Getting Old?

I don't play guitar, so can't relate but I do find it amusing that I can remember stuff from 45 years ago but sometimes, forget things from 45 seconds ago.

My knees also try to explode if I kneel down, then get back up.

I can still hear ok (I think) but my eyesight has gone from 20/20 to needing varifocals now. I'm not 60 yet, will be interesting to see what the coming years bring.

I've not taken to a cardigan yet. :LOL:
 
As my Grandfather used to say about getting old - "It's better than the alternative."

Until the last few days when he was looking forward to the alternative rather than the agony he was in...
 
There are a number of ways to look at it. My dad only reached 58 from then on I looked at each year as it came and added a + to each year on top of his total. I still moan about the loads I carry and lift for my pleasure of trying to do bird photography. I also look with jealously at younger ones holding long lenses without any aid, when I have to fight with them to get a good photo. To finish off here I will add 28 +'s to my dads total.

Trevor
 
My father died at 51, and although 13 years older, have a sense of being sat in the waiting room. Never the less, I plan to do lots of things, albeit more slowly, after retirement.
 
I am 65, mother passed at 66 dad at 74, I am now doing only 4 days a week at work,
The younger blokes say I am a part timer, but I just say you only have 30 to 40 years to go so good luck !
Well we are in the sniper alley, but I just keep going and try to be sensible about things.
I do a lot of walking, and at work I am on my feet all day.
Aches and pains yes they are there, it just jumps from place to place.
I can walk for miles no problem, I can do more or less what I want,
Just need to cut down on sugar and rum.
My hair is silver and has been for a long time.
I am used to it.
I resist pills and potions.
 
I decided to pack up work at 58 was working nights and wasn’t finding it easy
We aren’t exactly rich but we get by and absolutely did the right thing, can get out and go for a wander along the river with my camera anytime I want and that’s what matters
am 65 now and lucky to still be healthy
 
I'm 64. Age is slowly catching up with me. I used to exercise 5 days a week, a mixture of stretching exercises with press ups and sit ups thrown in. I had a flu like bug which lasted 5 weeks and a 2 week holiday followed and when I got back I had a cold so the exercises stopped for over two months. I've started again and expected to have to ramp up slowly but it's going ok and I now exercise 7 days a week. Age is catching up with me though and I can't get up the steps at Whitby or Saltburn as quickly as I could even 5 years ago.
 
My dad died at 59
I'm 77 and stopped work when I was 54. I do endurance exercises and a 3 mile walk around the local park, with camera, on the days that we don't go for a 6 to 8 mile walk in the country and I do strength and flexibility exercises 4 days a week.
I'm not sure if it is good genes or a healthy stress free lifestyle but I certainly don't worry about getting old.
 
I'm 72 now and was looking forwards to an active retirement. Sadly that went wrong when I was diagnosed with Myeloma in November 2023.

Now I can no longer travel, use my camera and lead a normal life. My days are spent looking at four walls most of the time with the occasional trip to Sainsburys etc. Luckily I have some good days when I can walk a few hundred yards up the street with a frame or go to a nearby pub.

You lot should think yourselves lucky. I wish I still was.
 
I hit retirement age later this year, already told the boss I want to go, trying to give them time to hire and train up a replacement (if they have the sense to do it). I have the feeling they will offer me either part time or a different role, my big problem is the driving which can be 5-7 hours a day and I just don't want to do it anymore.
At first I wasn't too sure about it, thinking of the drop in income etc, but it's growing on me more as the day approaches. I'm lucky I have no major health problems yet, no debts to worry about and lots of possibilities of stuff to do.
 
Suvv said:
My dad died at 59
I'm 77 and stopped work when I was 54. I do endurance exercises and a 3 mile walk around the local park, with camera, on the days that we don't go for a 6 to 8 mile walk in the country and I do strength and flexibility exercises 4 days a week.
I'm not sure if it is good genes or a healthy stress free lifestyle but I certainly don't worry about getting old.
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I like the idea of flexibility exercises, so I am going to make a start.
 
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Having retired at 55 and now in my mid 60's I feel I am fitter now then I was in my 30 and 40's Whilst work could be quite physical at times I wasn't really doing much else. My diet was not the best. Now my diet is a lot better and my exercise is spread over the week as opposed to several hours of lifting etc but then doing no exercise for the following day(s)

But fitness is subjective, I can't run a marathon (never had, never wanted to) I am certainly not musclebound. But I often walk 10miles+ in the Yorkshire Dales etc.
 
munch said:
But fitness is subjective, I can't run a marathon (never had, never wanted to) I am certainly not musclebound. But I often walk 10miles+ in the Yorkshire Dales etc.
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I ran a half marathon in 2016 aged 55, and as a result of that would struggle to walk 10 miles now.
 
My Dad died at 59, and I'm fast approaching that. I do worry there's not much time left sometimes and it's not helped by knowing all my Dad's brothers kicked the bucket before him. Add to that, several workmates have also died the last few years. I consider myself quite fit though, although hearing and eyesight not so good these days.
I won't be waiting until I'm 67 before I retire, infact I've just got in touch with my pension provider and asked about my access to my tax free 25% :)
 
Bletch said:
My Dad died at 59, and I'm fast approaching that. I do worry there's not much time left sometimes and it's not helped by knowing all my Dad's brothers kicked the bucket before him. Add to that, several workmates have also died the last few years. I consider myself quite fit though, although hearing and eyesight not so good these days.
I won't be waiting until I'm 67 before I retire, infact I've just got in touch with my pension provider and asked about my access to my tax free 25% :)
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Yes..genes are important but you need to look at lifestyles. Is yours meaningfully different ? Ie..maybe not smoking, not drinking too much alcohol, having a good diet. You haven't mentioned any like illnesses your dad and uncles had. A good idea to retire early..that will reduce stress..a killer.
 
My Grandad, Dad, and most of my uncles all smoked & drank, all miners too (bet that didn't help). Cancer got my Dad but heart disease took the others on that side of the Family, Mums side pretty was good age wise, she made it to 85 dispite being a 40 a day.

I've never smoked or drank... however only recently changed my pie & chips diet for something a little better. My weights good now too thanks to the gym - strange thing is, It was the Doctor that recommended exercising after I complained about wierd back pain that came out of nowhere.

One of my work colleagues, she made it to 68 - didn't retire, bless her. One minute she was at work, next day dead. Didn't get that pension pot she saved up for all her life.

Stress? Probate nearly finished me off lol, Scottish Widows are an absolute flipping nightmare to deal with.
 
My mum will be 101 in February. She was most annoyed when she got her 100 card from The king and "her" and not "the proper queen"! She is as feisty as ever and I keep saying that she will see me off! She has more carts than the Royal Horse Artillery (cart do this, cart do that or the other!) but its amazing what she can do! Happy 2026!
 
Dad died aged 85, Mum at 89. I'm 61 and have MS and cancer. I've already come to terms with the fact that I won't get anywhere near those numbers.

I retired at the end of 2025 and will just have to make good use of whatever is left which could be a year or maybe 20.
 
Make the most of every day, Marc.
 
for me its my joints even at only 56 they are creaking, its the reason i am moving to GC next year , it just all goes away after two days there.
 
Bletch said:
My Grandad, Dad, and most of my uncles all smoked & drank, all miners too (bet that didn't help). Cancer got my Dad but heart disease took the others on that side of the Family, Mums side pretty was good age wise, she made it to 85 dispite being a 40 a day.

I've never smoked or drank... however only recently changed my pie & chips diet for something a little better. My weights good now too thanks to the gym - strange thing is, It was the Doctor that recommended exercising after I complained about wierd back pain that came out of nowhere.

One of my work colleagues, she made it to 68 - didn't retire, bless her. One minute she was at work, next day dead. Didn't get that pension pot she saved up for all her life.

Stress? Probate nearly finished me off lol, Scottish Widows are an absolute flipping nightmare to deal with.
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In that case, re your mum, look to see if you have 'more of her' in you than your dad's family. I have more of my mother's side and she lived until 94..her mother to 97. It's very good that you don't have the proven health risks associated with smoking . That's a big plus..same with alcohol and also good you've tackled the pie & chips diet. Doesn't mean you can't have that meal now and then as you obviously enjoyed it. All in all, plus the gym, you should be good for many more years.
 
JohnC6 said:
Yes..genes are important but you need to look at lifestyles. Is yours meaningfully different ? Ie..maybe not smoking, not drinking too much alcohol, having a good diet. You haven't mentioned any like illnesses your dad and uncles had. A good idea to retire early..that will reduce stress..a killer.
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I do think longevity is very much gene related. My mum never exercised in her life, ate pretty unhealthily, had no hobbies beyond watching tv and reading books and only had a couple of friends. She also lived beside an incredibly busy six lane road in London for sixty years, so she must’ve had veins full of lead and lungs like net curtains. To balance all this she hardly drank and didn’t smoke. She died last year, just ten weeks short of her 100th birthday. Both her parents lived well into their 80s, my granny was 89 when she died.
I’m 71 and hoping I’ve inherited mum’s genes. :)
 
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boogie man said:
I do think longevity is very much gene related. My mum never exercised in her life, ate pretty unhealthily, had no hobbies beyond watching tv and reading books and only had a couple of friends. She also lived beside an incredibly busy six lane road in London for sixty years, so she must’ve had veins full of lead and lungs like net curtains. To balance all this she hardly drank and didn’t smoke. She died last year, just ten weeks short of her 100th birthday. Both her parents lived well into their 80s, my granny was 89 when she died.
I’m 71 and hoping I’ve inherited mum’s genes. :)
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I had a look at this and ,as you say, genes do influence longevity but this article, highlights the importance of advances in health care, better housing, better food, lifestyle ..etc..It's quite a short read.

medlineplus.gov

Is longevity determined by genetics?: MedlinePlus Genetics

How long a person can live is affected by genetics, the environment, and lifestyle. Not much is known about how genes impact longevity.
medlineplus.gov medlineplus.gov

"The study of longevity genes is a developing science. It is estimated that about 25 percent of the variation in human life span is determined by genetics, but which genes, and how they contribute to longevity, are not well understood"


"The duration of human life (longevity) is influenced by genetics, the environment, and lifestyle. Environmental improvements beginning in the 1900s extended the average life span dramatically with significant improvements in the availability of food and clean water, better housing and living conditions, reduced exposure to infectious diseases, and access to medical care. Most significant were public health advances that reduced premature death by decreasing the risk of infant mortality, increasing the chances of surviving childhood, and avoiding infection and communicable disease. Now people in the United States live about 80 years on average, but some individuals survive for much longer"
 
Oh dear , you young uns moaning , I’ll be 80 in a few weeks and still get out nearly daily taking photos . Yeah I get aches and pains and can’t walk or run as fast or as far as when younger . Just enjoy life count your blessings and try to remember the names of your great grandkids if you can ….
Six kids, 10 grandkids, 5 great grandkids so far .. Christmas and birthdays get more expensive every year :headbang:
 
the black fox said:
Six kids, 10 grandkids, 5 great grandkids so far .. Christmas and birthdays get more expensive every year :headbang:
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Oh my God 10 grandkids! That's a lot of socks, gloves, scarfs and Maltesers you got back. I kinda hate Christmas too, although there's only pressies for myself to buy :)
 
@JohnC6. Looking at Mums side, All my Aunts & Uncle are alive, mum was the first to go, I think she was the youngest but just by a few years.
Dad's side, both his brothers died -59 but both his sisters are well, must be 90+ for both of them.. Dad's Dad lasted till 74 - found his death cert yesterday. I'm expecting to go somewhere between 59 & 74 but obviously won't say no to a few more years. I kinda feel torn sometimes between lifting my savings, my pension and just blowing it all while I can or leaving it for the council to happily collect once I've snuffed it, because that's that happens right?
 
Harriers9 said:
I'm 72 now and was looking forwards to an active retirement. Sadly that went wrong when I was diagnosed with Myeloma in November 2023.

Now I can no longer travel, use my camera and lead a normal life. My days are spent looking at four walls most of the time with the occasional trip to Sainsburys etc. Luckily I have some good days when I can walk a few hundred yards up the street with a frame or go to a nearby pub.

You lot should think yourselves lucky. I wish I still was.
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Marc said:
Dad died aged 85, Mum at 89. I'm 61 and have MS and cancer. I've already come to terms with the fact that I won't get anywhere near those numbers.

I retired at the end of 2025 and will just have to make good use of whatever is left which could be a year or maybe 20.
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My sympathies. Life has never been fair.
I've been very lucky so far, my dad died fairly young, heart attack, I've had a minor one myself and am at risk of a stroke because I also have a very irregular heartbeat, I have also been an insulin-dependent diabetic for a long time.

But, I'm now 80, still able to drive so can get out and about and although I don't think as quickly or as well as I used to, life still interests me and it doesn't bother me that I haven't been able to run for a bus for many years, because I neither want nor need to run for buses.

I've never exercised, the only time I've been to a gym is to photograph one, a 3-day shoot that put me off gyms for life:)

I still go clay shooting every week, not the good competition shooter than I used to be but I still enjoy it. 8 years ago I started to learn how to play pool, I'm in a league team and play once a week (and practice every day). Too old to be good but I'm not the worst player in our team and I enjoy it.

Leaving aside the luck element, I think that life is what we make it.
 
I was fit and healthy up until I retired at 66 , I say fit but not gym fit , Now 4 + years later as the years have passed things have gone bad
I now have multiple health issues
Bad left hip / Pain across my pelvic and lower spine
Osteoarthritis
Type 2 diabetes
And the worst of all Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia ( Blood and marrow bone cancer )

Not looking good for my future :(
 
F1.2 said:
I was fit and healthy up until I retired at 66 , I say fit but not gym fit , Now 4 + years later as the years have passed things have gone bad
I now have multiple health issues
Bad left hip / Pain across my pelvic and lower spine
Osteoarthritis
Type 2 diabetes
And the worst of all Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia ( Blood and marrow bone cancer )

Not looking good for my future :(
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Welcome to the incurable blood cancer family mate. Also known as the secret cancer because no one can see it.
 
Winter is the bummer for me. I don't mind if I can get out, take a few pics, fix a couple of things, have a coffee and a cake plus chat etc. We took off to Tenerife, early in the year last year and we both felt so much better, within hours of getting off the plane and reaching the hotel. Aches and pains seemed to drift off and we both felt so much "lighter"! Unfortunately, the constant watching out for scammers and pickpockets, put us off the place for a revisit. We've heard that Malta may be a possibility? Keep warm and safe all.
 
I'm finding carrying a lot of kit hard work, and I'm certainly not as fit as I was way back, I'd run around mountains all day then with a house on my back. Now taking the dog for a short run is enough.
As someone else said the aches and pains get worse in winter, my old injuries play up more. I'm getting some arthritis too, and last year gout, I didn't know it was still a thing, I though old men in bath chairs got it... ahhhh wait... ;)

As the theme from MASH says "
The sword of time will pierce our skins
It doesn′t hurt when it begins
But as it works its way on in
The pain grows stronger, watch it grin" Johnny Mandel, Michael B Altman
 
Pixbarmy said:
Winter is the bummer for me. I don't mind if I can get out, take a few pics, fix a couple of things, have a coffee and a cake plus chat etc. We took off to Tenerife, early in the year last year and we both felt so much better, within hours of getting off the plane and reaching the hotel. Aches and pains seemed to drift off and we both felt so much "lighter"! Unfortunately, the constant watching out for scammers and pickpockets, put us off the place for a revisit. We've heard that Malta may be a possibility? Keep warm and safe all.
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Malta is lovely, Madeira might be worth a look as well. It gets warm early in the year, it’s very picturesque and the crime rate is very low. We were there in February last year and loved it. Its only real downsides are it doesn’t have many sandy beaches, if that matters to you, and landing at the airport can be a bit of a roller coaster ride as the runway literally sticks out into the sea.
 
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