85 year old friend said masterbation is the healthiest habit to have.

 

[Fedup]

How was he supported throughout his life?

I enjoy culling wisdom from my older friends. Sometimes still get surprised by what I hear. 85 year old friend said masterbation is the healthiest habit to have.

From my grandmother. My grandmother worked all her life until she retired with a pension. But I think he did inherit some land from his own family. But my grandmother was a saver and did save her salary to buy land too. When she died, he did sell some land and net a larger amount of money.

 

[bmcgonig]

What's this drink plenty of water stuff? If that's the best advice I have to give at the end of my life I'll be on anti-depressants. My advice will be:

Don't waste time regretting things. If it sounds fun and possibly survivable, give it a shot. Only drink good booze. And retire as soon as you financially are able to.

Weird thing is that in the last year or so I've had to wake up in the middle of the night many many times with a dry mouth, and super thirsty. I have now to force myself to drink extra water during the day to avoid this. I'm told that as we age we don't feel thirst like we used to so that might be the cause. Anyone else notice this?

Are there other reasons that they give ?

 

[Richard4444]

Weird thing is that in the last year or so I've had to wake up in the middle of the night many many times with a dry mouth, and super thirsty. I have now to force myself to drink extra water during the day to avoid this. I'm told that as we age we don't feel thirst like we used to so that might be the cause. Anyone else notice this?

Are there other reasons that they give ?

Certain medications have been found to be the culprit of this. Google/Research the side effects of the meds you are taking to find out.

Rich