My own father died when he was 64, my FIL at 75. Mum lived to 92, getting very frail but still in her own home with support from my sister and me, with shopping, meals, laundry, bathing. She had a fall and died in hospital four days later. MIL died at 88, reasonably able to look after herself, she was found dead beside the bed by my DH after neighbours were concerned one morning she hadn’t drawn her curtains.
It sounds totally selfish, the last two deaths were 17 and 16 years ago, but now we are in our late 60’s, and reading through all these posts, I feel huge relief that our ageing parents died how they did. Better for us, and so much better for them.
It’s all very well people living to great ages thanks to modern medicines and treatments, but quality of life, for themselves and their families, is important.
With my own mum, and at her own instigation, we were making enquiries about a care home for her just before she died, as it was getting to the stage she couldn’t be left alone for very long. I’m so glad it never actually reached that point.