How will you age?

A weight room filled with equipment, a beautiful pool with lap lanes, a
hiking trail behind my house, a complex of homes with sidewalks all
throughout it, mid-eighties every day?

Yes, this is how I want to age.

I do see your point though, but these people probably never did much
when they were young either.

Slotman

Dally said:

I just spent a week in Florida in a brand-new retirement community.

It really got me thinking about how people age.

This commmunity had a weightroom filled with enough equipment. No
barbells, but Nautilus equipment, dumbbells and benches. It was utterly
empty in an unused sort of way the three or four times I went there.

There was a beautiful pool bifurcated with lap lanes on one side and
generic pool on the other. I saw a class of water aerobics there once,
but no one ever swam laps (but me.)

There was a hiking trail behind/around the complex. No one I spoke to
knew it existed. I figured the dog walkers must know about it, but I
never once saw anyone on it. It passes by my in-laws back yard and they
can clearly see anyone on it, but they said they'd never seen anyone
there before.

Come to think of it, the only person I saw "walking" a dog had the tiny
thing in a baby pouch on his belly.

The community is a huge complex of homes with sidewalks all throughout
it, but when it attaches to the town highway the sidewalks end. There
are no buses, no bike lanes, no sidewalks, no shoulder... there is no
way to get to town without driving. These are all senior citizens, and
the situation REQUIRES that they drive for groceries, church, medical
appointments, post office... everything.

They even have mail delivery straight to their doorstep.

They live in the brilliant sun of Florida - a 100 watt bulb compared to
our 40 watt bulb in New England. It was in the mid-eighties every day.
No one went outside - they stayed inside in 68 degree air conditioning.

Is this how you want to age?

With a 18 year old Camobodian girl sucking my [censored] while fingering my
prostate.

Dally said:

They live in the brilliant sun of Florida - a 100 watt bulb compared to
our 40 watt bulb in New England. It was in the mid-eighties every day.
No one went outside - they stayed inside in 68 degree air conditioning.

I never understood why a whole generation of older people flocked to
Florida to retire when high heat is something most older folks dont do
well in (ok New Englands snow/cold isnt fun for seniors either I
suppose). As we age the skin gets thinner with less fat underneath
which in turn affects the way the human body controls temperature -
seniors can lose the ability to perspire (the bodies fan/cooling
system) so it makes their hearts do extra work which can then cause
heat strokes/exhaustion. No wonder they stay inside with the air
conditioning on but then why live there?

joanne

"joanne" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Dally said:

They live in the brilliant sun of Florida - a 100 watt bulb compared to
our 40 watt bulb in New England. It was in the mid-eighties every day.
No one went outside - they stayed inside in 68 degree air conditioning.

I never understood why a whole generation of older people flocked to
Florida to retire when high heat is something most older folks dont do
well in (ok New Englands snow/cold isnt fun for seniors either I
suppose). As we age the skin gets thinner with less fat underneath
which in turn affects the way the human body controls temperature -
seniors can lose the ability to perspire (the bodies fan/cooling
system) so it makes their hearts do extra work which can then cause
heat strokes/exhaustion. No wonder they stay inside with the air
conditioning on but then why live there?

The reason is that a lifetime of inactivity has left them fit for only 1
type of leisure activity:
Golf.

And FL is a mecca for golf.

and condo associations

and early-bird dinners.

Personally I'd take Santa Fe if i can scrape together enough dough.

Quoted message said:

A weight room filled with equipment, a beautiful pool with lap lanes, a
hiking trail behind my house, a complex of homes with sidewalks all
throughout it, mid-eighties every day?

Yes, this is how I want to age.

Ah, good point.

I'm social, so I'd want to age in a place where other people USE these
facilities. Empty weight rooms seem sad to me.

But my biggest gripe is the complete dependence on air conditioning and
driving. Also, the lack of services. I don't see how you can build a
residential community for senior citizens and not put in a medical arts
building or a place to buy groceries nearby, or at the very least
provide a public transportation system - a senior bus of some sort.
Every single one of these people is going to have to drive until they
kill someone - it's the model they've set up for themselves.

Quoted message said:

I do see your point though, but these people probably never did much
when they were young either.

Yes, there's that.

Dally

Ranieri said:

The reason is that a lifetime of inactivity has left them fit for only 1
type of leisure activity:
Golf.

TV and internet seemed to be bigger attractions, actually.

Quoted message said:

And FL is a mecca for golf.

and condo associations

Where they have gated communities. Yes, I saw that. The condo
association seems like the ultimate coccoon for those who hate change or
are startled by diversity.

Quoted message said:

and early-bird dinners.

We were going to an event from 6 to 7:30 in the complex. It did not
involve dinner. My in-laws thought we ought to eat first.

Leaving for dinner at 4:30.

I suggested we eat at 7:30, instead. The idea startled them.

I suggested a snack at 3 pm. My MIL explained that she was brought up
not to eat between meals. I suggested small meals throughout the day
might be beneficial. She glared at me and said her system was working
for her.

I backed right down. If she thinks its working for her then I'm not
going to point out the obesity, heart disease and various other ailments
she's suffering from.

She also told me that honey nut cheerios are good for her heart because
they fight cholesterol.

Quoted message said:

Personally I'd take Santa Fe if i can scrape together enough dough.

I need water. The Florida heat and humidity was tough to take unless we
were on the water. But being on a boat makes the whole thing work
beautifully.

Dally

Quoted message said:

A weight room filled with equipment, a beautiful pool with lap lanes, a
hiking trail behind my house, a complex of homes with sidewalks all
throughout it, mid-eighties every day?

Yes, this is how I want to age.

I do see your point though, but these people probably never did much
when they were young either.

That could very well be the case.
Then again, depending on the age of the people involved this could be
the generation that survived the great depression, the second world war,
and then spent the rest of their adult lives busting ass in a factory or
on a farm. If that were me, you know, I just might not mind kicking back
in the AC during my reflective years.

Colorado seems to flooded with "young-old" active
retirees, moving there after selling their coastal
McMansions. You see lots of very active gray hairs
in the 55-75 age range golfing, tennis, mountain hiking,
running, fishing, road biking, etc.

rick++ said:

Colorado seems to flooded with "young-old" active
retirees, moving there after selling their coastal
McMansions. You see lots of very active gray hairs
in the 55-75 age range golfing, tennis, mountain hiking,
running, fishing, road biking, etc.

You're right. Colorado was freakishly active. I spent a week in Denver
once and was about the fattest person in the entire city. I went
running every day on the trails and they were shockingly crowded.

Dally

TheGist said:

Then again, depending on the age of the people involved this could be
the generation that survived the great depression, the second world war,
and then spent the rest of their adult lives busting ass in a factory or
on a farm. If that were me, you know, I just might not mind kicking back
in the AC during my reflective years.

If you don't use it, you lose it. Exercise (and diet) aren't something
you can store up for the future. Getting half an hour's exercise most
days is basic maintenance for owners of human bodies.

I know I'll have to make concessions to old age. I'm making them right
now, under the care of a P.T. for a running injury. She says only run
12 minutes, I only run 12 minutes. It's mortifying. There are all
sorts of indignities ahead as an aging athlete.

I know I'm not going to be able to run as an octegenarian. But I'll
damn well be swimming laps or getting to my pilates class or going for a
morning walk or pushing around pink dumbbells. Because otherwise I
won't be ABLE to walk or lift a bag of groceries.

Who doesn't know this?

Reflective, my ass. Sounds like waiting for death to me.

Dally

Dally said:

TheGist said:

Then again, depending on the age of the people involved this could be
the generation that survived the great depression, the second world war,
and then spent the rest of their adult lives busting ass in a factory or
on a farm. If that were me, you know, I just might not mind kicking back
in the AC during my reflective years.

If you don't use it, you lose it. Exercise (and diet) aren't something
you can store up for the future. Getting half an hour's exercise most
days is basic maintenance for owners of human bodies.

I know I'll have to make concessions to old age. I'm making them right
now, under the care of a P.T. for a running injury. She says only run
12 minutes, I only run 12 minutes. It's mortifying. There are all
sorts of indignities ahead as an aging athlete.

I know I'm not going to be able to run as an octegenarian. But I'll
damn well be swimming laps or getting to my pilates class or going for a
morning walk or pushing around pink dumbbells. Because otherwise I
won't be ABLE to walk or lift a bag of groceries.

Who doesn't know this?

Reflective, my ass. Sounds like waiting for death to me.

Unfortunately, this type of attitude is prevalent amongst many of the
elderly.

However, exercise and diet are only part of the problem. Simply put,
when placed in an environment that does not challenge them, old people
die.

Dally said:

Ranieri said:

The reason is that a lifetime of inactivity has left them fit for only
1 type of leisure activity:
Golf.

Hardly. I live on the Space Coast of Florida, where the rocket
scientists live and we build JSTARS, Harris, and other high tech products.

And yes, a lot of retirees.

We have a health club, Our Club where the members bought the club.

It's filled with about 50% retirees. They know the fountain of youth
is exercise. Many of them come every day, using the machines and
pumping iron. Some do indeed swim laps.

Yes, a lot of physically challenged folks do the aquatics, nothing wrong
with that. Some start with the aquatics, and then move on to other
activities.

A lot of folks walk, or like me, enjoy running on the beach. The Space
Coast Runners has plenty of folks in all ages.

My father, approaching his 80s, lives in South Florida. He loves to
ride his bike every day. Following his bypass surgery, which he says he
wouldn't of survived had he not worked out every day, he did have to
walk for a while, building up, till he could get back to riding.

At his age, he does prefer his hybrid to his road bike. I can't get him
to try a recumbent. He does use light weights. And is still a very
powerful man.

Exercise remains the fountain of youth.

Dally said:

I just spent a week in Florida in a brand-new retirement community.

Did they widen the gates to get your fatass in?

"Dally" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

rick++ said:

Colorado seems to flooded with "young-old" active
retirees, moving there after selling their coastal
McMansions. You see lots of very active gray hairs
in the 55-75 age range golfing, tennis, mountain hiking,
running, fishing, road biking, etc.

You're right. Colorado was freakishly active. I spent a week in Denver
once and was about the fattest person in the entire city. I went running
every day on the trails and they were shockingly crowded.

Maybe it's just something about the deep south. I can't decide whether it
turns people into indolent wretches, or whether it just attracts them.

Ranieri said:

Maybe it's just something about the deep south. I can't decide whether it
turns people into indolent wretches, or whether it just attracts them.

There is some sort of island phenomenon where people are amazingly lazy
and/or lacking in work ethic. Sort of the ganja mentality, where life's
a party and nothing ever gets done. It may have something to do with
the culture of living in oppressive heat.

I'm not saying everyone in the south has a lousy work ethic (or everyone
in New England has a puritan work ethic - just look at TBR) but there
really does seem to be a cultural slackerness that is very different in
the Northeast.

Dally

"Dally" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ranieri said:

Maybe it's just something about the deep south. I can't decide whether it
turns people into indolent wretches, or whether it just attracts them.

There is some sort of island phenomenon where people are amazingly lazy
and/or lacking in work ethic. Sort of the ganja mentality, where life's a
party and nothing ever gets done. It may have something to do with the
culture of living in oppressive heat.

I'm not saying everyone in the south has a lousy work ethic (or everyone
in New England has a puritan work ethic - just look at TBR) but there
really does seem to be a cultural slackerness that is very different in
the Northeast.

Not to mention the south is devoid of any real intellectual centers. Oh
sure, a handful of decent writers came out of South Carolina 200 years ago,
and they've managed to lure some smart northerners down to Alpharetta in
recent years, but let's face it there is nothing even remotely approaching a
Caltech, Harvard or University of Chicago down in that neck of the woods. As
much as I hate to generalize, I think dumb and lazy is the status quo in all
those civil war loser states.

Ranieri' nah said:

Dally said:

Ranieri said:

Maybe it's just something about the deep south. I can't decide whether it
turns people into indolent wretches, or whether it just attracts them.

There is some sort of island phenomenon where people are amazingly lazy
and/or lacking in work ethic. Sort of the ganja mentality, where life's a
party and nothing ever gets done. It may have something to do with the
culture of living in oppressive heat.

I'm not saying everyone in the south has a lousy work ethic (or everyone
in New England has a puritan work ethic - just look at TBR) but there
really does seem to be a cultural slackerness that is very different in
the Northeast.

Not to mention the south is devoid of any real intellectual centers. Oh
sure, a handful of decent writers came out of South Carolina 200 years ago,
and they've managed to lure some smart northerners down to Alpharetta in
recent years, but let's face it there is nothing even remotely approaching a
Caltech, Harvard or University of Chicago down in that neck of the woods. As
much as I hate to generalize, I think dumb and lazy is the status quo in all
those civil war loser states.

<heh> I wish Bill Roberts was still here.

Ranieri said:

Not to mention the south is devoid of any real intellectual centers. Oh
sure, a handful of decent writers came out of South Carolina 200 years ago,
and they've managed to lure some smart northerners down to Alpharetta in
recent years, but let's face it there is nothing even remotely approaching a
Caltech, Harvard or University of Chicago down in that neck of the woods. As
much as I hate to generalize, I think dumb and lazy is the status quo in all
those civil war loser states.

Well, I think dumb and lazy is the status quo, period.

It's not like Roxbury is a haven of intellectualism, and I suspect
you've never been to New Haven, CT. (I used to want to go to Yale until
I met New Haven.)

And Austin, TX seems to attract some decent minds. And parts of North
Carolina are habitable.

My reading of the Civil War doesn't suggest the southerners died from
laziness.

I did once read an interesting paper on literacy rates in colonized
countries. Colonies established by Northern European countries
(England, Norway, Germany) had the highest literacy rates. French
colonies were in the middle. Spanish colonies were dead last in terms
of cultural value on literacy.

Dally

What happens to these people when they get a real disability?
Say arthitis , poor vision etc. What then ?