What is our role as older people?

Goodness what a potentially depressing question! I'm heading towards 78 and I'm fortunate to have reasonably good health and a lot to look forward to. My aim in life is to enjoy each day as it comes.... and I do. Life's not perfect but it's considerably more attractive than being dead. I enjoy my life, love my family and have friends with whom I can laugh, share my worries and I still challenge myself. I've just signed up for an introductory session of Pickleball. My life could change tomorrow so I just get on and live for the day, IMO it's the only way!

To do as we please. Hence keeping as mentally and physically able as we can. I so want to be this way, currently required to be a hands on help with gc.

Granygravy You are still in that wonderful state of completeness .
Enjoy it while it lasts because, sadly for most of us, it doesn't last forever.
🌹

I am a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, auntie, friend but first of all I am me.

I am aware that I have most of my life behind me and it is now time for me to put myself first and do the things I want to.

My role is to be a good person, to support those I love and to ring every bit of enjoyment out of life whilst I am able.

Why do you need a role? I am happy just to be. As long as my family are ok I'm happy.

I do what I want to do. I don't need to have a role.

I think it depends on age and personality type. We have a neighbour and when I see her approaching with her rollator, I wait till she has passed. If you stop, you hear her entire list of ailments from top to bottom and you can't escape. My grandmother and dad were great old folks. They mellowed from being a tour de force to being charming and grateful. When my dad died, all his carers turned up and were very upset. He used to lend a listening ear to them and hear how badly treated they were by other old people. My grandmother would chat her doctor up something wicked saying she liked a man with a moustache! They were both quite ill in later life.

I think I do occasionally feel useless now but know I'm not. My children think of me as the matriarch of the family and I know they do love me.

I don't mention my arthritic hips or disc problem in my back as they are obvious in the way I walk.

My children all live a long way from me so when I get to see them I just want to enjoy them.
I just try to enjoy every day and do the things I like doing.
If you are part of a family or you enjoy your life then I don't think you are useless.

I think our role is to be whatever suits us.
It doesn't have to serve anybody else, or to defer to anyone particularly family, unless that's what's we want.

I do wonder what good am I sometimes I’m also pretty sure my family would be horrified if I said it out loud though, I don’t ‘button my lip’ and what I say is acted upon sometimes with thanks for the advise or they completely ignore me. I know I’m loved and that’s enough for me.
Reading your post ‘Gods waiting room’ comes to mind, I suppose I’m always here if needed is as good as it gets at my age. Be interested on other views.