Two Age Questions

[jabbahop]

I am not sure. Tonight I was just reading some studies about how cancer treatments like the chemo I had accelerate aging. I remember a lot of discussion with my oncologist about short term impacts and potential secondary cancers but this is the first I heard of early aging.

I agree about living healthy vs living long.

[levindb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lsbcal That is my strategy for us. Plus it gives me peace of mind that there is a nice cushion in case of a very nasty period ahead. But what makes you think checks will be around when you are 105 ?

Our sources of income includes SSA checks (DW and I will start at age 70) and slow withdrawal from our nest egg. We assume 3% real growth on our investments and then calculate how much we could withdraw each year to reach $0 at my age 105. (Excel Goal Seek function...easy peasy) We have never spent the amount we could withdraw each year, so the pile continues to grow slowly.

This approach is fairly conservative and we have little concern about the checks not continuing to come (naive?). We may have changes in how SSA will work, but expect some form of payment to continue for the rest of our lives. So far, we have purchased a vacation home, World Cruise, 5 week Safari, and have 54 days (All Inclusive) each year in the Dominican Republic paid for until my age 102...which can be passed down to heirs if we cannot make it. We only spend 2/3 of what we could spend each year with all of that. We believe our checks will continue.

[GMfitter]

Hard to tell .Paternal grandfather's side of family averaged mid to late 90s with a few longer than that. Grandmothers side, 80s, but quite a few got cancer.
Father wasn't in my life, so I have no information on that side of family.

63 now, retiring to Florida in Sept. of this year.
Taking meds for hbp and am type 2 diabetes. Not on meds for that as of now.

80+ in decent health would be a blessing.

I'll never forget my grandfather telling a nurse after she said "you are 97! I would have never guessed that, that's great".

He said "what's so good about it? My wife and daughter are gone, most of my brothers and sisters are gone, what's so great about that?"

I felt bad for her.

[Lsbcal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by levindb Our sources of income includes SSA checks (DW and I will start at age 70) and slow withdrawal from our nest egg. We assume 3% real growth on our investments and then calculate how much we could withdraw each year to reach $0 at my age 105. (Excel Goal Seek function...easy peasy) We have never spent the amount we could withdraw each year, so the pile continues to grow slowly. This approach is fairly conservative and we have little concern about the checks not continuing to come (naive?). We may have changes in how SSA will work, but expect some form of payment to continue for the rest of our lives. So far, we have purchased a vacation home, World Cruise, 5 week Safari, and have 54 days (All Inclusive) each year in the Dominican Republic paid for until my age 102...which can be passed down to heirs if we cannot make it. We only spend 2/3 of what we could spend each year with all of that. We believe our checks will continue.

I guess you are responding to my "checks" comment. Just kidding though it could be misconstrued. I was referring to the continual evolution of the banking industry not the possible loss of a source of income.

[john4512]

I retired eight years ago at 65. Conventional financial wisdom said to plan for a 30-year retirement -- so 95. I also traced my family history back a few generations. On my father's side, my great-grandfather died at 64; my grandfather died at 74; and my father died at 84. So I'm fully expecting to live to 94. I really don't care as long there continues to be quality to my life. Coincidentally, I am going to a funeral this afternoon for an in-law who is at least 10 years younger than me. I'm not sure how long a life he was expecting, but I'm still better off.

[Dash man]

It doesn’t really matter to me how long I live. I’m at peace with God and my family. Life is good. No worries for what awaits me. I consider myself fortunate to have lived longer than my mother who passed at 61. My father 72, which I have ten years more to meet. Aunts well into 80s or 90s. Grandparents were spread out. I love life one day at a time.

[Retired Expat]

I think we mostly all agree living a long life provided we are happy and healthy is the goal. Didn’t read one post about dying young and leaving a beautiful corpse!

But we should consider the changes coming in the future.. Loss of mobility scares me or not being able to drive. I full expect by the time I am 80 (20 years) self driving cars will be available. Already things like The Amazon echo and Alexa make life easier. Don’t feel up to getting up and going downstairs to see who is at the door, use a Ring camera doorbell and view the door on a phone or echo spot and speak to whomever is there. Then unlock the door remotely with a simple voice command for your friend who dropped by.

My GM had vision issues and needed bright light everywhere provided by huge incandescent reflector bulbs, that also meant running the A/C all the time and getting someone to change the bulbs regularly. Now LED’s put out so much more light, with no heat with much less electricity. What is next?

I can’t begin to imagine what new gadgets and aids there will be in my old age to help me live better and happier but I am looking forward to finding out.

What new invention or technical support would you wish for in your old age to make it easier to live well longer? I am thinking an exoskeleton suit to give me added strength to walk, carry things or open that damn pickle jar��

[kcowan]

The average of all my cousins is about 85 so I am hopeful to reach that target. Two are still alive both over 85. One of them and an earlier one who passed at 96 both developed Alzheimers. FI plan calls for 100. Retired 16 years.

We treat each year as if it might be the last so do not put off things. Just bought a new larger condo closer to the ocean for double the price of the current one.

[Offgrid Organic Farmer]

At my last oncologist visit one of the things he said to me, was that at least he had bought me another 3 years.

Later that phrase stuck with me and I got pretty depressed thinking about it.

All this cancer treatment and at the worst, it got me another 3 years of life.

[Teacher Terry]

A friend of mine just died in her sleep at 62 with no known health issues. I try not to think about it because there is no control. Definitely don’t want to live if I don’t have my mind. A friend of mine had so much chemo which saved her but gave her early onset Alzheimer’s. Interesting also that for some medical procedures/treatments for everyone it saved the harm rate may be higher than the saved rate. I was surprised to read this so it really pays to ask this question when something is recommended.

[tuckeverlasting]

Like many others, I hope to have a long and healthy lifespan (healthspan) into my 90's, then make a speedy exit without an extended period of marked decline. This can be summed up as "Live long, drop dead"!

[Lsbcal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Offgrid Organic Farmer At my last oncologist visit one of the things he said to me, was that at least he had bought me another 3 years. Later that phrase stuck with me and I got pretty depressed thinking about it. All this cancer treatment and at the worst, it got me another 3 years of life.

That sounds tough and I hope you live a much longer life. If there is time with your oncologist, you might want to ask more about this after indicating it depressed you. After all, maybe the numbers are better then you think and that "3 years" is truly a worst-worst case.

Living our lives based on just worst cases could be depressing for anyone.

[EarlyBirdly]

I have it all planned out...I will die one day before my money runs out or I am diagnosed with an unacceptable chronic/terminal condition.

If not, I will just decline all of Man and Medicine's misguided attempts at keeping me alive and just let the Folks Upstairs handle it.

No muss, no fuss.




P.S. - After an NDE and getting half-way to the Other Side, I can tell you...There should be no fear. What I experienced was a pretty good ride.

[robnplunder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teacher Terry A friend of mine just died in her sleep at 62 with no known health issues. I try not to think about it because there is no control. Definitely don’t want to live if I don’t have my mind. A friend of mine had so much chemo which saved her but gave her early onset Alzheimer’s. Interesting also that for some medical procedures/treatments for everyone it saved the harm rate may be higher than the saved rate. I was surprised to read this so it really pays to ask this question when something is recommended.

I've read/heard/seen/remember something like 98% of chemotherapy treatments don't work but people still opt for it b/e of that 2% hope.




The cold truth is, almost everyone, say 98% of us, will do everything to hang on to our lives be it chemo or worse. I wonder how they could still go on but they do. Life is hard to abandon even at age 93, in great pain from fatal disease. I watched my younger brother struggle for 8 years before succumbing to cancer. Most of his organs were failing and he was in constant pain. But he wanted to live yet one more day. We wish, hope, think that we can do differently but I doubt it.

[Teacher Terry]

Farmer, I find that confusing because usually if prostrate cancer is treated early it doesn’t usually come back.

[Teacher Terry]

The repeated chemo gave my friend 20 years since she was stage 4. She was miserable from Alzheimer’s the last 2 years. She was happy until she had to go to ah home. I didn’t treat her cancer when it came back.

[imoldernu]

A positive note on how long you were expected to live when you were born.
Mine was 59.9 years.

https://www.infoplease.com/life-expe...-sex-1930-2010

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robnplunder I've read/heard/seen/remember something like 98% of chemotherapy treatments don't work ...

I think you may have heard this from the same people who believe vaccinations are bad for children. Here is a look at the history of chemotherapy in treating cancer.

Chemotherapy doesn’t work? Not so fast… (A lesson from history)

Quote:

Cancer is hard. Real hard. It is also hundreds of diseases, not some monolithic disease, just as chemotherapy is dozens of drugs and hundreds of drug combinations, not some monolithic mythical “chemotherapy.” It is not reasonable to expect that a span of a mere few decades or even a century is enough to cure all cancer. We have, however, brought the cure of several cancers within reach and do actually cure many cancers. Also, contrary to popular belief, the death rate from cancer is decreasing. In the US, it’s been decreasing for nearly the last 25 years...

[sgstaley]

I believe that I will see the nineties with no problem.

I want to see . . . 85 if I had to pick a number.

Dad died at 83, mother still at home at 102.

[Calico]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo I think you may have heard this from the same people who believe vaccinations are bad for children. Here is a look at the history of chemotherapy in treating cancer. Chemotherapy doesn’t work? Not so fast… (A lesson from history)

Thank you very much for posting that article. As someone who underwent chemo last year I found it very educational, and an excellent rebuttal to the few individuals who told me I was "poisoning" myself by doing so.

As far as vaccines go, as someone who works in a pediatric health organization, our mantra around here is "vaccines cause adults."

To the OP's question: I hope to see 95, assuming I retain most of my physical and mental faculties until then. My father's side has real longevity - my grandparents and their siblings all lived robust lives into their early 90's, with the exception of one great-uncle who eventually succumbed to complications from childhood polio. One great-aunt lived until 102. Family members on my mother's side tend to die much earlier, but that is entirely due to poor lifestyle choices (excessive drinking and lifelong smoking).

I take after my father's side of the family in every other way, so I'm hoping I have their genes too!