What Happens When You Become Too Old?

[gcal]

If I can't live life on my own terms then I want to die on my own terms.  My son and daughter-in-law have direct and specific instructions on a special tea to help me with that if i can't do it on my own.  As I age, I just don't want to be put in a cage just because I'm still breathing.  I don't know what my terms will be as I get older but I tell you freedom is an important one for me.  All I know for sure is when my quality is gone--there is no living life...there is just existing and that would be misery.  

Gigi

That might just get you son and daughter-in-law jailed for murder. I hope you have that covered in your plan.

 

[GotSmart]

That might just get you son and daughter-in-law jailed for murder. I hope you have that covered in your plan.

That depends on what state you are in.

Oregon, Washington, and Vermont are right to die states.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_die

 

[Gary68]

you become soylent green or as we now call it,pop tarts

 

[masterplumber]

Ha, Gary, I remember watching that movie long ago. As for me I hope to take my rifle for one last walk in the woods. I wouldn't shoot myself, but would just walk as far as I could, hopefully to some spot I know I can sit and see some animals, and just go to sleep and never wake up. That's the dream anyway - I hope it's something close to it. The nightmare, at least for me, would be to be in a home where they keep you going for way more years than intended propped up on meds.

 

[rvpopeye]

Too old for what ?????

 

[Michelle (GMC Gypsy)]

  All I know for sure is when my quality is gone--there is no living life...there is just existing and that would be misery.  

Gigi

My thoughts, exactly! That's what I've been doing for a number of years and why I bought my van. It's either go traveling or go die at this point.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

That depends on what state you are in.

Oregon, Washington, and Vermont are right to die states.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_die

Yes, but those right to die states have lots of regulations and procedures and conditions that have to be followed.  Drinking a special tea wouldn't release her family's liability if it were ever connected. But I dont think anyone would be looking for suspects.

 

[Gigi]

Yes, but those right to die states have lots of regulations and procedures and conditions that have to be followed.  Drinking a special tea wouldn't release her family's liability if it were ever connected. But I dont think anyone would be looking for suspects.

I live In Oregon and there are specific laws with the Death with Dignity Act.  You must have a terminal illness, You must have only 6 months to live, and you must have a doctor write the prescriptions for the lethal medication.  But you are also correct that they doesn't go looking for suspects where it's kinda obvious that nothing sinister has happened. Leaving video and written documentation is invaluable.

 

[mockturtle]

As a Home Health case manager I have seen too many instances where such a law--though well-intentioned--would have been abused by family members. Though it is hard to believe, there are people out there who can't wait to get their hands on their parents' estate. I'm not necessarily against the law but it can be an ethical slippery slope.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

My father died in his sleep, at home, at the age of 84.  Because it was a medically untended death, not in a hospital, we had a full scale State Police investigation as a possible suspicious death.  It ended only when my father's Dr. assured the Medical Examiner that he would sign the death certificate certifying it as due to natural causes.

So don't tell me they won't be looking for suspects.

Regards
John

 

[SaltySeaWitch]

My parents have been van dwellers many years now (probably close to 30 years now). They are both now in their 70's and not in the best health. They recently were off the road because my dad was sick and stayed at my brothers. As soon as they possibly could they were back on the road. They were miserable in a S&B. They like their freedom. They will keep going until the end. I suspect if my mom goes first, my dad would go to my brothers to live. If dad goes first, I see my mom still traveling as long as she can or still living in her van at one of our houses on a rotating scale until she dies. I suspect when one dies, the other will die very shortly after. They have known each other their whole lives and been married since they were teens. I don't see them living long if not together. This bothers my siblings who think they should go off the road, but they live on their terms and refuse to be controlled by their kids. I don't blame them and respect their decision. This is the live they chose and they will die the way they choose. They don't travel as far as they used to. They stick to mostly Florida. I guess if you die it doesn't matter if it's in a house or a van and if a van is home, you died at home. Still better than a hospital or nursing home in my opinion.

 

[introverting]

One idea is to rent a room and then park your hightop van in the driveway. ... spending the majority of the time in there.

That's assuming you can afford to rent, which is my concern.  I love your channel, by the way.

All I know for sure is when my quality is gone--there is no living life...there is just existing and that would be misery.  

Gigi

I'm with you on that accord.  I visited a nursing home when I was younger and was dumbfounded.  Some of those people looked like they didn't even know who or where they were.  Definitely not the kind of life I want to live if I become old.

Some of the responses about going off into the woods reminds me of a movie I once watched, but can't recall the name or what it was about.  What I do remember is an old native American indian woman going off by herself to die.

 

[Matlock]

Not making light of the subject, but...

The other day a friend and I were talking a bit on the subject and he made the comment, "I'd like to pass on peacefully, in my sleep like my grandpa....... not screaming in terror like the passengers in the car he was driving."

Guy

^ That statement cuts to the chase...... I'll pass it on so that maybe a few more folks might grasp the very real possibility that it may happen to them.

 

[gcal]

That's assuming you can afford to rent, which is my concern.  I love your channel, by the way.

I'm with you on that accord.  I visited a nursing home when I was younger and was dumbfounded.  Some of those people looked like they didn't even know who or where they were.  Definitely not the kind of life I want to live if I become old.

Some of the responses about going off into the woods reminds me of a movie I once watched, but can't recall the name or what it was about.  What I do remember is an old native American indian woman going off by herself to die.

Nope, but I remember the old Indian man in Little Big Man. Heven laid down to die, but did not.

 

[SoulRaven]

More than 25 years ago, I became aware of both snowbirding and full-timing when we moved to the Tucson area. From the people I have meant, they often settled in a mobile home/rv park very often in a unit they were on the road with. They enjoyed telling the stories from their travels (very good mental exercise) and hearing the stories of those that were traveling. I have met so many delightful people. Yeah, I am "social" and could listen to stories of their travels for hours.

I met these older people in AZ, NC and AL. None of the ones I was friends with had a great deal of money and just happy with the simpler things in life.

I figure, at worse, I'll end up in some sort of lower income housing for seniors in the end but hopefully, in a small TT in a nicer weather location on a rented or purchased lot. That is basically my exit plan. I would not mind having a purchased lot for that purpose.

When I worked at a high-end 5th wheel manufacturer, we had a man in his 80s order a smaller trailer. His kids called to ask the owner not to sell to him. The owner was a nice man and had a frank talk with the older gentlemen, but the older gentleman was not backing off as he was a carpenter by trade and joining an charitable organization that moved around refurbishing churches. We heard from him a few times before I left the job.

No one knows what tomorrow holds or how many there are. It is good to have an exit plan and helps build the courage one needs to move forward.

I always thought I would rather be eaten by a bear than suffer the ones some do in the end. I recently learned I had a relative that went to the AK wilderness, did writing for a magazine and disappeared in 1952. Just disappeared. Cool! I bet the bears got him! Circle of life!

 

[Yogidog]

I like the one I heard on here, go into low income housing, watch cable and wait to die ! The life I am trying to avoid now.

I do think vandwelling gives us a possible advantage over others, at the minimum we are already packed

We have downsized, we have let go of a lot, we are not so attached to the world and material possessions, status, ect.

We know how to go!

I thought all this when I put everything I was taking in one pile and thought "at least it will be easy for my kids to go through my stuff, if need be.!"


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

If I can't live life on my own terms then I want to die on my own terms.  

I'm with you on that accord.  I visited a nursing home when I was younger and was dumbfounded.  Some of those people looked like they didn't even know who or where they were.  Definitely not the kind of life I want to live if I become old.

Sometimes it is taken out of your control.  Somebody calls Family Services about a vulnerable adult.  A judge appoints someone to "represent" you.  He only gets paid as long as you are alive.  Guess where his priorities are.

 -- Spiff

 

[Raven+Squid]

Sometimes it is taken out of your control.  Somebody calls Family Services about a vulnerable adult.  A judge appoints someone to "represent" you.  He only gets paid as long as you are alive.  Guess where his priorities are.

 -- Spiff

Having a living will and making sure it gets to the right people when the time arises will solve alot of the problem.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

If I were a wiseass - which, unlike some of the people here, I of course am not - I could have responded to the original question:

"What happens when you get too old?"

with the following, which is completely correct.

 

[Matlock]

One question, among many, that I have about vandwelling is what does one do when they get too old to live the life any longer?

I agree with those that talk about documentation.

A living will and a durable power of attorney for health care. You should have both. In some states the living will and the power of attorney are on a single form called an advance directive.
In addition you should also consider a notarized DNR.

Regardless of your estate value, having all of these entrusted to two named individuals will make sure your wishes are kept. ....(just in case you've lost your way into the forest)