Poll:Longevity

[justplainbll]

In your own personal experience with respect to longevity / life expectancy, have you seen an increase in longevity as compared to your ancestors?

 

[W2R]

I'm 63. None of my ancestors died before age 63.

In my family tree, longevity seems to be pretty good back several generations (except for my father, who died of cancer at 70). I even had a great grandfather who lived to 104, and others way back who lived to be over 100. Most lived to about 90. My mother lived to 98. In my family I don't really see a trend through the generations one way or the other. So, I voted "no".

 

[Meadbh]

Coming from a small family I have few numbers, but I have no personal experience yet of how long I will live. Both my maternal grandmothers lived to their 90s and I had two great aunts who made it over 100. I doubt if I will surpass that. Back then (in the old country) they got plenty of exercise, didn't overeat and it was the era before women took up smoking.

 

[NW-Bound]

Sorry, I cannot answer! Too early to tell.

Though I sometimes feel old, and do not expect to live till the 80s or 90s, I am only 55. None of my ancestors died that young. Not of natural death anyway.

 

[Midpack]

My parents are both 90 and in surprisingly good health, though they'll be the first to tell you "old age ain't for sissies." I sure hope I don't live that long...undoubtedly YMMV.

 

[wargames]

I'm 63. None of my ancestors died before age 63.

In my family tree, longevity seems to be pretty good back several generations (except for my father, who died of cancer at 70). I even had a great grandfather who lived to 104, and others way back who lived to be over 100. Most lived to about 90. My mother lived to 98. In my family I don't really see a trend through the generations one way or the other. So, I voted "no".

W2R, your going to live forever, with a family tree like that. My wifes mom died last year at the age of 92, March, 5, 2011. She lived with us for 8 years, she developed Dementia, then full Alzheimer's. We have a 2 story Colonial Home. We would walk mom upstairs to bed, then at the end, she was wheel chair bound, I would not let her live in a bed room, so I would pull her up, and down the stairs in a wheel chair. Then It was 45min for my wife to clean her and put her diapers on, then off to bed. One day in the morning, she was cleaning mom and she sat on the floor, my wife could not pick her up, she was all of 115lbs. They sat in the bathroom for 9hrs till I got home. At the end She would leave food in her mouth, and not swallow. Lot of times, I would go to bed early, to get up and go to work, a couple of times about 1:30 AM, she would wake me up and say, I fell asleep, we need to get mom upstairs and put her to bed. I get up at 3:00am. This is just a fraction of what it took to take care of mom. I dont regret not one moment. We did hire a care-giver to help out in the end. Hospice, was a great help also.

 

[scrabbler1]

In my recent family history, the men have been outliving the women which is a good thing because I am male. My mom sadly passed away 16 years ago at age 59 but my dad is alive and well at age 81. My dad's mom passed away at age 76 but my dad's dad lived to age 82. My mom's mom passed away at age 73 but my mom's dad lived to age 95 (and he outlived my mom by 8 years).

Looks like I was born the right gender in my family history (as was my brother; we have no sisters).

 

[justplainbll]

Great Grandmother· · · · ·1875 to 1945 age 70
Maternal Grandmother·····1898 to 1988 age 90
Maternal Grandfather······1892 to 1984 age 92 (retired at 53)
Mother··························1917 to 2004 age 86
Maternal Brother············1921 to 2007 age 86 (retired at 55)
Paternal Grandmother·····1885 to 1978 age 93
Paternal Grandfather·······1879 to 1975 age 96 (worked until age 86)
Father···························1915 to 1998 age 83 (retired at 63)
Paternal Sister···············1910 to 1948 age 38
Paternal Brother·············1919 to 1964 age 45

Based on the above, I replied NO.

 

[eytonxav]

I have no idea. On my mothers side, there was not alot of long lived family members and my Mom died at age 59. On my fathers side there was much more longevity, but Dad died at 75. That said, most of the family smoked except for me, and I would say I am in much better shape than most of them at my current age.

 

[rescueme]

My younger brother passed before the age of 2 (of natural causes). My faternal grandmother passed well into her 90's.

As for me? Who knows (I didn't vote).

BTW, I've read that the longevity of your close relatives have limited impact with your own lifespan and at best, only contributes around 30% of your possibility of a longer/shorter life.

I don't worry about how long I'll live; I'm more concerned about the quality (not quantity) of whatever life I have remaining...

 

[donheff]

Too early to tell. I am watching my older siblings (I have three 15+ years older than me) to see what happens with them. They are about 4-7 years younger than my parents were when they died (mid 80s). So far they seem healthy but so did my parents at the same point.

 

[Lsbcal]

Just curious why this is a "public poll"?

 

[ziggy29]

Going back three generations, our family history is unspectacular either way -- as far as I can tell, ancestors died as early as age 52 and as late as age 91. (The 52 year old, my maternal grandmother, was largely self-inflicted as the cause of death was listed as 'alcoholic cirrhosis'.) My dad passed away at 70 and my mom is still alive and kicking at 76 (and she's a smoker), so we'll see.

As far as I can tell, the longest-lived direct ancestor I have on my family tree was a great-great grandfather on my dad's side (1832-1928, lived to nearly 96).

 

[Koogie]

No male in my immediate family has lived past the age of 50. I'm 38 and my brother is 46.
I'm interested to see how the next 5 years play out for him... ; o )

 

[harley]

Hard to tell. My mom was in her early 30s when she died, brother was 42. Father was, I believe, 72, although hadn't seen him in decades so I'm not sure. Grandparents all died pretty young.I've got other older living relatives, so hopefully they (and I) will pull the average up. All of this is a definite influence in my decision to retire at 50. No way was I going to work til I died. The ones who died young all had various issues I hopefully don't have, and the ones who died older but still too young tended to be smokers. I'm hoping the lack of stress from not working will add a few years to the old ticker.

 

[Mulligan]

My grandfathers both died in their 60's of drop dead heart attacks, grandmothers lived to 90's. My parents are alive in their 70s with my father and his brother still alive, but their sibling sister died young in her sixities. My mothers only sibling a brother is also alive in his seventies. Maybe the trend is upward for the males which would help me.

 

[Bluemoon]

I am 73. My mother died when she was 89, at the time she had a brother in his 90's. I am not sure when her parents or other siblings died but I know they weren't young. My father died in his 40's due to an accident, his only borther died in his 80's. I had 2 cousins that died young but most of them (older then myself) are still alive and well.

I don't think I can answer this until right before I die.

 

[EllisWyatt]

Somehow, this reminds me of a quip by Steven Wright:

I've made the decision to live forever. So far, so good.

 

[may pop]

Grand mothers mid 90s
Dad smoked and drank
half to death 73
Mother sick smoker 73
So being a non smoker,healthy good disposition I've got a good chance of doing a lot better

 

[Khan]

My parents outlived their parents.
If I average in all the suicides and drank/smoked/drugged themselves to death... maybe 75.
Don't see the point of anything past ~70.

 

[Gumby]

Just curious why this is a "public poll"?

Good point. I have changed it so it is not public anymore.

 

[Bikerdude]

I answered no as its too early to tell.

"I'm not afraid to die, I just don't want to be there when it happens"
Woody Allen

 

[hankster]

None of my grandparents made it out of their 70s. My parents are both in pretty good health. Dad is 91 and Mom 90. However, both had siblings who never made it past 60.

 

[justplainbll]

My parents outlived their parents.
If I average in all the suicides and drank/smoked/drugged themselves to death... maybe 75.
Don't see the point of anything past ~70.

Perhaps you will feel differently when you're ~68.

 

[obgyn65]

No, based on my own family longevity numbers.

In your own personal experience with respect to longevity / life expectancy, have you seen an increase in longevity as compared to your ancestors?