Early 70s parents can't walk well at all. How to avoid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP you could be dead of cancer by 65.
Just keep trying to stay mobile and hope for the best. There are literally no guarantees.

It is absolutely mind-blowing to me how many people here expect to be in control of their health outcomes in late life.

Yes. MS, ALS, cancers, other autoimmune diseases, accidents, etc can disrupt the best laid plans to live to 95.

And it’s actually impressive that OPs mom isn’t even on medication.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP you could be dead of cancer by 65.
Just keep trying to stay mobile and hope for the best. There are literally no guarantees.

It is absolutely mind-blowing to me how many people here expect to be in control of their health outcomes in late life.

Yes. MS, ALS, cancers, other autoimmune diseases, accidents, etc can disrupt the best laid plans to live to 95.

Well, yes, and actually I hope to die around 80 of something sudden because these extended illnesses terrify me. Strong history of cancer in my family among exceedingly healthy youngish people.
But... I have also directly seen how family members with this attitude tend to have issues because they disregard medical advice that requires any effort. Hip replacement, knee replacement, bare minimum PT post-op and drop it immediately... then walking with a limp forever and acting like that's the norm after a hip replacement. PT is so crucial when these types of things pop up, and that's just one example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP you could be dead of cancer by 65.
Just keep trying to stay mobile and hope for the best. There are literally no guarantees.

It is absolutely mind-blowing to me how many people here expect to be in control of their health outcomes in late life.

Yes. MS, ALS, cancers, other autoimmune diseases, accidents, etc can disrupt the best laid plans to live to 95.

The original post is about health-span, not life span. We have some salty people in here convinced it’s impossible not to just crash land at some point. That’s just not true. Outside a list such as the above, most Americans age poorly because of their life choices. That’s the reality.

So, as the further above post. Do the best you can and hope for the best. Not, I’m going to drink a handle of Jack and not move because F it.

Nobody who doesn’t have an alcohol use disorder is drinking a handle of Jack. No one who isn’t experiencing some other health problem (including depression) is going to “not move because F it.”

People who are enjoying life take care of it. People who are not enjoying life do not.

There is no morality to that, or to being healthy vs sick. If anything, judgment is due to our society as a whole, for its propensity to call some “causes” of illness “life choices” and others—the ones YOU might approve—“terrible twists of fate”.

OP, if your parents are happy doing what they are doing, your distress is yours to manage.

[Anonymous]

Just to offer another perspective. My mother did everything "right". In her 50's and 60's she was taking biking vacations, working out with a trainer, wearing a size 6 despite being quite tall. She regularly walked up and down many flights of stairs in her apartment building despite living on the 20th floor in a building with lots of elevators.

And yet by her mid 70's she had significant difficulty walking even after huge amounts of PT. Her feet dropped, her balance was impacted, she had multiple really scary falls leading to multiple broken bones.

Some of it is taking care of yourself, but not all of it. There are many factors.

[Anonymous]

Don’t be fat
Don’t get arthritis
Keep your body moving
Don’t play golf
Don’t run
Don’t fall or get in a car accident and hurt your knee.