Getting Old - How worried are you and options?

[Tashyboy]

As I'm over 70 I know things that people who are not elderly have yet to learn.
If get older I hope to learn more and more.
So it's down to experience and a great of reading and debating I've done over the years.
Science is relevant because it is always exploring why humans are around for only a few decades, as opposed to what makes them (atoms) which can be around for trillions of years.

I'm the only one who knows how my body feels.
As the laws of physics precludes us from getting younger, why should we be worried about getting older?
As for the purpose of living then you are free to make up your own mind.
I've read that the purpose of life (for instance) is to hydrogenate carbon dioxide.
So we are merely part of a process.
One explanation among many, but I'll consider it.

The whole purpose of this thread is Getting old and how do we feel.

Theres so much you have written that I honestly do not no where to start.
First bold point, you know things that people who are elderly have yet to learn. ? yet younger people have learned things that you have not learned because you have not walked in there shoes or wheelchairs.
second bold point. so it’s down to experience etc. and a great deal of reading and debating etc. your experiences are yours and other peoples are there’s. So why are you right and they are wrong. Why what you have read is right yet what they have read is wrong?
third bold point. I,m the only one who knows how my body feels. Totally agree with that. But Fragger told you point blank how his body nearly packed up on him yet it was questioned. Eh ? surely bold point one “ where you know things” would tell you not to question that. Not only that Bold point one, where exactly does “ elderly “ start. Or should elderly read experience as I pointed out in bold point 2.
Bold point 4 “ As for the purpose etc etc” people are free to make up there own mind and you question it? That’s fine but a lot of your discussion is based upon the books of a guy called Richard Dawkins. Ave never heard of him so a quick bit of reading shows he is a three times divorced guy who has one kid. He is a rubbish in relationships and is a poor shag (or has a low sperm count) and is an atheist. ?. So how does he even come into a discussion of getting old and how do we feel.
He is growing old, lonely and won’t have god to turn to. Yet he is central to you point of view.
personally reading you views On growing old, I feel it is like asking a vegetarian how to cook a beef brisket on a BBQ. And for that I will ask Beezerk and and not Dick Dawkins.

 

[backwoodsman]

I imagine him to be just a humble person with an average brain who has found employment as an evolutionary biologist.
So what specifically are you referring to: The God Delusion, The Selfish Gene or what?

I suspect you already realise, but the opinion I expressed was one such that I'm unlikely to bother justifying it.

 

[Swinglowandslow]

Loving the way you link age with wisdom in that one sentence you’ve confirmed what someone else posted… arrogance personified.

It generally follows: of course, there are exceptions, either way.

And having an opinion, strongly held, isn't arrogance. Arrogance is when
the holder of one opinion deems that holders of other opinions aren't entitled to, or their rights don't matter.

Stef hasn't espoused that.

 

[Hobbit]

It generally follows: of course, there are exceptions, either way.

And having an opinion, strongly held, isn't arrogance. Arrogance is when
the holder of one opinion deems that holders of other opinions aren't entitled to, or their rights don't matter.

Stef hasn't espoused that.

Maybe you miss the nuance. The opinion isn’t the issue, it’s the statement that age equates to more knowledge than someone younger.

The ‘presumptuous claim, assumption or belief’ that I am more knowledgeable than you because of my age is arrogant.

 

[stefanovic]

First bold point, you know things that people who are elderly have yet to learn.

I said: As I'm over 70 I know things that people who are not elderly have yet to learn.

second bold point. so it’s down to experience etc. and a great deal of reading and debating etc. your experiences are yours and other peoples are there’s. So why are you right and they are wrong. Why what you have read is right yet what they have read is wrong?

Unintelligible.
Why, for instance, when I'm always willing to learn do I think I'm right and others are wrong?
I can learn a great deal from younger people.

third bold point. I,m the only one who knows how my body feels. Totally agree with that. But Fragger told you point blank how his body nearly packed up on him yet it was questioned. Eh ? surely bold point one “ where you know things” would tell you not to question that. Not only that Bold point one, where exactly does “ elderly “ start. Or should elderly read experience as I pointed out in bold point 2.

Elderly is classed (by the NHS) as 65-74. Over that age you are classed as late elderly.
I assume they base it on the average age of your cells.
Your body is a colony of 37 trillion different types of cells (by one estimate) but it could be a lot more.
This will include many cancer cells. So be careful not to indulge in, for example, over eating, smoking, drinking.

Bold point 4 “ As for the purpose etc etc” people are free to make up there own mind and you question it? That’s fine but a lot of your discussion is based upon the books of a guy called Richard Dawkins. Ave never heard of him so a quick bit of reading shows he is a three times divorced guy who has one kid. He is a rubbish in relationships and is a poor shag (or has a low sperm count) and is an atheist. ?. So how does he even come into a discussion of getting old and how do we feel.
He is growing old, lonely and won’t have god to turn to. Yet he is central to you point of view.
personally reading you views On growing old, I feel it is like asking a vegetarian how to cook a beef brisket on a BBQ. And for that I will ask Beezerk and and not Dick Dawkins.

So despite never having never heard of him you are quick to find fault.
He is 80 next year but his mind is still sharp. His latest book was published this year, called Books Do Furnish A Life.
I could provide a very long list of people who have influenced me.
2 others I've already mentioned are Desmond Morris from the field of zoology and Peter Atkins from physical chemistry.

 

[3offTheTee]

How on Earth have we ended up discussing God, atheism, atoms………….?

Nothing new BB. The majority of threads on here going off track is usual but this one seems worse than the majority. Perhaps directly proportional to some posters who have their own agenda,

 

[SocketRocket]

Nothing new BB. The majority of threads on here going off track is usual but this one seems worse than the majority. Perhaps directly proportional to some posters who have their own agenda,

As the subject matter is 'Getting Old' I assume we all have some kind of agenda on it. We all get older from the moment of birth and along the way will form some kind of view/projection as to how the journey may act out.

Vive la difference!

 

[RichA]

Dad will be 90 in a couple of months. He's been retired for 30 years.
He walks in the forest every day, goes driving for days out and meals with friends, enjoys cooking, drinking wine, beer and whisky and only recently quit cycling.
He loves life but doesn't dwell on death. Having said that, he says he'd rather check out falling off a ladder or having a clutcher in the forest than fading away in a hospital bed like his father or a nursing home like my mum.
I hope my genes are as robust as his.

 

[stefanovic]

We all get older from the moment of birth and along the way will form some kind of view/projection as to how the journey may act out.

While we don't get younger our brains and bodies start to grow until we are in our 20's at least. Then the brain changes and our cells aren't replaced like they were.
There are many reasons for this and it's mainly down to the entropy of the body.
When we are born the body is in a state of low entropy before it moves to more complexity, then ending in a high entropy state which means the body becomes increasingly disordered.
This may lead to deadly diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's. Ultimately something will kill you. Someone has calculated there are about 8,000 different ways to die.

So how worried should you be?
There was a time not so long ago when cancer would mean the end of you.
There is now an increasing probability you will survive. In that case the best time to have ever lived is now.
Drugs to combat Alzheimer's are being developed. Is that bad news?

The options you take should be good ones if you want to improve your health span.
Health span may end a lot earlier than life span.
In old age try different types of exercise.
I'm going to say any aerobic exercise such as walking.
Playing golf 3 times a week is good. It combines aerobic exercise with the use of muscles and some twisting of the body, but be sure to carry your clubs.
Yoga helps with flexibility. Tai chi is good for circulation.

Tai chi (and its grandparent Qigong) gets a big recommendation from a Nobel prize winning molecular biologist in a book called The Telomere Effect.
It is supposed to aid the production of telomerase to protect your cells. This will help you live longer.
The Harvard Medical School have also published a book on Tai chi.
This is an area formerly classed as pseudoscience but now becoming mainstream

 

[RichA]

Playing golf 3 times a week is good. It combines aerobic exercise with the use of muscles and some twisting of the body, but be sure to carry you clubs.

I skimmed and ignored most of your post but noticed this. I'm pretty sure that carrying your clubs has a negligible health benefit, as long as you're walking rather than riding a buggy. Experience tells me that when I carry a full set it's not doing my back and knees any good.

 

[arnieboy]

If I had to carry my clubs I would probably pack in the sport.

 

[Billysboots]

If I had to carry my clubs I would probably pack in the sport.

I’ve been carrying my regular pairs partner for years. So 14 clubs should not cause me too many issues.

 

[SocketRocket]

While we don't get younger our brains and bodies start to grow until we are in our 20's at least. Then the brain changes and our cells aren't replaced like they were.
There are many reasons for this and it's mainly down to the entropy of the body.
When we are born the body is in a state of low entropy before it moves to more complexity, then ending in a high entropy state which means the body becomes increasingly disordered.
This may lead to deadly diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's. Ultimately something will kill you. Someone has calculated there are about 8,000 different ways to die.

So how worried should you be?
There was a time not so long ago when cancer would mean the end of you.
There is now an increasing probability you will survive. In that case the best time to have ever lived is now.
Drugs to combat Alzheimer's are being developed. Is that bad news?

The options you take should be good ones if you want to improve your health span.
Health span may end a lot earlier than life span.
In old age try different types of exercise.
I'm going to say any aerobic exercise such as walking.
Playing golf 3 times a week is good. It combines aerobic exercise with the use of muscles and some twisting of the body, but be sure to carry your clubs.
Yoga helps with flexibility. Tai chi is good for circulation.

Tai chi (and its grandparent Qigong) gets a big recommendation from a Nobel prize winning molecular biologist in a book called The Telomere Effect.
It is supposed to aid the production of telomerase to protect your cells. This will help you live longer.
The Harvard Medical School have also published a book on Tai chi.
This is an area formerly classed as pseudoscience but now becoming mainstream

Thanks for the unsolicited advice but I don't really need it and it's not particularly relevent to my post.

I'm over 70, play golf three times a week, don't use an electric trolly or buggy, I keep myself reasonably healthy and strong, I do strength building exercises and am an avid hill walker. Fortunately I've managed to inherit some good genes that have prevented me from undergoing any serious surgery so far. Keep looking after yourself and enjoy whatever journey you have before you.

 

[stefanovic]

I'm over 70, play golf three times a week, don't use an electric trolly or buggy, I keep myself reasonably healthy and strong, I do strength building exercises and am an avid hill walker.

Then I assume you pull a trolley.
The point about carrying your own clubs is that it's weight bearing on your bones and that is believed to be good. You will also burn more calories.
BTW, I'm also an avid hill walker having done all the Wainwrights in the Lakes, all the Nuttalls in England and Wales and 80 Munros and Corbetts in Scotland.

Fortunately I've managed to inherit some good genes that have prevented me from undergoing any serious surgery so far.

How do you know it's your genes? It could be you have a healthy lifestyle.
I'm sure we don't want to go back to the old nature v nurture argument.

 

[Swinglowandslow]

Then I assume you pull a trolley.
The point about carrying your own clubs is that it's weight bearing on your bones and that is believed to be good. You will also burn more calories.
BTW, I'm also an avid hill walker having done all the Wainwrights in the Lakes, all the Nuttalls in England and Wales and 80 Munros and Corbetts in Scotland.

How do you know it's your genes? It could be you have a healthy lifestyle.
I'm sure we don't want to go back to the old nature v nurture argument.

Stef
You need to be careful about how you advocate walking for others. It can sound that that is what all golfers should do.
It might be better to suggest that fit 70 yr olds with no health issues would benefit from carrying, whilst acknowledging that many of that age and over, who enjoy golf, are not physically capable of carrying precisely because of health issues.
For the, if it was carrying or nothing, it would be nothing.
I played squash at 62, now more than a dozen years later, I need a buggy for 18 holes because of one specific condition. Precautionary, but if the worst thing happened it could stop me playing ( and doing other things) , period.

Everybody knows carrying is more beneficial than trolleying ( for those who can) for the reasons you give. It's common sense, and not necessary to give a physiology lesson. Not all appreciate it!

 

[Tashyboy]

Then I assume you pull a trolley.
The point about carrying your own clubs is that it's weight bearing on your bones and that is believed to be good. You will also burn more calories.
BTW, I'm also an avid hill walker having done all the Wainwrights in the Lakes, all the Nuttalls in England and Wales and 80 Munros and Corbetts in Scotland.

How do you know it's your genes? It could be you have a healthy lifestyle.
I'm sure we don't want to go back to the old nature v nurture argument.

You quoted the NHS earlier on in a reply to me.
Here is another quote from the NHS site
Older adults
Examples of activities for active older adults include:

• walking
• lifting weights or using resistance bands
• some impact activities like running, jumping or skipping

If you're not very active, these activities may help:

• walking
• stair climbing
• strength exercises at home

I would imaging walking 2-3 miles 9 holes, or 5-6 miles 18 holes would cover that Without putting excess strain on some individuals.

 

[SocketRocket]

Then I assume you pull a trolley.
The point about carrying your own clubs is that it's weight bearing on your bones and that is believed to be good. You will also burn more calories.
BTW, I'm also an avid hill walker having done all the Wainwrights in the Lakes, all the Nuttalls in England and Wales and 80 Munros and Corbetts in Scotland.

How do you know it's your genes? It could be you have a healthy lifestyle.
I'm sure we don't want to go back to the old nature v nurture argument.

My parents and their families have lived well into their nineties and have been healthy, I am not aware of any of them running or visiting a gym.

What makes you think I don't carry a golf bag. I either carry or push depending on the course conditions. Also I burn plenty of calories thanks.

 

[williamalex1]

It depends…in my world I have a God - it may be of my understanding…and may not be the sort of God that atheists and agnostics think I should or might believe in. But they don’t believe in God anyway, therefore can’t define what they don’t believe exists, and so I consider them to be in no position to tell me that the God that I believe in doesn’t exist. Besides, I can’t really describe my God either, other than it is a God of love; and a God that tries to guide me to do the right thing rather than what I might want to do. But that’s just me, and with that I am comfortable.

Reminds me of the old story about the Insomniac Dyslexic Agnostic, who lay awake all night wondering if there really was a Dog.
The old ones are the best, I'll get my coat, vest/ simmet

 

[Voyager EMH]

Reminds me of the old story about the Insomniac Dyslexic Agnostic, who lay awake all night wondering if there really was a Dog.
The old ones are the best, I'll get my coat, vest/ simmet

Jaykit?

 

[williamalex1]

Jaykit?

Straight or working?