Would you like to live to 100?

If I’m in good health - yes.
My DF lived to 96 and only a fall curtailed his active life.
As an only child, it was a privilege to look after and care for him for his last couple of years. He was still sound of mind - we did the crossword every evening. He was kind and caring towards his DGDs and adored them as they did him.
His friends said it was an honour to have known him, as did his GP.
He was a very special person.

No, no, no! I don’t even want to live to be 90. My father lived to 94, in good health most of the time, but he was beginning to be incontinent and found that humiliating. I once asked him - we talked about everything - what it was like to know you would die before long, and he said “It would be a relief”. I was quite surprised, because he seemed fine.

I only want to live for as long as I still have reasonably good physical and mental health, independence and the ability to continue doing many of the things in life that give me pleasure.

Realistically, the chances of my still being like that at 100 are minute. Over the last ten years, I have seen my parents' and their friends (now late 80s / early 90s) either die or go from reasonably healthy, active people into frail old people with all manner of unpleasant health issues, many of them now in constant pain.

Seeing this has made my all the more certain that I don't want to live to 100.

Maybe I will change my mind when the time comes, but right now I think that I will stop taking all life-prolonging drugs when I reach that stage. I would happily continue with things that alleviate pain /symptoms, but nothing more.

I don't know if people do this in the UK but I do hate the gushing "wow"s you get when you tell people that someone is 100, or, like my aunt, 102. Living for that long is not really an achievement, you can't decide for yourself when you're going to go. Being able to care for yourself or doing daring things when you're over 90 is more admirable, because that is an achievement over which the person themself has control.

But, to answer the question: as others have said, it's only fun if you are in good health and not in pain.

I would like to see my grandchildren get a foothold in life. If I make it to 100, my eldest will be 40.

One of my grandmothers lived to 94 and was fit and well to the end, independent, smart, going out most days to her various groups. She never had a day in hospital in her life. If she hadn’t fallen down steps on her way out one day, she could well have made it to 100 like that. If I could be like her, then yes, I’d be happy to live such a long life.

Otherwise, I think I’d rather check out while I was still in decent health and in control of my own life. Not too soon though, I hope!

Hopefully attached a photo of my grandma on her 100th birthday.She lived independently until 98 and spent a couple of months a year at her holiday home.My mum is 91 and very similar to her mum at 91 physically and mentally.The difference is mum doesn’t live near any of her family whereas my gran had people popping in everyday.Not sure mum wants to live to be 100.I lost the genetic lottery so doubt I will make 100😂

Only if I can “swing through the trees”, not literally of course.
They don’t usually resuscitate you over 90 anyway as it causes too much damage to an older body.

Maggiemaybe

One of my grandmothers lived to 94 and was fit and well to the end, independent, smart, going out most days to her various groups. She never had a day in hospital in her life. If she hadn’t fallen down steps on her way out one day, she could well have made it to 100 like that. If I could be like her, then yes, I’d be happy to live such a long life.

Otherwise, I think I’d rather check out while I was still in decent health and in control of my own life. Not too soon though, I hope!

That’s the big thing, IMO - all very well if you’re in control of your own life, still able to look after yourself.

I’ve known of just one person, a sister in law’s father, who reached 100 still physically fit and possessing a full set of marbles - capable even of playing golf and cooking lunch for his friends, but that’s surely incredibly rare, and IMO largely dependent on excellent genes. Because plenty of people who look after themselves, do all the right things, aren’t nearly so lucky.
IIRC he suddenly went downhill and died at 101.

My mother had a cast iron constitution and went on to 97, but she had dementia from her very early 80s - and advanced dementia for at least her last 5 years - so TBH a constitution that enabled her to go on for so long proved to be a curse rather than a blessing.

Long-lived females on both sides of the family G'ma's were 96 and 91, aunt 104, mum currently 89 and going strong!

I would like to be old enough to see Gchn as adults, youngest is currently expected to be born in March, so I'll be 85 when they are 18. But live to 100? I think I'd be happy to call it a day before then.

I know someone 102 who lives a very active and happy life mainly through the help of their family.
I would say no unless I was able and agile and my family could as well. Not for their help but for companionship.

Jackiest

If I am physically and mentally fit and healthy I would happily live to a 1000.

me too

25Avalon

Only if I can “swing through the trees”, not literally of course.
They don’t usually resuscitate you over 90 anyway as it causes too much damage to an older body.

i didn't know that.

My mother-in-law's family mostly lived to 100. She is 99 and has planned her party for next year. She has had to stop driving after a TiA but has a scooter now to carry shopping and for "longer outings". She can still walk a mile or so with a rollator - through the park or to buy a newspaper or go into town to the library for example.

I think she is totally amazing and has a good life - but then I am in much worse health.
I know she doesn't want resuscitation though as she says she would undoubtedly end up "not so well" afterwards. I expect that if she needed resuscitation whilst out it would just happen (on an emergency basis) as she looks so much younger!

Thank you Whitewavemark2 for your lovely post.

Whatever age I live to as long as I’m mobile and able to enjoy life that’s fine, if not then please switch me off.

Only if I remain in good health. At almost 86 I'm still quite active, limited only by an arthritic spine.
But I would hate to be a burden to my sons, so maybe no.

nadateturbe

25Avalon

Only if I can “swing through the trees”, not literally of course.
They don’t usually resuscitate you over 90 anyway as it causes too much damage to an older body.

i didn't know that.

I don’t think he was 90 yet,,probably late 80s, but a neighbour of ours was resuscitated after (IIRC) his 2nd heart attack.
He told me that the after-effects (presumably broken ribs) were so painful, he wished they’d just let him die.
He did in fact die a few months later anyway.

Susan56 your Grandma looks lovely. How lucky she was to reach a ripe old age and I bet that was partly because she had so many people popping in. Company of family and friends is vital as we get older.

nadateturbe

Jackiest

If I am physically and mentally fit and healthy I would happily live to a 1000.

me too

I always thought 500!

I dont think I have the imagination of living beyond that,

fancyrhat hadn't thought of that. Perhaps we might get bored if we live too long.

Why not. We have no say in how long we are here, wished my little boy and my parents had lived longer . Every day is precious, I suppose it depends on many things, but would be interesting. Even now my grandkids are fascinated by the history I can remember.

Thank you Skydancer.She mellowed as she got older which has happened with my mum.My grandma taught me lots of good lessons for life which I have passed on to my children.She was very wise.

You should watch the blue zones program on netflix. Really interesting how community, sense of purpose and natural diet allowed people in certain parts of the world to live well beyond 100 a lot more than average.

Like others here, I'd be happy to achieve 100 - if I have reasonable physical/mental health. I'd also want to be (relatively) mobile, be able to manage the loo unaided, and have a measure of independence! (Very few people do achieve this, I know. Something of a lottery?)

There can be some downsides to living to 100. Not just health issues but losing friends and family.

Not unless I am in very good health and at least some of my friends and family are still around me.

I know too many people (not even aged 100) who have no family or friends left, so no one who knew them when they were young, the things they had done, the people they knew, the way life was. I don't live in the past but at least some of my enjoyment of life is meeting up with old friends and family and rehashing old family jokes and past times.