Would You Like to Live to be 100?

Sometimes in my job I`m lucky enough to meet somebody lovely who makes such an impact on me I can`t stop thinking about them for days. Today I met such a wonderful woman.... 100 years old next month!!

She had all her marbles and I can`t believe I spent over an hour just sitting talking to her about what it`s like to have lived 100 years and to have such a fantastic memory that she can remember being a child of 6 in 1915. She`s lived through 2 wars, one of which she worked as a volunteer ambulance driver and during the other one she was parachuted into enemy territory as there was no medical aid in that area. She`s got so many fantastic memories of what we consider to be historical milestones. She always wanted to be a teacher but her family doctor made her leave school at 15 so she could care for her 38 year old mother!

She eventually became a cook and then started working for St. Vincents school for the blind teaching the blind children how to cook so she finally got her wish to teach. She appeared on Pebble Mill at One (If anyone remembers that?) giving a demonstration on the childrens skills in cookery.

It made me think I`d like to live to be a 100 if I still had all my faculties. Would anyone else want to live that long? Thinking back over the last 100 years what historical milestone would you like to have witnessed or taken part in?

Think I`d like to have been in my early 20`s during the second world war when all the G.I.`s came over bringing nylons and dancing. Would loved to have been part of that scene

I`d also like to have had some sort of nursing role during the second world war tho that`s probably got something to do with one of my favourite films Pearl Harbour

Originally Posted by Speedy Claire

It made me think I`d like to live to be a 100 if I still had all my faculties. Would anyone else want to live that long? Thinking back over the last 100 years what historical milestone would you like to have witnessed or taken part in?

Think I`d like to have been in my early 20`s during the second world war when all the G.I.`s came over bringing nylons and dancing. Would loved to have been part of that scene

I`d also like to have had some sort of nursing role during the second world war tho that`s probably got something to do with one of my favourite films Pearl Harbour

I like that era also, but for the guns etc but not the death, suffering, starving.
Its a shame pearl harbour is historically inaccurate, because its not a great film either and that would have been its saving grace IMO.

Also the sixties, i was into the mod scene, big fan of THE WHO, would love to have seen them in their heyday, class !!

Nothing scares me more then being old. Always thought I wouldn't make it to 25, and I didn't plan to. Would be great to see different times though, all the cahnges in the world. But getting all physically and mentally decripid (sp? sorry) and watching all my friends and family die off would be torture.
However I wish I could have been there for when the hippy scene kicked off, punks, acid house especially (see a link here?!)

Originally Posted by captainsmelly

Nothing scares me more then being old. Always thought I wouldn't make it to 25, and I didn't plan to. Would be great to see different times though, all the cahnges in the world. But getting all physically and mentally decripid (sp? sorry) and watching all my friends and family die off would be torture.
However I wish I could have been there for when the hippy scene kicked off, punks, acid house especially (see a link here?!)

I agree that if I was suffering or in pain then no, I wouldn`t like to live to be that age. One of the things this lady told me about was how sad it was to watch her family and friends die before her so I guess that would be extremely hard to come to terms with.

During the war in India in which she worked as an ambulance driver when her husband was stationed there she was shot and almost fatally wounded.... they wanted to remove her leg and said if she didn`t she`d die. She refused and is still here to tell the tale... Good for her

After spending 6 hours at the local hospital with my gran (66yr old) who 6 weeks ago had all her faculties, and who stated tonight "you suit your eyelids on fire street...." , no, I wouldn't like to live to be 100. Too risky!

No I have no desire to live to be 100. Even if I had all my faculties. But I know I won't cos at 48 I'm already losing my hearing. My mother is 86 this year and has hardly any friends left, they're dropping like flies. It's really hard for her. I want to die like the lady across the street from me at no 1, she was 93. She was sat in her armchair and said to her carer 'my dear, I don't feel very well' and within a few seconds she was gone. I'm not in the least afraid of death but I don't like the thought of pain and suffering. I used to wish that I was 10 years older so I would have had all the fun of the late 1960s but now I'm glad I'm not.

[keith_d]

Living to be hundred with all my faculties and enough mobility get around would be a nice surprise.

Living to be a hundred with all my faculties in a failing body where I need someone to wipe my ar$e for me would be awful.

[Stu]

Originally Posted by Speedy Claire

I agree that if I was suffering or in pain then no, I wouldn`t like to live to be that age.

I'm already suffering. Nuff said

sorry for this flippant & self indulgent post

[jamesterror]

If I could live to 100 in the condition I am today, sure, otherwise I'll happily go a bit sooner to avoid the pain and suffering.

No.

Lawlessness, dwindling pension funds and ever increasing greediness from the energy companies means a lot of old people are really going to suffer in the future.

Plus my faculties are already challanged enough as it is.