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Goody to those retirees! I retired last year for health reasons but now fill up time with volunteering, fun and rest as needed. If I feel overscheduled, for example, my system does not take stress as well as it did when i was younger, making me feel more upset and experience worse skin eczema. I sometimes feel overtired and have to skip gym one day or so to relax at home until back to "normal".
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I forced myself to go for a walk today. It was sunny and cold. I love those type of days and I always feel better after a walk.
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Reply to Gershun
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I forced myself too. I try to focus on how good I will feel afterwards - and am always glad I did.

Well done us!! 😁😁
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Yes Beatty, kudos to us! :)
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Reply to Gershun
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I agree it happens too fast. My goodness I am 85!!!

Yet my earlier life seems eons ago. I am very fortunate in not having arthritis, can still do squats, not on many meds, haven't had any surgeries other than tonsils as a preschooler and episiotomies when giving birth. I don't like the changes in my skin, the decreased strength and stamina, increased digestive issues and such.

I hear you ff about knowing were the restrooms are. More of my time is taken up with looking after myself and making adjustments. But I am better at dealing with life and relationships and wouldn't trade that for anything!

I am finally downsizing to a smaller more convenient home and still hope/plan to have some adventures and new experiences.
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Evamar Nov 2022
Golden,
That is inspiring.
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Golden23
I am definitely not of Viking Heritage but who knows, European nevertheless, reading lots on longevity lately and Italians of course do much better, so do French, partially to Mediterranean diet. And they drink lots of vino!
Just going to order Great Age Reboot as you recommended it will be interesting to share opinions.
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golden23 Nov 2022
Yes, it would.

The Mediterranean diet is considered to be very healthy as is drinking a moderate amount of wine. I do neither. I eat low carb and rarely drink alcohol. I can't remember the last time I had an alcoholic drink. I have nothing against it, but prefer my carbs/calories in other forms. I think we each have to find our own way according to what works for us. Good genes help, but I believe that lifestyle is more important. Keep moving even if you don't "exercise" as such.
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Golden23,
You are so right. I am really sticking to Mediterranean way of eating, I simply like it, cannot stand anything processed etc.
I don’t drink much, I am glass of champagne/ wine on occasion type.
But it is all about moving, how we keep flexibility. I am on the run most days doing all the chores, I refuse any help as it keeps me busy and I find cleaning great stress reliever.
Talk about shovelling snow with our Canadian winters!
Now I still have to clear all the leaves.
I do exercise but I am not so consistent, my husband was 2 hours a day exercise type, now sadly Parkinson makes it almost impossible to do any exercise. Have to accept that with too much pain there is not much one can do.
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Looking in the mirror and not recongnizing who is looking back at me! I dont feel this old, when did all the wrinkles happen. Frabby skin on my arms and legs - not sure when I lost all the muscles!
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Riverdale Feb 2023
A good exercise for your arms: Sit on the floor preferably on a rug. Bring your knees up but keep your feet on the floor. Put your hands down flat behind you facing forwards. Elevate your body slightly and while keeping it elevated raise your body up and down. Work towards doing this 40 times a day. Hope it makes sense from my instructions.
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Oh, Yeah, I forgot the lines and bags under my eyes that increased after age 60 7 years ago. I use lotion and creams on my skin every night to keep smooth skin, but it does not turn back the clock. However, I still get some complements that I look good! Take what happens with wisdom.
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I never dreamed being 65 meant being the caregiver to my soon to be 90 year old dad. I thought that was the age to enjoy retirement. This is so much harder than an 8 hour a day job. I haven't had a day off in 9 months.
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Oh good grief, now my right thumb is aching [primary hand].... my Mom had arthritic hands, so maybe this could be the start of it.

I can't believe how many times the thumb gets a workout. Writing isn't easy, there goes my draftman's type of printing. unless I use pain cream on my thumb area.

And forget the cellphone. It was hard enough to pick up without hitting the Alert button, and now almost impossible. Forget texting on it, the thumb gets very grumpy.

I can do email with ease, but the younger generation rarely uses it. If one doesn't text or use the social media they are on, you don't hear from them.... [sigh].
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Sorry about your thumb ff.

Helloall - join the crowd. Seniors looking after senior seniors is becoming more and more common. It doesn't work well for us.

I think I am surprised at 85 that it isn't worse . Not that there aren't some problems I could do without, but life is reasonably manageable. So far I have managed to not get the big ones - cardiovascular disease, diabetes type 2 and cancer. My lab tests are normal. I haven't needed any surgery and I haven't broken anything. I feel good about all that. Counting my blessings each day that I am OK.
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Pain in hips and shoulders.
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Now I am surprised at how many foods that I use to enjoy now taste meh.

We always had pizza for Sundays, but the pizza now taste like the box it comes in.... [sigh].

Now I understand why my parents had so many sweet items on their grocery list !!
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Losing my will to live kind of snuck up on me, and I'm only 62 and in good health. Have a nice day.
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golden23 Feb 2023
Could this be a caregiver burnout thing? Perhaps you need a break. Do you need to call the 988 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline?
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I think I now understand the say, Getting old isn't for sissies.
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Just read a few responses. Golden's is what I am responding to. Cancer, anyone I know who has dealt with cancer says they just never get their full strength back. My Mom had a hysterectomy in her mid 40s and said the same thing. As did other women I know who had the same procedure. Maybe its because the ovaries are removed to. Estrogen gives us that energy. Really after menopause you lose that energy, I think. When I think of what I did in my 30s. My husband worked nights and I worked days. Ran my daughter all over after work. Kept a 1700 sq ft house clean...now I think "got to clean that bathroom. Still sitting here thinking, really should get to that bathroom. And when I do clean its one room a day. I am 73. I maintain, but have not done any "get down there and scrub work" one reason, I would need to days to pamper my back.

SO GLAD I do not have to care or worry about someone at this stage of my life. Yes, I have my 33yr old nephew, but he is competent to make his own decisions so nothing I can do there. But would like some of that "get up and go" I used to have.
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golden23 Feb 2023
I'm confused, Joann. I haven't had cancer. Maybe I am misunderstanding. It seemed like you were connecting me to it .My daughter has had cancer and is working hard to get her energy back.

But certainly my energy is going down hill with age. At 85 I do jobs in bits - a bit here and a bit there. Once in a while I am able to do more.
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the long, slow deterioration of one's body - which many correctly note begins with menopause with women and the withdrawal of estrogen, that miracle drug - and COVID was detrimental in that it restricted a lot of normal activity
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That old lady looking back at me in the mirror; how did that happen?
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Beatty Oct 2023
Smear some vasoline on the mirror, take off the glasses & wahla! Movie Star soft focus!
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You look in the mirror? 😱
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I'm going to be 60 soon. I never used to be in the "boomer Generation" till recently. My birth year is now the last generation of boomers and first year Gen X. A few years ago I saw a new PA for my physical. In the blood work list was a new huge list of tests for things like Hep C because "boomers" tended to not know they had been exposed to it. I questioned the PA about it and the response was "ohhh you might have gotten during the late 60's when IV drug use was common since you are a boomer". So I asked her if they looked at my birth year. "no". After some explanation it took them some math to figure out that I was still a child in the late 60's. Needless to say my Hep C test came back clean.
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Midkid58 Apr 2023
HCV was not uncommon amoung 'boomers' and it is due to a lot of reasons. Yes, it was the first real era of sharing dirty drug needles, a revolution of types against the morality of the day and also, people being drafted and getting the Hep C virus through our govt's incautious and unknowing spread of the disease though mass inoculations.

Hep C lays dormant for decades, as long as you don't drink alcohol. Alcohol is like throwing flame on a fire.

My DH had a liver transplant 16+ years ago due to liver cancer caused by HCV and the golden question that we'll never have answered is "Where did he GET it?" The men who served in basic training at a specific Fort have sky high HCV #s. Can we prove it? No, but it's damning to see a much higher level of HCV among these particular soldiers.

SUPPOSEDLY HCV is considered an STD---but not really. I have 5 kids with my hubby, so living as intimately as possible with someone. I used his razor, I used his toothbrush--all the normal things of a marital relationship.

Neither I nor any of our kids have it. I never worried that we did b/c there was never a time when we were sick enough to have warranted the worry-and also they did not screen for it until about 20 yrs ago.

Glad you're free from this virus. DH did a chemo TX for 84 weeks after the transplant. Then he relapsed, but by then there were real and total cures for this disease.
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Skin tags. Gross!
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Isthisrealyreal Oct 2023
Thuja essential oil, 3x daily will remove them in days. Amazing stuff!
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I'm suprised that my body is 70 and my mind is age 32.
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Anabanana Oct 2023
I hope your sense of humour is still 12. 😉
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1) When I was young I could eat anything and would still stay skinny as a board. I literally could not gain weight. Then I crossed age 29 and that all went bye bye. Now I probably eat healthier now than I did then, but I will still always be perpetually overweight.

2) The fact that all of the rock bands and TV shows that I loved as a teenager are now classic rock and retro TV. And that all of those musicians and actors that were so young and hip are now either dead or senior citizens themselves.
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pamzimmrrt Oct 2023
Oh yes about the music! when did I become the only one in the carpool listening to "classic vinal" or 80s rock? And I still sing it loud and proud in the car.. LOL
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The fact that I like myself more now. I'd love to have my young body and face back but I wouldn't want my young brain. I used to worry so much about what people thought of me. Now I don't give a blank. :)

Something I heard once:

When you are in your twenties and thirties you worry what people think of you.
When you are in your forties you don't give a sh*t what people think of you.
When you are in your fifties and beyond you realize nobody was thinking about you at all.

Also, if you think someone is giving you a dirty look they're probably just constipated.
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Isthisrealyreal Oct 2023
Or burped sour!
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I didn’t count on doing so much caregiving for so long .
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The constant, never-ending arthritic pain 24/7. The fact my mind has remained alert while my husband has Alzheimer's and I'm his care giver. Never bargained for any of this. The anger and depression caring for him. I know it's the disease, but I can't separate him from the disease. Little help, no hope.
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Katybr Nov 2023
I feel for you DrosieD. I, too, have become a full time caregiver for my husband who has Frontal Temporal Dementia at 75. It’s the worst - can turn into ALS without warning. I just had a 70th birthday and am in great health, but, I’m losing myself in this caregiver stuff. With this disease they rarely talk (Aphasia) and have no emotional responses to anything. Angry? You bet! I had a great job and wonderful social life, but, it’s all but gone.
‘This started 6-7 years ago so I was in early 60’s and really having a nice life.
No hope - of course. He has about 2-3 years left. And help? Nope. Soooo expensive and adult sons all live on West Coast (I’m on East Coast). I’ve looked into skilled nursing for next year as this might get ugly - $15,000/month!! And people don’t understand the anger/depression/anxiety.
Oh! And did I mention his mother is 100? She’s in a retirement home living her best life and driving me nuts with requests. My doctor told me to learn the word “NO” - husband is 1st priority!
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Living as long as we have!!! Who knew? We prepared as best we could but never thought we'd reach 94 (spouse, today) and 87 (me in January).
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What I hate….when the Walgreens clerk reminds me it is senior day!
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MattyWelch Nov 2023
🤣
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How I was able to evolve from the goody two-shoes people-pleaser my mother created to a stronger more grounded person who now can say.
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