Whenever I see joggers sweating and puffing, I wonder if they really think they won't die or when they do that they will be healthier than the rest of us? My mom lived to be 92, ate butter on white bread every meal of her life...donuts galore, mashed potatoes and gravy, meat at every meal. Never exercised a day in her life. We SHOULD take care of ourselves but too many people pass out advice just before they drop dead!
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It is most important that there is no sibling rivalry for monetary attention.
This will completely stress you out and destroy the relationship totally.
I have seen this numerous times. At times the patient will conduct divide and conquer of their children and the ones that fall in to the trap are usually in financial need. Try to avoid if you want any further relationship with your siblings or extended family. This is for certain.
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My family is long lived in both sides. On my mother's side the women live well up into the 90's - mother is 99 now and just had a hip repair under general anaesthetic, She was pronounced A1 in her pre-op exam. She is living the longest of any of them and has led a healthy lifestyle with much walking, which she intends to resume once her hip is healed, On my father's side an uncle of his lived well up into the 100's, and his sister to 97. The others into their 80's. My sister and I are both in our 70's and look younger and are basically healthy. I had my last child when I was 41 and the doc said i could have more if I wanted.

smile - caregiving takes a toll on you - I have felt it and have had to make some changes to protect myself - do take care of you. Mother has Borderline Personality Disorder which makes dealing with her very stressful.

I have read that only about 1/3 of longevity is genetic and then that most of it is due to genetics, that lifestyle is important and also that it isn't, so I just go by what makes sense to me which is the usual eat properly (the less processed food the better) , exercise sensibly, get enough sleep, manage stress, have good supportive relationships, keep your mind acitive and be open to doing new things and develop your spiritual side.
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On my fathers side my aunt lived to 93 another 103, yet their siblings all died before 80 including my father. On my mothers side all except one died in their 70's. All smoked. a couple drank quite a bite. I'm healthy, but I am a caregiver for my husband with Alzheimers. Hoping the stress and loss will not adversly affect me. Holding my own so far.
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You are right. I'm just getting cynical.
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Yes, if we're happy and acceptably (to our own definitions) healthy.
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Is longevity really all we're after?
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I've always said that genetics plays a strong role (my heritage is also Ashkenazi - aside from a stray Eastern gene or two) - at least until my parents' generation when food additives became prevalent. The generation before theirs has lots of elders reaching late 90s and early 100s, but my father developed late onset diabetes (he died in 2001 at only age 80 and my mother, presently 86, has Alzheimers. For both sides of my family, that's pretty young.
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Sounds like my Irish-born grandfather who lived to about 96 depite too much drinking and smoking. Hard to figure -- except genetics.
Rick K -- Johannesburg MI
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