Bloganuary Day 8 (2024)

What are your thoughts on the concept of living a very long life?

I think it’s only good to live a long life if you have a good quality of life. For example, I’m happy to live a long life if I have all my faculties. I would like to be “compos mentis” but also physically well enough to do things like going for a walk, doing the daily chores. I would hate to be a burden on someone or dependent on someone to help me.

I have met so many older people in my career as a nurse that have simply had enough and would prefer to pass away due to living a poor quality life, either physically, mentally, financially, being dependent or being in pain. It’s excruciatingly sad, especially when you see people praying to God to “take them home” as they are in so much pain and no longer wish to be on earth.

Therefore, I think a good quality life is important, not how long it is. What do you think?

Wayne

30 thoughts on “Bloganuary Day 8 (2024)”

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      2. Yes I haven’t had that experience yet I’m pleased to say. Dignity is a massive thing we try to uphold but I guess we’re limited with the environment, resources etc. It’s not nice for the patient, I completely understand that 🙈.

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  10. So true, Wayne. Being healthy and able to live/move about independently at an older age means everything when it comes to living a long life. My husband is a Nurse too and like you, he sees people in incredible pain or suffering a lot of loss of their ability to walk, talk, eat and so on who just want to pass away and not be in that pain/that ‘cage’ for any longer. “Long life” when you’re in pain has a totally different meaning.

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  11. Quality of life is dependent on the person. One slows down as they get older. Sometimes there are medical conditions. If you have dealt with medical conditions all ones’ life, one finds different ways of getting quality of life. Quality of life is very subjective. You live as long as you live and if you are here, might as well be doing something productive in some way. I think if people found ways to be productive or to move forward then quality of life might find different meanings. That’s why often they pair older people with younger ones in housing and such so that the elder can give advice and feel a purpose. Finding purpose is important. Continue to recreate and re-invent oneself and continue to learn or move forward is important at any age. Just a different viewpoint.

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  12. I agree with you it all depends on the quality of your life. I have been on both sides of the spectrum and I have seen people just literally not want to live the life they are having because of illness, unhappiness or loneliness and yes, you can release your spirit to another plane of life. Your mind controls so much of what your body does and if you believe you don’t want to be here it doesn’t take much to give up and in. I personally don’t want to live to a ripe old age without being in a fit mind space and able to do things for myself.

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    2. Interesting question. I have been lately considering how I feel about “getting old.” Some would probably consider me ancient at the age of 76. I know, I used to think that was “old.”. I am currently only a handful of years away from the age my parents were when they passed away. I thought they were old and had lived “good long lives!”

      However, as strange as it sounds, I don’t think of my “mind” being old.

      The body, that is a little different. Physically, I do have more aches and pains. That means some limitations, for sure. However, even at my prime, I did not obtain any joy when thinking about running a marathon.

      But mentally, I consider myself to be a bright person that still is able to contribute ideas and thoughts that are considered positive.

      I believe that if I did have limitations in being mobile, I have activities and hobbies that would supply me with happiness. I love to read. I love to do word games. I love to paint. I love to write.

      If my hands or my “mind” became unable to do some of those things, even if miraculously I could begin to run marathons, I do not think my quality of life would be desirable to linger in my earthly condition.

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      1. Thank you for sharing, really lovely to read. You’re right, I used to think the seventies were so old, now it’s considered to be young. I have family members in their seventies and their age isn’t even thought about much as they are so young at heart and full of life. I suppose everybody is different but if you have your physical and mental health, it’s good to live to a ripe old age.

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