Nancy Pelosi is 80, Joe Biden is 78..how do they do it?

[ssd]

And more to the point,how can they be arsed?

I'm knackered mid 50s. I'm just tired and hoping someday to be able to wind down.

My parents died at 76 and 85. And they had had enough by then.

I admire Pelosi and Biden, but I'm more amazed they still want to be doing what they're doing at their age.

I have no idea.
Like you ssd I am mid-50s and definitely counting how many years before I can retire.

I can't understand wanting to work at 78 or 80 yrs old, let alone in such incredibly high profile roles.
Nor can I believe I would have the energy to. I'm quite a fan of an afternoon nap now

They are incredibly driven, and well supported.

I bet if they retired tomorrow, they'd be shadows of themselves within nine months.

Discipline, luck and support.

My father is 80 and is in absolutely incredible shape. Honestly, it's amazing. He retired 10 years ago but still does loads of consulting work. Many, if not most, 60 year old men couldn't even dream of keeping up with him. His brother is 90 and is exactly the same. You would never believe that he's 90 years old.

I think it boils down to genes and shear force of will. My dad's philosophy is that you should never stop moving. Once you start sitting on your arse all the time, it's over. I agree.

The USA definitely has a different approach to age compared to the UK. Nancy Pelosi was being interviewed by another older woman on TV and DH and I thought it just wouldnt happen here.

@aquamarine1029. I think that's true. My DM retired at 60 and has spent the last t years say on her bum. She now cant even go on a step laccer or ride a bike as she has no balance.

My FIL is 84 and still never stops. He takes on work, runs two huge allotments. I don’t know how he does it. He thinks I’m lazy. I probably am!

Goes to show that Covid deniers who write off the lives of people this age are wrong.

Genes.

I suppose it's a drive & passion for what you do, plus in their case access to very good health & wellness care. A very close family member if mine is 75 and still working full time as a mental health professional. She has been working 24hr on call shifts these last few months. I dont know how she does it. Trying to talk her into retirement in the spring.

I think it boils down to genes and shear force of will. My dad's philosophy is that you should never stop moving. Once you start sitting on your arse all the time, it's over. I agree.

Agreed! Laziness/inertia takes over. Seen it happen with my mum since she retired (and me, since the gyms closed. Used to work out five days a week. Now I can’t imagine going back.)

Genes, luck to have avoided many degenerative illnesse, and good fortune to have accessed good food and health care, looked after, not abusing their bodies too.

Look at our own Queen, 94 still working, ok she's slowed passing more stuff to the apprentice (Charles), but its genes, and been well looked after.
Her younger sister so same genes, but didn't look after her body so well, died in her 70s or early 80s?

Retirement terrifies me, I'm bored after one day off work

I love sitting on my arse and not working and have no shame in admitting that. Despise work and Ill be retiring asap

Its my ADHD I think. My 9 hour shift feels like a lifetime everyday. Time is so slow.

Yeah I find it crazy. If I was them I want be relaxing in my twilight years.

My nana is 101 now and was working as a barmaid in her 80s and volunteering in the charity shop (for the “old folk”) into her 90s.

Meanwhile my mother has been old since her 50s.

I know which way I intend to go. So glad there’s no longer a fixed retirement age in the uk.

I imagine they have excellent private medical health insurance

I am amazed at both of them. And Joe had no plans of ever running again until that fiasco in Charlottesville. I don't know how much you all heard about it there. There was a Black Lives Matter protest over one of the deaths, a peaceful protest. One of our White Nationalist groups held a counter-march, chanting an old Nazi slogan, "We will not be replaced by Jews," and carrying torches. There were swastikas visible in the crowd. Then one of them drove a vehicle into a crowd of BLM protestors, killing one. Our "President" remarked that there were "Some very fine people on both sides." At that point, Biden decided to run, decided he had to run.

That said, both he and Ms. Pelosi have more energy in a minute than I do in the average week.

Dunno. But my dad is in his early 70s , still works (not full time mind) and has said he will never retire. He's already passed the age his own father died, but has got another 20 years if he makes it to the age his mum did.

They probably have a lot of help, don't need to worry about mopping the kitchen floor, picking up the cat food or all of the other inane distractions us 'common folk' face.

As others have said, staying active is key. And its a mental attitude as well - staying curious, open to change, open to learning and being proved wrong.

So many people settle into their sofas and their preconceived ideas and wonder why they feel tired, stale and old before their time.

Big clue: they are both slim.

And they are both engaged with life. They believe they still have a purpose.

What intrigues me, OP, is why you (and others on MN) are knackered in your 50s.

Staying active is key. The less you do, the less you want to do. I certainly see retiring and slowing down as a lurch towards the grave.

I see this in relatives. Those who kept active and busy, although sometimes retired, often volunteered, and found it gave them a reason to get up in the morning and a drive to keep going.

Also they are passionate and driven, with lots of help, might be harder to get up and go at that age if it was a dead end job.

Bit ageist op. I think they’re inspiring. I’m nearly 50 and people like that give me hope that I’m not expected to go quietly.

@Aquamarine1029

My father is 80 and is in absolutely incredible shape. Honestly, it's amazing. He retired 10 years ago but still does loads of consulting work. Many, if not most, 60 year old men couldn't even dream of keeping up with him. His brother is 90 and is exactly the same. You would never believe that he's 90 years old.

I think it boils down to genes and shear force of will. My dad's philosophy is that you should never stop moving. Once you start sitting on your arse all the time, it's over. I agree.

It's absolutely nothing to do with sheer force of will and everything to do with damn good luck and the roll of the dice. Count your blessings that they have been fortunate enough not to be struck down by one of the very many debilitating illnesses.

Also, my dad is 82 and is in good shape. Walks miles every day and enjoys life. He’s still got all of his mental faculties.