One of my old doctors before he retired told me that it was better for older people to be slightly over weight because when they became ill. When you become ill you are less likely to eat. The fat reserves could mean the body would use those rather than turning on muscle mass. He also recommended 24 ounces of coffee each day.

During the Alzheimer's group sessions it was impressed upon us that most people who have dementia do not have Alzheimer's. Only about 10% of people with dementia in a group that was diagnosed with it would actually have it.

Whether it was psychological or a chemical need one of the nondrinkers in my husband's water group was starting to fade until her doctor prescribed 2 oz of wine in the evening. The doctor did not care what type. Even when she went to a rehab facility after an operation to fix a broken ankle that had not healed correctly she had it written in her chart.

I saw that video when it was first on tv so was aware of it.

Aging is not being good to me, sigh!

Fascinating piece. I don't drink enough booze apparently ... ;-)

I'm sorry Glenda, me either and I'm not even 60.

Zalco, I don't either. I am good on the coffee, though.

I'm good on the coffee as well but the only studies I believe about coffee are the ones that say it's good for you. :)

Perhaps I should add some wine.

Having reached my age with out the wine and the coffee, guess I will keep doing without.

Sue

At my age I don't have enough time left to waste it watching a show on ageing!!!

We are thankful being 82. Most of my family lived close to a hundred. Mother drove everywhere, always dressed and makeup each day, cut three acres of grass each week, same for her sister. Grandaddy lived to almost a hundred. We all worked the land , our days started between 4-5 in the mornings until all the chores were done. None of my family ever had any type of alcoholic beverage. Did drink coffee. We were all thin people . Before pandemic our small church attendance were all older folks. One lady that could run circles around me was 103, two more were over a hundred, a gentleman was 95. The rest of us late seventies and eighties as hubs and I . Our son went to same church and he was quite the youngster at 50. He is a marathon runner , so in great shape. All these aging folks have another side to the aging , dad’s mother died when he was born. Mother lost her mother when she was 9. Thankful mother and her sister lived almost a hundred years, other sibling was killed in a farming accident, think he was in 80’s at that time. Some days I feel everyday of 82 and then next day 20. We try very hard to be healthy, live on the ocean now, long walks, swimming , and healthy food with few exceptions. But who knows , it may be today that we take our big ride in the sky. I wish you all a healthy long life with joy.

Nothing was too surprising. Makes sense that active and fit people fair better. Interesting that supplements did not matter in the long run.

I was surprised that even the man with a lot of plaque in his brain was mentally with it. Somehow his brain overcame them.

KU has an Alzheimer's research center which is where the information I posted above was where my doctor found out about it. They have videos on YT but linked to their site. Currently there is one concerning activity if you scroll down the page. University of Kansas Alzheimer's Disease Center (kualzheimer.org)

Very interesting!

I didn't see any obesity among the featured Old Old. I do understand the 'little extra weight' advantage.

Why are so many people prescribed meds to lower their BP if a low level is more dangerous than high?

I never wanted to live to be 100. Seeing these folks does nothing to change my mind about that. They are unusually well *for their age*, but certainly not robust either. Did I miss it, or were there no questions about pain?

Chisue, I wondered that too as I'm in nearly constant pain from my feet, legs, back, neck, shoulder, arm....Just about something hurts pretty much every day.

There is a doctor whose personal philosophy is no treatment for any ailment after age 75. That is not for me. I would like to live to a hale and heart 100 plus. So long as cancer does not get me, I should be fine judging from my family, no dementia for the oldest ones and no pain either.

Hi! I'm a 'lurker', and really enjoy the camaraderie here. I'm 70, healthy and active, and try to keep up with the research.

I've registered on 2 sites I wanted to share, where you can contribute to alzheimers research. One is

https://www.brainhealthregistry.org/

And other is

https://www.endalznow.org/

This one announces studies, here's one where you can find out about yourself!

https://www.endalznow.org/studies/the-alzheimers-disease-discovery-study-assist/the-alzheimers-disease-discovery-study-assist

I don't post much, I hope I'm doing the links right!

Zalco is it any treatment after 75 or no suggested routine health screenings? My old doctor was good about giving me a list of suggested screenings which showed the ages that they are suggested to be done. I asked about the screenings ending at 75 and was told that it was only a suggestion and that if a health problem happened screenings were left to the patient and their doctor.

Maifleur, this guy believes in no treatment after 75. He says quality of life goes too far south after that age. He is on the incoming Covid team, btw.

From The Atlantic:

seventy-five.

That’s how long I want to live: 75 years.

This preference drives my daughters crazy. It drives my brothers crazy. My loving friends think I am crazy. They think that I can’t mean what I say; that I haven’t thought clearly about this, because there is so much in the world to see and do. To convince me of my errors, they enumerate the myriad people I know who are over 75 and doing quite well. They are certain that as I get closer to 75, I will push the desired age back to 80, then 85, maybe even 90.

I am sure of my position. Doubtless, death is a loss. It deprives us of experiences and milestones, of time spent with our spouse and children. In short, it deprives us of all the things we value.

But here is a simple truth that many of us seem to resist: living too long is also a loss. It renders many of us, if not disabled, then faltering and declining, a state that may not be worse than death but is nonetheless deprived. It robs us of our creativity and ability to contribute to work, society, the world. It transforms how people experience us, relate to us, and, most important, remember us. We are no longer remembered as vibrant and engaged but as feeble, ineffectual, even pathetic.

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/10/why-i-hope-to-die-at-75/379329/

Zalco in that case he should just turn away all of his patients over that age but I doubt if he does. I remember hearing something about an oddball that was on the team.

Hah! The Emanuel family USES controversy. (This essay got your attention, didn't it?) The doctor's brother was Mayor of Chicago until declining to run last year. I'm drawing a blank on he third brother's profession.

I've posted similar thoughts on the KT, as cautions to people unaware of how their retirement age bodies will *normally* begin to fail by their mid-seventies. I was clueless, too, but now I'm nearly 80 and would remind people not to plan a 'forever' home (or life) dependent on the physical abilities they have at 65. Remember, the people in the 60 Minutes program are ABnormal, meaning most of us shouldn't expect to continue unscathed by age.

I appreciate Emanuel's points about investing more in America's youth and less in the highly profitable business of prolonging decline and death -- for all the reasons he enumerates.

The doctor's brother was Mayor of Chicago until declining to run last year. I'm drawing a blank on he third brother's profession.

Zeke Emanuel is a professor at Wharton, and while he has an MD he's not currently a practicing physician. Rahm was Obama's Chief of Staff for a time before becoming mayor of Chicago. The third brother, Ari, is a media mogul, formerly a Hollywood agent, and was the model for Jeremy Piven's character in Entourage. They're quite an accomplished family!

My favorite Emanuel brother quip is from Michael Moore. Back when Ob@ma was having a hard time getting things through Congress, Michael Moore said, He has the wrong Emanuel Brother working for him. He needs the one I have. Congress would fold.