how will i be when i get that age?

The old lady I hope not to be. - Old Lady
United States
November 4, 2009 12:03pm CST
My dear mother is 89 years old, and she is still going rather strong. While her mind is getting a little slower these days, and arthirities is taking over, the rest of her body is that of a 40 yr old person. She's had relatives of hers that have lived to be 100. So, my mom just might get that far. However, there are things I noticed with her that I fear will happen to me when I get up there in age. She is forever cold, and she seems to always blame it on other things besides the age. She blames the windows in her apt, when everything in there is air tight. When we walk in, we get hit with a hot gust of air that feels like we just stuck our head in an oven - it literally is 80 in her house all year round. Yet, she is sitting there with a summer shirt. Go figure! She seems to forget that when we used to visit my grandfather(her father), how much she complained about the heat that was pouring out of his house when we walked in. My mom wears hearing aids...and we all know that hearing aids is not the best solution to hearing. They echo, and make whistling noises when they are in public. So, unfortunately, we have to raise our voices everythime we talk to her, even when she has them on. If we don't raise our voices, she complains that we aren't talking to her at her volume level. She gets upset when we do speak louder, and tells us that we yelled at her, but she doesn't stop and think that we have no idea when or if she can hear us. And of course there are the times that she says "huh", and we have to repeat for the upteenth time, only to find out that she really heard most of what we said the first time. It seems "huh" is becoming repetitive. Then there is that pride of loosing their independence. She hates to be helped out of the car, and tells us that she can do it, and we don't need to assist her. When we try to help her down small stairs, she brushes us aside. She will not sit in the first pew in church where she doesn't have to get up to receive communion, so instead she struggles to hold on to the back of the seats to walk down the aisle. Yet, my mother has fallen twice already, and it breaks my heart, so of course we fear this will happen again. But she doesn't seem to see our side, and is only concerned about her independence. Then her famous statement of "At my age, I can say anything I want now, because the elderly should know more than everyone else, anyway"I also found out that she has become very stubborn. If we try to suggest ways of helping her feel better, like drinking more water, taking a sinus pill at night, so she doesn't feel dizzy in the morning, eating the proper food, etc...she doesn't do any of it, and then wonders why she gets sick at times. I've decided to put on my refrigerator all the things that she does, so I can remind myself when I am at the age, not do these things. To let my family help me, to try to understand that they want the best for me. I want to realize that at that age, I can't be independent, that I should rely on them to care for more. And then I told my sister, that when I get that age, and start acting like her, to please remind me that I am starting to act like her, and hopefully I will immediately stop.
7 responses
@bodhisatya (2384)
• India
4 Nov 09
Hello Sweetchariot, Let me first say that I am very happy to see you back. You must have been out of mylot for quite a few days now. Pardon me if I am wrong! Now to tell you something which I honestly feel after reading your post is this: My mom always tells me that the Old people and children are all alike. But generally we at our middle ages say from 20- 50 or 55 tend to think that the old people are more matured and they should be guiding us instead of acting so helpless. Now suppose, just for the sake of argument if you could imagine that your 5 year old child is running down the stairs and he had already fallen down the last time he did so. Still today he is simply being naughty he is doing it again and he won't hold your hands. You generally tend to accept the behavior of his because he is merely a child. But if the case is of an old person we tend to think how he could act so immaturely? Wasn't he the one who used to scold me when I was falling down through the stairs? Now what i am trying to say is that a child and an old person acts alike I guess. We just need to be as patient with them as with a child. To enhance this theory my mom tells me that look at them both; a child and an old person has so many facial features all alike. Both don't have teeth, they would be sporting lesser hair, they would be weak and puckered up. Thats human! I know that you love your mom as much as anyone could, just keep doing so. She needs you now the most. Hope I haven't been preaching as I am yet to experience many a things in life. Bodhi
1 person likes this
• United States
4 Nov 09
Bodi...so glad to hear from you! Yes, I haven't been here, in awhile, glad that I was missed! lol. You're comparison to a little child is very accurate, and yes, we do become like little children when we get older. Unfortunately, when we become over protective of my mom, or try to aid her in some areas of her life, she's not always happy with us, because she doesn't like be treated like a little child. So, Your suggestion to be patient with her is very good advice, and that's what I will have to say to myself everyday. And of course, hope, that when I am that age, I will remember how difficult it will be for my children to please me, and I hope I will be easy on them! Thanks for your input!
• India
24 Nov 09
Thanks for the BR, Sweet.
@D4WNO83 (30)
5 Nov 09
I don't know but I really hope to be living life at that age as my Nan is now. She's so positive and active, nothing gets her down!
1 person likes this
• United States
23 Nov 09
At some point it does stop, unfortunately...sooner for some, and later for others. Let's hope it's later for us.
• United States
4 Nov 09
I hope that when I get that old I will still be in good health. I would hope that all my pars still work good. I dont ever want to go to a nursing home. If im that bad off push me over a cliff!! LOL!! ~May The Kisses Of An Angel Cover And Protect You Always!~ Copper
1 person likes this
• United States
4 Nov 09
And that's what I am hoping to prevent with my mom...going to a nursing home would devestate her, as well as us. But it's not always easy watching over her, as she is very stubborn...stubborn as a child, as Bhodi said above.
1 person likes this
@weasel81 (2496)
• Australia
4 Nov 09
your mums doing well, to still be going strong at her age and living by herself even better. long as she's not in any danger, to herself. friends across the road their parents lived by them selves until, they couldn't any more and they were in their mid 90's i think. once they went to the nursing home, it was basically down hill from there. cause they got seperated, due to needs one was needing more helping than the other. we can all hope to have long happy lives.
1 person likes this
• United States
4 Nov 09
The nursing home is what we hope to prevent...but it seems she doesn't want the extra help. Right now, I guess I have no problem recognizing that I am not young anymore, and I certainly cannot do the things I used to do, like clean the entire house in one day. I know I am going to be "old" someday, and I just wish my mom would accept that, and know that she has to rely on us a little more, before something happens.
@savypat (20216)
• United States
4 Nov 09
No one can foretell the future, however if your parent lives to an old age chances are you will also. The thing to remember is new things are coming out all the time that improve our quality of life so there is no reason why, by the time you reach her age it shouldn't be easier to live more comfortable then she does.
1 person likes this
• United States
4 Nov 09
I hope at least they will have better hearing aids then they do now, and have come up with some kind of cure for Arthritis. With the medical break throughs that are going on, all the time, if they don't take care of these things, the world will have a bunch of seniors, riding around on wheel chairs that can't hear a darn thing, but their heart will be beating like a 20 yr old...lol
• India
5 Nov 09
I admire your Mom. And I completely understand your concerns. I think staying young in both mind and body is about possessing the right attitude. You still enjoy sunsets just like you did when you were a kid. you sprint across the street (when it's safe of course) not bothered about how old you really are. You will try to climb that fruit tree to pluck some fresh fruit. You will sing, you will dance. but all this you can do only if you age gracefully. So keep fit. Don't let osteoporosis set in as you get older. Exercise,exercise and eat wisely, and rest whenever your body wants it. And oh yes, read and write and let your imagination take wing. That will keep your brain young and you won't grow senile.
• United States
23 Nov 09
You are right in saying that to stay young is to keep your mind open to the possibilities of life, enjoying the simple things. But I think there will come a time, when you can't control your own mind, and it will go when you don't even realize it.
• Philippines
5 Nov 09
wag ka na lng magsalita hinrtayin mo na lng angy iyong pagtanda
1 person likes this