There is a lot of truth to this. No matter what they do, some people get the short end of the stick. And then there are those who always seem to get the long end of the stick. With limited effort, fortune and good health follow them around. But I believe the majority of people fall in the middle. They control much, although admittedly not all, of their health outcomes as they get older.
I mentioned my 79 year old mother. She walks 6 miles 5-6 times a week, goes to the gym, and walks up 12 flights of stairs in her apartment complex. Living right next door to my mother is her younger sister, my aunt. I am not sure exactly how old she is but I am guessing about 75. They share the same gene pool and social-economic upbringing. There is nothing dramatically different in their backgrounds (e.g., career choices, injuries). Yet the physical condition of my aunt is rather mediocre. She is overweight, needs a walker, etc.
My mother is active and mobile, but her younger sister is not. The primary reason for these different health outcomes is because my mother and aunt made different lifestyle choices during their lives (e.g., exercise, diet), including decisions made in their more senior years. There is also the attitude issue. My mother believes that there is nothing she cannot do. A guess is that my aunt believes that there is nothing she can do.
When one starts with the assumption that he/she is or will be too old to perform given activities, then there is a good chance that this assumption will be fulfilled. This doesn't mean people shouldn't take advantage of opportunities when they can, including ER. Anything can happen. But personally, I plan to remain active my entire life.
