Have you noticed the lose of an ability as you get older.

I am 73 and ruptured a disc in my back at the beginning of lockdown. In desperation I contacted a chiropractor and had online consultations until lockdown was lifted.
He devised an personal exercise programme for me and I have been pleasantly surprised to find not only am I now free of back pain I'm also a lot more flexible and am now able to get up from the floor without having to hang on the furniture etc which I haven't been able to for about 20 years. My chiropractor says things like 'motion is lotion', 'if you don't use it you'll loose it', 'if you don't look after you're teeth you'd expect to get toothache - same goes with your body.'.........I've also got excerises to improve my balance.
I'm not quite ready to enter the Olympics yet - haha - and it is sometimes a chore to keep doing the exercises.

On a good day I can touch my toes, I can kneel even with a knee replacement but getting up is a bit difficult. I can walk up and down stairs and get up from a chair without holding anything. So far so good. But I can't open anything and its frustrating, I can't lift for fear of my back starting to pain me again. I go to yoga but I take so long getting down on the mat that everyone has moved on on by the time I have and are standing again. So I had stopped. I can cycle for miles but can only get on my bike from one side. No idea why.
The worse bit is wrinkles and dry skin.

geekesse

In general, I have only lost things I don’t miss. I can’t run since I damaged my knee, so I set out earlier and don’t rush, and so I enjoy the world around me. My eyesight to less sharp, so I don’t worry about the state of my carpet because I can’t see bits on it, so I don’t waste time on unnecessary housework. I was never a great beauty, but now I’m old and grey and have ‘lost my looks’, I have also lost that fear of how I look to other people, and I can dress and wear my hair however I feel like.

Am I the only person on GN who is enjoying growing older?

An elderly cousin had cataract operations and commented "the difference is I have dust I never did before".

Like you, domesticity passes me by. When asked by my grandson's what I have done today "oh, you know playing all day as usual". I dress for comfort and look as beautiful now as I have ever done or to likely be. And I speak my mind – oh, what fun. Smile and pass a pleasant word to those along the way. At 82, life a breeze!!

boodymum67 sorry you have MS. This is a light-hearted thread - but I still think you make the best point of all - that we should be glad of what we can do - not worry too much about what we can't. And, perhaps, be grateful for any positive things we have been able to do in the past?

I have a friend living at a distance, who is now trapped in a body which does not work and who had to go into a nursing home for 24 hour care - years before reaching official retirement age. I will never forget what a beneficial difference he made to so many people's lives before he became disabled; and admire his courage and ability to appreciate the smallest things in life even now. Probably like you.

I went to sit on a step and couldn't get down. I wish I could be more mobile. It came on at an earlier age than I expected.

I notice a general loss of strength and stamina. Two years ago I had a cycling accident and I had to have a replacement shoulder and upper arm( titanium, so I’m bionic now!) during the long recovery period I developed a DVT and sciatica- what a mess I was in! Now I don’t have the energy I had but am grateful that the wonderful NHS put me together again. In my 70 th year I’m starting to feel ‘old’ sometimes but try to do as much as I can, even if it takes twice as long!

Yes found I struggle to put my trainers on, have to put my trousers on sitting on the side of the bed at first if I stand up to pull them on I topple over. Have been trying to get out of my chair with out touching the arm rest.
I read that sitting down a lot causes weakness so I get up to do things and do a walk. Often the knee or ankle gives out.
But I don’t complain to much there are people far worse of then me. And I am 75.

I find this thread a bit strange!

why?

cos reading a lot of threads here, I got the impression that most everyone here was well under 60 years of age! Really!

now it seems so many are over 75????? is that so? I don`t feel so ancient if that is the case.

actually, I am 84 now, ugh! and it is only since my dh died last November,, ADDED to that this lockup, that I feel as though I have aged 20 odd years... I always felt in my early 60`s, until recently, now I feel my age..
o.k.
to answer the question, so now..... I find I have difficulty remember names,, mostly names,, actors names .... and words.... I feel quite ashamed,, embarrassed.

I need glasses for reading and my hearing isn't as good as it used to be. I was also experiencing stiffness in my back but then I was recommended something which really works for me. It is daily dry body brushing with a stiff bristle brush with a handle. Start from the feet up the legs, up each arm, up the back either side of the spine, downwards from the neck to the chest and across the stomach, always working towards the heart. A quick brush every morning before a shower, really gets rid of the aches and pains. A teacher of aromatherapy explained to me that the fluid that surrounds the bones is like oil when we are young but calcifies like chalk as we get older, so the dry body brushing turns it back to to fluid.

You should all try yoga ladies, except for the lady with MS of course. I am 73 and don't have any aches or pains or stiffness, etc.

I can still get down on all fours to wash the kitchen floor and it is really good as it stretches my spine and gets rid of any sciatic pain. The problem is getting up again!
I struggle to get out of the bath. I have to turn over then try to get up from a kind of kneeling position. It involves pushing down with my fist, not easy.
I have no grip.
Otherwise all is reasonably good. Only a few months to my 75 th birthday though so I had better hurry to get things done. I am so much faster than DH who is a year younger than me.

I do a yoga class & have done since my late 20s. It certainly keeps you supple so I have no problems in that area but it doesn't stop the wrinkles appearing with ever increasing frequency!

I’ve lost the strength in my thighs - no trouble squatting or kneeling, but I have to hold something to get me up again.

I struggle to get down on the floor and once I’m there I struggle even more to get up again! Had one knee replacement and my other knee is a bit dodgy so I’m careful with it. Toenails...mmm still doing them just about! I don’t like the aches and pains of getting older but generally ok and enjoying life and yes I don’t care quite so much about others opinions as in I wear what I really like etc.

My hearing isn't as sharp as it was. Though I blame the TV for that as I can hear people speaking quite clearly.

One knee with osteoarthritis the other weakened by a slight stroke, so after kneeling down I either have to pull myself up on something or adopt the 'downward facing dog' position and lever myself up. What a sight! But I can still cut my own toenails.

Maybe patience! DH definitely lost some ability but won’t accept that and it’s driving me nuts!

I can get one leg of leggings on standing on the other with no bother but when it comes to the other I find that leg is stiffer to lift and I can be a bit wobbly so stand near a wall just in case.
Diagnosed with a macular hole last year which was caught just in time. Surgery earlier this year but can still only see clearly with one eye. Old age problems definitely creeping up.

Well, I can't read magazines and books any more except for about 5 minutes at a time, because of neck issues. Or do sewing or anything where I need to look downwards. I have pain and soreness everywhere and I feel tired all the time. Luckily I don't think I have lost any of my mental acuity (yet) though I live in dread of it because my mother had dementia. I try to do all sorts of stuff to keep my brain in good order.

Thanks so much everyone, it's so hugely supportive to read threads like this and realise it's not just me! I raise my (insert drink of choice) to you all, bless you!

Worse thing for me is that I don’t seem to have enough strength in my legs these days to get me up from either kneeling or squatting (rummaging about in low cupboards or the freezer invariably leaves me stranded). I have a kneeler with handles for the garden. Perhaps I should have one for inside! I have very little strength in my hands also, and my pinch grip is very poor now. No picnic, getting older, is it?

Nice story Spangler!
?

Did anyone hear of the time Rod Stewart was knighted? Prince Charles dubbed him knight by tapping his shoulders with the ceremonial sword while Rod knelt on the kneeler.

"You can get up now," Prince Charles said.
"That's easier said than done." replied Rod.
"It doesn't get any better," said a laughing Prince Charles.

To suffer fools.

I can’t get out of the bath and haven’t been able to since before my op, sadly it’s no better now and I really, really miss a good long soak! if the bath is a corner bath I can sometimes manage by squirming round into a kneeling position, and then pulling myself up with the bath edge. I don’t seem to have the strength to rise from lying down without pulling myself up. I struggle too with getting up from sitting on the ground eg a picnic and have to either pull myself up using a fence or tree! Or use an ungainly pose of kneeling then going onto all fours then pushing down with my hands and sliding my legs out and pushing up! Sadly this means that passers by get a wide view of my rear?
I can cut my own toe nails and I have no problem bending my legs up.
I still can still sit cross legged and do the lotus position which is great?