Poll: Personal life expectancy

[youbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spanky I plan to live for forever but stay aware that life could end anytime.

I was enjoying a pint with the boys at the Irish Mill this afternoon when the subject of longevity came up. Your outlook was the overwhelming favorite at the end of the discussion.

We also decided that the Guinness commercials claiming that Guinness is beneficial to health and a long life are absolutely correct.

[packrat44]

I plan to live to 100 and my DW plans to live 105. So far our plan is on course.

My father (93) and mother (90) are in good health and still live in their own house. DW's father (86) and mother (86) are in good health and still live in their own house. Grandmothers on both sides lived to their upper 90s. All the grandfathers had lived very hard lives and did not last as long.

[kcowan]

Longevity calculators indicate 88-92 but the 10% upper quartile is 101. We use 100 as the die broke target.

Since May, it appears that we should be drinking more and exercising less to match our reduced portfolio performance expectations.

Our biggest worries are body parts wearing out and Alzheimers. What is the impact of frequent air travel? My Dad never flew anywhere and lived to 95.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcowan What is the impact of frequent air travel? My Dad never flew anywhere and lived to 95.

My parents traveled by air (as well as by ship) numerous times a year for half a century. My father had "the travel bug" to the extreme (having grown up poor in a small rural area), and was a surgeon so he could afford it.

One of my first memories was a trip by air to Jamaica (or was it Cuba? or both) in 1949 when I was just a year old. I remember traveling across the Atlantic in the early 1950's, when airplanes had pullmans. We were quite the vagabonds. We went to every continent except Antarctica and spent as much time away as at home.

My father died at 70 from cancer. My mother is still alive and will be 98 in a month. My conclusions are that air travel had absolutely no impact on life span, and (in my father's case) that money and knowledge cannot protect you from everything.

[kat]

Both sides of my family lived long lives, one past 100, with 94 the average for my parents' parents. My parents, now in their late 70's, are not dealing with any serious problems. I'm planning on 95, not sure how to factor in the likelihood of another car accident.

[teachme]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aenlighten What do you think your personal life expectancy is?

Based on both sides of our family we can expect mid-80s without too much effort. The difference is the quality of life. We've been fortunate to have examples on both sides that stay active, work their spare hours outside or exercise regularly and more physically fit than most people in their age range by a significant margin.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aenlighten Does ER appeal more to those with shorter life expectancies or does the willingness to save indicate a longer life expectancy?

Ours hasn't been an issue of ER but of FI but I never thought about it from that angle. Having the opportunity to know some wealthy people and observing the choices and things that consume their time is what has motived me more than anything.

[kat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by youbet I was enjoying a pint with the boys at the Irish Mill this afternoon when the subject of longevity came up. Your outlook was the overwhelming favorite at the end of the discussion. We also decided that the Guinness commercials claiming that Guinness is beneficial to health and a long life are absolutely correct.

My German grandfather favored Molsons. Two every night. Lived to just shy of 102, with his mind intact, after refusing surgery.