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Original poster

Would you want to live to 100?

118 replies

Isitstillchristmas01 · 30/12/2024 08:44

I was just reading about former US president Jimmy Carter who has died aged 100. I can’t imagine what it would be like to live to that age. I don’t know what his health was like and how he lived his life in his later years but that would be too old for me. Even if I was relatively mobile and had my faculties, I would have had enough by then. Also imagine how much everyday life would have changed by then. How do you keep up?!

How do you feel about living to 100?

OP posts:
FeegleFrenzy · 30/12/2024 09:07

No chance. I’m in pain now and i can’t imagine being in more pain at that age.

I’ve had my genome mapped and one thing it specifically said was that I have a very low chance of living to 100 thankfully. I don’t have the longevity gene or something.

Tooty78 · 30/12/2024 09:09

If you haven't any quality of life, and most of your family and friends are dead what is the point?

GetDownkeith · 30/12/2024 09:13

I’m not sure. Dh’s grandpa is 100 and it’s really only the last few years he has appeared elderly really. He is mentally sound and still quite active. He is getting slower now and is looking like he may outlive his health which he doesn’t want.
If I was living to that age and in the same
shape he has been then yes but I wouldn’t want to live many years with poor health and mental decline.

Grawlix · 30/12/2024 09:16

No. My beloved DM died at 97, completely her own person, still living in her own home and looking after herself (with a lot of essential help from me) but in the years after losing her I’ve come to see that her last few years weren’t great. She was increasingly infirm and couldn’t do the things she loved any more, especially gardening.

She didn’t stop driving until her mid-80s, though, and I’d say that she was pretty good up until 90. And to the very end, she was talking about 'next year, let’s do this….' The human spirit can be unquenchable even when the body fails.

I miss her terribly, I always will. I’d have her back if I could. But I don’t want extreme old age for myself.

fishyrumour · 30/12/2024 09:17

No. My dad lived to that age and was falling apart by then. I think 90 would be my absolute limit but I'm tired by now and I'm in my 60s!

LostittoBostik · 30/12/2024 09:20

My hunch is to say yes, if in good health, but actually I've realised that the reason generational cohorts exist is because we only really truly understand each other when we've experienced similar events at similar ages (in general). And I think if I was in sound mind I would hate to outlive the majority of my generation.
Plus as others have said, long life is economically challenging

Lovesea658 · 30/12/2024 09:20

No way, living to 100 would definitely be more of a curse than a blessing.

Lucytheloose · 30/12/2024 09:21

I don't plan to go on beyond 80. I've never met anyone who had what I would consider an acceptable quality of life beyond that age.

PerambulationFrustration · 30/12/2024 09:22

Yes if I could still live independently and well (don't mind slowing down) AND others were living healthy lives to a similar age.
In fact, I really want to.

LostittoBostik · 30/12/2024 09:24

head2toeinuniqlo · 30/12/2024 08:55

I would love to, but can't afford to. As soon as I can't work anymore I will shuffle off to Dignitas. No house, no pension, no choice. I would love the luxury of old age but I simply can't afford it.

You will qualify for sheltered social housing, state pension and pension credit. It won't be a lot, but it will probably be a better quality of life than you have currently if you're on a low wage as your bills will be so much smaller.

Crackers4cheese · 30/12/2024 09:24

my own dm is nearly 90
she is fit and well, has friends, etc.,
member of u3a
so it really does depend on each circumstance
my friend husband reached 100 but i believe just in the last 4 years his health deteriorated, his hearing, his ability, his mind all declined.

NotAPartyPerson · 30/12/2024 09:26

Definitely not! Looking at my own relatives, it seems everyone was in pretty good nick until 70, a few sudden deaths up to 75, then some started to decline after 75. Good health after 80 seems to be a complete lottery, personally I think 80 seems like a decent innings and I don't have any desire to go on longer than that.

daisypond · 30/12/2024 09:27

Depends on quality of life. But yes, I’d love to reach 100. I’m unlikely to, though. Having a life-limiting illness can make you dream. Both my parents are well and fit and live independently in their 90s.

Mischance · 30/12/2024 09:28

I would be happy with that as long as I was healthy. However, there is not much chance of that as I have several painful medical conditions which will get worse as time passes.

Bryonyberries · 30/12/2024 09:29

I looked after a lady who had been born in 1909. I was pregnant at the time in 2009 and it was strange to think there were 100 years between her birth and my babies. She was mobile and still sharp minded. If I could be like her at 100 I wouldn't mind being that age but I've also looked after people in their 80s and 90s who have been chair or bed bound or have dementia. I wouldn't want to be in that situation until 100.

Pyua · 30/12/2024 09:30

With the healthcare he will have had I wouldn’t hate it as much but it’s still not for me, but for just me being just a normal person in the uk absolutely not.

KohlaParasaurus · 30/12/2024 09:33

It's too far away for me to call for myself, but I asked my parents last time there was a thread like this. Mum (84) said, "What? Have you booked your dad and me on a flight to Switzerland?" She's got significant health problems but is sharp as a knife and can't imagine a situation in which she wouldn't want to live as long as possible, even if dependent on others. Dad (86, good for his age) said, "Who else would put up with your mother if I kicked the bucket?"

AChickenPooAndABiscuit · 30/12/2024 09:33

Absolutely no way.

hagchic · 30/12/2024 09:34

No and I think the excessive amount of resources that we are expending as a society to facilitate people to do so is severely damaging us all.

Tortielady · 30/12/2024 10:01

It would depend on my quality of life, including my ability to make ends meet comfortably. Spending my old age worrying about bills as I did when I was young is not a pleasing prospect. I'd also want to be reasonably well and mobile; not, maybe on a par with Jimmy Carter, (who was helping with housebuilding for homeless people well into his nineties), but enough to get around independently.

buttonousmaximous · 30/12/2024 10:01

I know an elderly woman who is 93 and has a lovely life, she's independent goes on holidays has a social circle. Gets abit achy and tired and her eyesight/hearing are not where they were but overall she's fab.

My own grandmother lived to 93 but had dementia and the last ten years of her life were poor/awful

Cynic17 · 30/12/2024 10:05

Absolutely not - I can't think of anything worse.

Original poster
Isitstillchristmas01 · 30/12/2024 10:07

I agree that 80 is a good age and after that, most people’s health declines. That’s what happened with my father and my mother was earlier than that.

OP posts:
SharpOpalNewt · 30/12/2024 10:12

My DM is 85 and has recently been unwell, but I'm sure she'd want to be around at least five more years and more in reasonable health if given the chance.

So, ask me when I'm older, if I get there.

I just worry with assisted dying that being over 80 will be seen to be profligate and a waste of resources that should be used for younger people. Those attiudes already exist.

hagchic · 30/12/2024 12:05

I think we need a balanced view.

The assisted dying bill has absolutely nothing in it to relate to well individuals, whatever their age and has very strong safeguards.

However, we need to be realistic that the very high costs of providing health care to chronically ill and extremely frail individuals means that resources are not available to other members of our society - someone else is losing out.

We seem to think that there is an endless pot of money - there isn't. When you give to one group, you take from another.

We are harming younger people's physical and mental health to prolong the life of elderly chronically ill and frail people.

I think pensioners who have the largest share of the wealth need to be paying more for their group's needs, not less.

I also think hotel service costs need to be paid for anyone in hospital for more than 1 week.