DF age 81 looks like this is the beginning of the end..

[litmuspaper]

I’m in total disbelief and I can’t imagine life without him. My colleague said to me “oh yes not that old then”, I was thinking that he was very old and has done well to live so long!!

What age (in old age) did the men in your life pass?

I’ll just add he’s got heart disease.

My dad was 85. His dad died at 32 (asthma) but dad's brother is still going strong at 88. Dad had cancer.

Just to add I'm sorry you're going through this. It doesn't matter how old you are it's still traumatic and so very sad to lose a parent. We are starting the journey with mum now. She's 81

Quite early in my family 60s due to smoking mostly. Although there are a few longer lived ones coming through now that are hitting 70.

I do think your perception of what constitutes a good old age depends on your socioeconomic background. A commonly known statistic is that manual workers die years before their desk bound peers. Lots of factors can make the difference even more pronounced. I read an interesting article about how in one of the most deprived areas of Glasgow the average age of death was 62 for males whereas a few miles away in a salubrious suburb it was 88!

None of the older men in my family have got past their 70's. 81 is a good age to me but still very difficult for you.

My DF’s father was 48 - heart attack in the 60s. My DM’s father was 81 - stroke, having survived sepsis a few years earlier.

DF and FIL are both 83.

How long is a piece of string? My dad is 85. Still drives the car abroad a couple of times a year for holiday. Recently repainted a room, climbing a ladder and did the ceiling too! He goes to football matches etc.
My mum is 83 and pretty good too.

But I’ve seen from friends that it can change in a heartbeat.

My Dad is the first to get to 80, all 4 of my Grandparents were smokers and died in their 60's/70's.

My father died at 79 after a stroke and they think he had a ‘silent’ heart attack a few weeks prior. I think his mother died in her 60s; I never knew his father.
My DH died of a heart attack at 51. His father died in his 80s.

Dad was 89 when he died. He was pretty good right up until a couple of months before he went, active and social. He had an aortic valve replacement around three years before his death (not heart related) which gave him a new lease on life. One GF died before I was born, the other in his mid 80s - and he was a smoker.

My neighbour is 81 and is fitter than I am at 66 (and I walk a lot). I don't think of early 80s as really old, unless the person has health issues. I know a few people around the 80 mark who are very fit and active.