Navigating senior years.

[KARNUT]

17 minutes ago, Donstar said:

I dunno...  I believe I'd prefer driving 60's and 70's pickups over new trucks.  An old style four speed manual floor shift and basic options of the day makes driving more than the current point and shoot.   EFI, Air conditioning and Sirius XM would be acceptable upgrades!  

2000-2006 are my favorites. Enough power not to be dogs. And all the tech I need.

[Grumpy Bear]

4 minutes ago, Donstar said:

I dunno...  I believe I'd prefer driving 60's and 70's pickups over new trucks.  An old style four speed manual floor shift and basic options of the day makes driving more than the current point and shoot.   EFI, Air conditioning and Sirius XM would be acceptable upgrades!  

 

Quite some years ago (2005) I bought a Royal Enfield Bullet 500 motorcycle. They were built in India from the 1948 English patterns and suffered little more than moving from 6 volt positive ground to 12 volt negative ground since. I have other bikes. Modern bikes and this Enfield is the one I rode not just to town but cross country. First time I put a leg over and felt that familiar big single pulse and my ear heard that unique thump-thump-thump it put a smile on my face I could not wipe off. You don't 'ride' an Enfield. You command it and it eagerly listens and responds. Just don't ask it for something it can't give and you will fall for it head over hells. It has a 'quality' none of my American or Asian bikes even comes close to replicating. Sadly production was ended 2009. 

 

End of day I wiped her down, fretted out the lifters, cables, brakes and chain and grinned like the Cheshire cat. A machine you could have a relationship with and not just a putty knife like tool in the box. She's in the garage waiting for me. 

[customboss]

29 minutes ago, Donstar said:

I dunno...  I believe I'd prefer driving 60's and 70's pickups over new trucks.  An old style four speed manual floor shift and basic options of the day makes driving more than the current point and shoot.   EFI, Air conditioning and Sirius XM would be acceptable upgrades!  

Why I bought a 78 Jeep J20 

[Donstar]

The significance of Birthdays becomes more appreciated when you start the climb through your senior years.  You know you're lucky to get old but this good fortune comes with "conditions".  For example, I was happy, yet sad, when I received a birthday wish from my older brother a couple of days ago.  We live hours apart and don't physically see each other often but keep in touch regularly online.  We always have exchanged birthday messages the morning of our respective birthdays.  This year, my brother's message came a couple of days shy of my actual day.  I know he has the typical "forgetfulness" behaviors inherent with our senior years but I suspect it might be time to check to see if this is within acceptable limits.  He is a widower and I might be the one to have a difficult conversation with him.  I understand stuff like me putting the coffee pot in the fridge after pouring my first morning coffee but...  

[Grumpy Bear]

1 hour ago, Donstar said:

  I understand stuff like me putting the coffee pot in the fridge after pouring my first morning coffee but...  

 

That stuff isn't limited to the aged. My oldest daughter did things like that when going through puberty. Milk in the laundry room and bleach in the frig. 

 

As my hearing fades I find I leave the water running at times. Left the burner on the stove the other day. Glass top electric so easy to miss but still.... I have this habit of removing the pan from the burner. So even if left on a fire is unlikely. It's a good habit IMHO. 

 

I have two younger brothers that swear dad is about to pull his last breath based on their interactions with him. They look at him like a monkey in a cage all sad faced and don't try engaging him. Sad stuff.

 

I don't see it myself. I can still get him to walk with me and watch a movie or talk for hours. They worry about him sleeping allot. Lord boys his 96! He's bored silly and fills the void with TV. To much news which alone will keep his blood moving. He knows his limits and abides by them really well. I've never felt the need to have "that talk". Now that said, if his wife passes before him I'll rethink that. She's just two or three years older than I and quite capable of his current care levels. Frankly, I expect he will take himself to the VA home if that happens. He has a plan and sharp enough to execute it. If he asks, I have a room for him but I will honor his wishes in whatever he decides and enjoy the heck out of him while we have the time. 

 

Every situation is different and I'm just rambling like an old fool. Not giving advice my friend.  

[KARNUT]

I only cared about one birthday, 17 getting my license. They have gotten ridiculous with birthdays especially with kids. I don’t have to be reminded about getting older. Getting up in the morning is enough. My youthful mind gets overridden constantly by the aging body. I just spread things out and ignore others. I don’t say much about minor pain. I’m trying to stay out of that conversation. My wife is very vocal about it. She had 5 corrective surgery in five years from an original botched surgery. Scar tissue etc adds to normal aging issues. Heat pads, ice pads, rubs etc. I suspect her pain tolerance is low. Who knows? I just say there’s very little you can do, just deal the best you can. And we do. Any medication has side effects. Even simple blood pressure medication. But it does the job. Every thing has a ying yang. No free lunches. We don’t really celebrate birthdays even as kids. Cake that was it. 

[Grumpy Bear]

1 minute ago, KARNUT said:

I don’t have to be reminded about getting older. Getting up in the morning is enough. My youthful mind gets overridden constantly by the aging body.

 

Can I get an AMEN? 

[PhilB]

31 minutes ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Can I get an AMEN?

All I can give you is 'old man noises'.  

[Donstar]

My definition of morning is what my wife calls the middle of the night!  ...My in-law fell on an icy sidewalk the morning of my birthday lunch.  She showed up to the event in a great deal of pain but didn't want to miss seeing the family.  Our pleas for her to seek immediate medical attention were ignored.  She ended up in the ER the next day and will lose the use of her arm for 6-8 weeks.  This came after a very painful night for her.  Many seniors, like this particular lady, pride themselves in their youthful appearance.  Unfortunately our bones don't get stronger with cosmetics. This was the second time in days that I argued with an old person who wouldn't seek immediate medical attention. Our 1950's frames are original with maybe the exception of  some joints or metal plates.  A crash has far greater potential for permanent damage than a newer model!

[KARNUT]

6 minutes ago, Donstar said:

My definition of morning is what my wife calls the middle of the night!  ...My in-law fell on an icy sidewalk the morning of my birthday lunch.  She showed up to the event in a great deal of pain but didn't want to miss seeing the family.  Our pleas for her to seek immediate medical attention were ignored.  She ended up in the ER the next day and will lose the use of her arm for 6-8 weeks.  This came after a very painful night for her.  Many seniors, like this particular lady, pride themselves in their youthful appearance.  Unfortunately our bones don't get stronger with cosmetics. This was the second time in days that I argued with an old person who wouldn't seek immediate medical attention. Our 1950's frames are original with maybe the exception of  some joints or metal plates.  A crash has far greater potential for permanent damage than a newer model!

I get moving between 5:30 and 6:00. Doesn’t matter what time I fall asleep. Usually between 10-11. I go up at 8, my wife joins me at 9. She goes back down at 10. She usually gets moving between 9:30 and 10: AM. Anything I do around the house is done by noon. She leaves around noon to do her errands every day. Usually home by 5 her last visit with her mother. In between is stopping by the church office, swimming at the Y. I walk between 8-9 at several different paths. I check on her at 8 before I leave. I fell a few times shoveling snow when at MacAlister OK. I slipped on ice. Pretty scary. I will have no problem using a cane when needed. I don’t understand the resistance to these aids. Badge of honor is the way I see it. My father in law refused for awhile. I don’t need it. I actually saw him fall a few times. I finally told him I wasn’t going to restaurants with him unless he used a walker. Too stressful for me, waiting for a fall. He was in his 90s. I want to feel like I used everything up before I go. 

[Donstar]

Good attitude, Karnut!  I also welcome medical aides.  Canes can provide confidence walking however a walker is far more effective in reducing slips and falls.  Canes and walkers both improve effectiveness with professional tips.  When we get to this stage in life a visit with a physiotherapist is helpful when considering using such a device.  Good to do this early before bad habits form.  I have kept a cane handy in the truck for days when my knee is bothering me.  It was fairly recent that I learned you hold the cane in the opposite hand of your bad leg!  

[Donstar]

So I finally have my new laptop and appreciate the speed. I remember buying a fast computer 20+ years ago.  The salesman sold me with the pitch, "How much faster than instant will you ever need?" The computers of the day were instant when compared to their predecessors but subsequent computers kept getting faster.  This new one dances between sites like switching on a lightbulb. A click and there it is.  If you're like me and think the improvements in personal computers over the past few years are negligible then we're both wrong!

[KARNUT]

WiFI is the great equalizer. I just by luck have exceptional service fairly cheaply. Most everyone uses WIFI. If you’re on a tight budget you can buy a smart tv plus WIFI and you’re good to go. Download YouTube you can find almost anything to watch. Most smart TVS I’ve seen have a wealth of entertainment. Pay options like Prime or Netflix are pretty cheap. If you want local on the cheap there’s always an antenna. Amazing. But the WIFI is the key. 

[txab]

No good internet is the key. Wifi is just an option to get it around your house. Ethernet is actually the best if wired for it. Smart Tvs.... you don't have a choice today. Give me  a "dumb" Tv and a streaming box, preferably Apple Tv. Apps stay updated better and will be updated into the future longer than most smart tvs. TV manufacturers won't send out updates after a while, they want you to buy the next generation TV just to get app compatibility. App developers are always adding more features that the TV architecture generally won't like. A good example is a buddy has a LG tv, several of his apps are crippled and lack all the options my apps on ATV box have. ROKU box is an ok option, still not my fave though. I set up all my customers with a free Apple Tv box with every TV/home entertainment system I install

[KARNUT]

5 hours ago, txab said:

No good internet is the key. Wifi is just an option to get it around your house. Ethernet is actually the best if wired for it. Smart Tvs.... you don't have a choice today. Give me  a "dumb" Tv and a streaming box, preferably Apple Tv. Apps stay updated better and will be updated into the future longer than most smart tvs. TV manufacturers won't send out updates after a while, they want you to buy the next generation TV just to get app compatibility. App developers are always adding more features that the TV architecture generally won't like. A good example is a buddy has a LG tv, several of his apps are crippled and lack all the options my apps on ATV box have. ROKU box is an ok option, still not my fave though. I set up all my customers with a free Apple Tv box with every TV/home entertainment system I install

I had Direct TV dish for 25 years, never a problem except for downpours. They got expensive switch to cable TV. Then my wife saw an ad for direct TV streaming. No contracts. The best part is they have choices. And as complete package it’s really good. The best part at least for my wife. The least buttons to push the better. It has an optional box with it’s own remote that controls the whole works. So you download your apps to their box. You hit the on button everything comes on, even the sound bar. It holds your favorite channels. Easy to navigate recordings. Much easier than navigating smart TV, RuKu, prime controller. It’s all on it. As far as my LG smart TV getting updates. It doesn’t matter I’m going through the direct tv streaming box. I’m always looking so if there’s a streaming service that has it own stand alone set up and gets everything including local. Let’s you use on every device in your house and 3 away at other locations. Speak up, I want to know. No I'm not a salesperson for them. I haven’t found a better for pay service.