How long would you like to live?

[Noglassjustthebottleandastraw]

I don't know why but today it popped into my mind about the length of my life. It then got me thinking about how long I would like to live for. I personally would like to live to 100 as it would be great to see all the changes and it's a nice round number. I am currently mid 40s a Grandma and feel so old.

Over to you.... how long would you like to live?

Wouldn't want to go much past 90 as I've seen too many people fall apart around then. Even then I'd only want to reach that age if I was in reasonable health. I get the thing about feeling tired, too. I don't find life particularly easy, even though I have a lot of fun at times.

As long as possible. I'm the only person who's said this

Until my daughter is happy, independent and in a loving environment (whether that’s with a romantic partner or group of friends or whatever) and I feel she would be okay without me. I guess I might change the way I feel if I meet someone else but at the moment, while I’m okay bumbling along for DD and finding joy where I can, I’m also not particularly invested in hanging around for my own sake and would be quite happy to go and be with DH, wherever he is. I wouldn’t make it happen, but I’ll be okay when it does, providing DD is okay.

It’s such a lottery. I know an 80yr old who looks and behaves like a 60yr old. I know a 73 yr old whose body is crumbling in so many different ways.

I’d like to live a very long time, probably 100, but mostly so that my DD doesn’t have some mid life crisis when I die. She is very emotional and intense!

The only person I know who lived to be 100 didn’t enjoy the last 10 yrs of it, they were generally in excellent health but could only sleep for 4 hrs a night, no appetite, always constipated… Body just so old. Also all their friends were dead so they made new friends and they all died too. Got a bit depressing for them.

As a widow I now feel that I only want to live as long as I am useful to my children and grandchildren . I think the time to go will be as soon as I become a burden to them.

I’d like to go out with a bang between 80 and 85! Before I get too old to stop swimming and playing golf! Hopefully, I’ll buy myself a buggy at retirement age and carry on til I can’t.

70-75. I don't want to get really old, it looks like a lot of hard work and I don't want to waste my kids' inheritance on being nudged along by a carer until I die.

As long as I'm relatively healthy and of sound mind then as long as possible!
If I'd asked my 89 year old mum what she wanted (and she was not in good health) she would have said to be 90!
I want to live at least as long as to see my children happily settled and hopefully with kids. I had them in my 40s so mid to late 80s it beyond. My mum lived to 89, one aunt 90, the other aunt 91. My dad 79.

❤Me too.

Into my 80s providing my health is good.

Hopefully long enough to see my children into adulthood and independent.
If I was happy and healthy I'd like to see old age but as it stands I'm in my 30's, had awful anxiety most my life, chronic pain and health issues. I don't feel happy or like I belong in this world. I'd happily be done if I didn't have children to consider.

Until I am in chronic pain, taking double figures tablets a day, or until my mind or body really start to go downhill. Or if I'm really isolated and lonely, which is more likely than not.

I'm shocked at how early some if these responses are. I'm 60 and have a kid still in school - those that say not much beyond 60 or 70 - gosh. I feel I have started a whole new chapter - we moved last summer, I'm just finishing renovating and about to start a new business. Plenty of living yet to do! I do have a chronic illness but if managed is not life limiting.
I do know life has its own cruel way of reminding you of your mortality. My husband died suddenly at 51.

I think till 85. I'm 58 now and I'd like to see my now university aged children settled and get to know any grandchildren I might have. But I don't want to live as long as my father who is 92 and lonely and frail.

I knew 4 of my great grandparents and have fond memories. One was 106 and definitely had a poor quality of life from 95. One Ggrandmother died on holiday aged 98! greatgrandfather 88 also died on another holiday! Only one of my GreatGrandmothers got dementia. They were all very very very active. I’m talking housework, cooking, allotments, exercise to an old age. Didn’t really eat meat, walked a lot too. They literally got poorly in the last few days before they died. They were amazing people. Conversely my Grandmother had 5 heart attacks died in her 60s (her parents outlived her). I have grandparents now in their 90s and very hard for my grand mother to do a lot. She doesn’t feel she has a good life anymore.

I think my mid to late 80s would be lovely. I would love to live long enough to meet my great grandchildren, as my grandparents did. This is providing I’m relatively with it and healthy.

Around 80 I think. My mum is 88 and doesn’t enjoy life. She has some form of dementia, although she is in denial. Has mobility problems too. She was so active when she was younger and just finds it all impossibly depressing and frustrating. She used to say “Just put me in a home when I lose my marbles”, but now she says “I’m not going in a home”! It’s all very very sad and I don’t want that to be me. I also don’t want my DD to be under pressure to look after me when I’m old.

On the other hand, if I was absolutely sure I’d be fit and healthy and dementia free, I’d want to live forever!

Such an interesting question. I expect that many of us would feel differently about the age we pick the night before we get to that birthday!

Saw a documentary once about a man who rode motorbikes, he said if he was ever in a bad accident 'turn the machines off' but then that did happen and he could only communicate by blinking, then he said he did not want to die.

I'm in early 40's and feel tired with young kids. I feel I've had a brilliant life. If up to me I'd guess maybe to live to 70 would be brilliant, that feels a long way off and plenty more life. But I do definitely want to be here for my children/ grandchildren if they come along. So, again, dependent on health, maybe more like late 70's ideally.

Depends on health. I don’t want to get to a point where I lose my faculties and have people wiping my bum for me. If I could live to 100 and still be able to look after myself then great.

Just long enough to see my DS graduate and then sort out his "adult" life, i.e. a decent career, maybe a partner, maybe a house, maybe children/dogs, or whatever. I want to be here to help guide him into "proper" adulthood, as he'll literally have no one else, we have no close family, and my OH has cancer and a very short life expectancy, so I have to hold on long enough to support DS. Anything beyond that is a bonus!

I’d like to pop off when the illnesses starts
whether that’s next year or when I’m 90! I’m mid 40s now so I hope I have a few years left 😆 I have no kids so I don’t need to worry about the future of my children if the worse should happen sooner rather than later

I won't make it much past 65 if that. I don't want to live till I'm old anyway because I can't be dependent upon others. I can't risk ending up in a care home either.

It depends for me.
If I'm at the point where I'm physically or mentally dependent on others for my needs to be met, then I'd rather die before that happens.
Otherwise for as long as possible.

The answers to this question are really thought provoking. The main consensus is that of good health seeing us into older age. It was an eye opener for me seeing a good few replies saying such a young age like 60s/70s.

I definitely agree regarding the health aspect. Being in good health and having all facilities is night and day in older age compared to struggling daily with health issues etc. I feel that now am mid 40s that I need to fling everything at my lifestyle exercise etc and health, mental health for fingers crossed the benefits in the future.

Well considering state pension age is likely to be 70 ish by the time I get there (I'm early 40's) I would like to try and retire a few years before thos and would a good few years to enjoy myself. 90 would be nice as long as I'm mobile and in relatively good health that is