3 comments to Coffee Hour – April 2023

• Wyllys Terry lll

  April 17, 2023 at 3:04 pm · Reply

  Sorry I missed this session. I would add a couple of thoughts that I am using to take control of my own life or rather death.
  I have left instructions for no resuscitation, extensive medical treatment, or hospitalization even if the medical authorities think there is a good chance of extending my life. While there are lots of nuances to this, my position is primarily based on the following.
  A very high percentage of healthcare costs take place in the last 6 months of our lives. Cannot remember exact % which shows already memory loss, but over 50%. Let’s put that money to use on younger people who can continue to impact the life of others, our planet, etc,
  .I do not want others to “waste” their time and energy on taking care of me. Use it to help others who can do the above. Yes, helping others is well demonstrated as a worthwhile goal in the slides, but let’s be strategic in who we help. See above.
  Finally I want to be in control of when and how I die..
  Having said all the above, I am in good health, play tennis, Pickleball and golf , walking, and have a wonderful social life of people from 6-92. Still. S—- happens and I am not afraid to die.
  Thanks for reading.

• peter torreggiani

  April 17, 2023 at 6:01 pm · Reply

  i was sorryto have had to miss an absorbibg presentation. Thank you.

• Tim Hall

  April 22, 2023 at 5:20 pm · Reply

  Wow! What a wonderful, useful, and inspirational session! Sorry I couldn’t be there, but we were visiting our granddaughter Sabrina in Scotland at the University of St. Andrews. But it made me feel a bit better to understand that we were acting on some of Dr. Cooney’s prescriptions, such as being active, engaging in relationships with family and friends, having goals and purpose, walking, and reflecting on our experiences! I loved the practical and common sense way that Leo summarized all that is known from research on aging well, and his down to earth way of communicating it.

  Thanks so much to Jay for putting it all together and leading the session, to Gary, Diane, Louis, and Bob for sharing your experiences, and to Lee for a good wrap-up. Marcy and I are currently members of Newton At Home, and I would certainly second Louis’s comments on the value of this kind of local community. And we have taken the step of putting down a deposit and joining the waiting list for a local CCRC, Laselle Village, which is associated with a local university, Laselle University. Given the long waiting time, we are still a bit away from having to make an actual decision to move there, but we are concerned about not being a burden to our kids, and we realize at this point you have to begin making arrangements even if it feels “too early.” Managing and becoming comfortable with uncertainty are certainly important at this age!

  Thanks again, so much, to everyone who contributed, for a very helpful session!