Life's Turning-Points
Aug 23rd 2022, 11:45 am
#46
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,018
Re: Life's Turning-Points
Enjoying this thread, and getting an insight into the views of the older generation.
I'm lucky enough to still have both my parents, Dad is 81 and very fit and active, Mum is 76 and still reasonably active. But I've noticed that their world-bubble is getting smaller and smaller with every passing year. They just don't take as much interest in the 'outside world' as they used to. They no longer have any desire to travel, they no longer visit anyone other than immediate local family (this was a habit that was very much accelerated by COVID restrictions but they have no interest in reversing it), they show no interest in world affairs. I can understand that age brings physical limitations on one's activities and interests but they also seem to have lost much of their intellectual curiosity about the world at large, which is rather upsetting to observe. Is this normal, is it something you recognise in yourselves or your friends?
I'm lucky enough to still have both my parents, Dad is 81 and very fit and active, Mum is 76 and still reasonably active. But I've noticed that their world-bubble is getting smaller and smaller with every passing year. They just don't take as much interest in the 'outside world' as they used to. They no longer have any desire to travel, they no longer visit anyone other than immediate local family (this was a habit that was very much accelerated by COVID restrictions but they have no interest in reversing it), they show no interest in world affairs. I can understand that age brings physical limitations on one's activities and interests but they also seem to have lost much of their intellectual curiosity about the world at large, which is rather upsetting to observe. Is this normal, is it something you recognise in yourselves or your friends?
I've just been to see my mother, who is 98. I was last there in March. She's still interested in going out and I pushed her in a wheelchair along the cliffs above Hastings and at Beachy Head. My daughter and one of her children joined us and we went out to eat. It was not much different than ten years ago, her house was stiflingly hot then and it is now. She railed against the restrictions on her driving her scooter then and she does now (she is a dangerous driver, inclined to jump double kerbs). She was in her late 80s, when we all went to Vancouver Island, the last of her travels. After that she'd had it with planes.
I don't discuss world affairs with readers of the Daily Mail, I can say though that she retains a sharp eye for the female form noting a waitresses hour glass shape and Sienna Miller's lack of a healthy build.
Her mind is going, she seemed to think her granddaughter was my partner "nice to have met you" she said, as we left. Her ears have already gone, TV quiz shows are blasted at volumes one associates with death metal. I would not want to be the neighbour.
Aug 24th 2022, 3:20 am
#47
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2012
Location: Cayman Islands
Posts: 4,998
Re: Life's Turning-Points
Another of my Life's Turning Points came in 1986 when the Cayman Chamber of Commerce hired me as its first salaried manager. After 20 years of existence as a monthly luncheon club (even one of its past directors called it The Chamber of Comics), a new Board determined to play an active role in the community. Two years later, I was fighting deportation, having been labelled a "subversive" in the local mini-parliament.
With a back-office (me and a part-time secretary) to do the dog-work, the Chamber shook the establishment by publicly opposing two of the elected Government's' proposed laws. We lost the first fight, but won the second. The first was a socialist Labour Law, the second intended to impose a tax on local incomes - in a place that had never had any such thing before. What our back-office did was recruit all our members' employees to the cause, by means of a wildly populist newsletter that was passed around the community, like one of those samizdats that used to carry anti-communist propaganda in the Soviet Union.
My Work Permit was pulled, and I became unemployable. I appealed to the British FCO, and they cut me some slack. Cayman is a British colony, though largely ruled by a local legislature. One of our on-Island newspapers' publisher bravely invited me to write a weekly column, which I used as a provocative platform to become a high-profile martyr to the cause of freedom of speech. Too high-profile to persecute, as it happened. (None of those columns ever hit the web, by the way, when the web came along. So I'm not breaking any BE rule by mentioning them. I have to say that because I've been hammered before for unwittingly breaking rule number 9 or whatever it is.)
Ah well... it's a long story, and this is just a summary. At the end of the day I'm still here - although I have to tread carefully and keep a low profile, even now. What a Turning Point, though, eh?
With a back-office (me and a part-time secretary) to do the dog-work, the Chamber shook the establishment by publicly opposing two of the elected Government's' proposed laws. We lost the first fight, but won the second. The first was a socialist Labour Law, the second intended to impose a tax on local incomes - in a place that had never had any such thing before. What our back-office did was recruit all our members' employees to the cause, by means of a wildly populist newsletter that was passed around the community, like one of those samizdats that used to carry anti-communist propaganda in the Soviet Union.
My Work Permit was pulled, and I became unemployable. I appealed to the British FCO, and they cut me some slack. Cayman is a British colony, though largely ruled by a local legislature. One of our on-Island newspapers' publisher bravely invited me to write a weekly column, which I used as a provocative platform to become a high-profile martyr to the cause of freedom of speech. Too high-profile to persecute, as it happened. (None of those columns ever hit the web, by the way, when the web came along. So I'm not breaking any BE rule by mentioning them. I have to say that because I've been hammered before for unwittingly breaking rule number 9 or whatever it is.)
Ah well... it's a long story, and this is just a summary. At the end of the day I'm still here - although I have to tread carefully and keep a low profile, even now. What a Turning Point, though, eh?
Aug 24th 2022, 7:19 am
#48
Lowering the tone
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Here and there
Posts: 7,351
Aug 24th 2022, 8:52 am
#49
Lowering the tone
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Here and there
Posts: 7,351
Re: Life's Turning-Points
They are finding the situation with Natalie having leukaemia difficult to deal with. They’d like to visit but its beyond them, they are concerned, but can’t do much directly other than be there on the end of the phone/FaceTime. As a family we are not going to be able to travel to see them for another couple of years at least & that might mean we don’t get to see them at all & that weighs heavily upon me. We took the ability to travel to the UK for granted and first covid and now leukaemia has taken that away. I’m concerned that were anything to happen to them in the next year or two, I’d be faced with an impossible choice of whether I can leave my family here and travel there or not. There will be times when its “not”.
Aug 24th 2022, 11:09 am
#50
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,018
Re: Life's Turning-Points
The Costa Geriatriica is, of course, a good place for a person to be supported at home. There are all sorts of mobile and delivery services. The frozen meals company is dodgy, they know a customer cannot eat three meals a day but keep sending more based on dubious telephone consent, but the rest of the suppliers seem reasonable enough. A residential facility is GBP2.500/week with another couple of grand a month for "medical services" so in budgetary terms there's a lot of space to order premium services. Residential facilities want two years' rent up front so I assume people moving in, hating it and dying quickly is a major profit center tor them. Having to sell the house to move in to a potential hell hole is a powerful incentive to independent living.
Years ago here I knew someone who made a living buying and selling residential homes. He characterized the business it as being extremely sleazy and suggested investing in strip joints instead. That was before Mike Harris and the Ford gang, seems about right though.
Aug 25th 2022, 1:36 am
#51
limey party pooper
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9,982
Re: Life's Turning-Points
Enjoying this thread, and getting an insight into the views of the older generation.
I'm lucky enough to still have both my parents, Dad is 81 and very fit and active, Mum is 76 and still reasonably active. But I've noticed that their world-bubble is getting smaller and smaller with every passing year. They just don't take as much interest in the 'outside world' as they used to. They no longer have any desire to travel, they no longer visit anyone other than immediate local family (this was a habit that was very much accelerated by COVID restrictions but they have no interest in reversing it), they show no interest in world affairs. I can understand that age brings physical limitations on one's activities and interests but they also seem to have lost much of their intellectual curiosity about the world at large, which is rather upsetting to observe. Is this normal, is it something you recognise in yourselves or your friends?
I'm lucky enough to still have both my parents, Dad is 81 and very fit and active, Mum is 76 and still reasonably active. But I've noticed that their world-bubble is getting smaller and smaller with every passing year. They just don't take as much interest in the 'outside world' as they used to. They no longer have any desire to travel, they no longer visit anyone other than immediate local family (this was a habit that was very much accelerated by COVID restrictions but they have no interest in reversing it), they show no interest in world affairs. I can understand that age brings physical limitations on one's activities and interests but they also seem to have lost much of their intellectual curiosity about the world at large, which is rather upsetting to observe. Is this normal, is it something you recognise in yourselves or your friends?
My mum is 93 and still lives alone, The isolation messes with your intelligence and she worries she's losing her marbles. She is struggling with the software on her new iPad! I've no time for religion myself but mum goes to church and they are age stuff for their seniors and keep in touch to make sure they are ok.
okI guess this is my turning point, the downward slope
Aug 25th 2022, 1:36 am
#52
limey party pooper
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9,982
Re: Life's Turning-Points
Enjoying this thread, and getting an insight into the views of the older generation.
I'm lucky enough to still have both my parents, Dad is 81 and very fit and active, Mum is 76 and still reasonably active. But I've noticed that their world-bubble is getting smaller and smaller with every passing year. They just don't take as much interest in the 'outside world' as they used to. They no longer have any desire to travel, they no longer visit anyone other than immediate local family (this was a habit that was very much accelerated by COVID restrictions but they have no interest in reversing it), they show no interest in world affairs. I can understand that age brings physical limitations on one's activities and interests but they also seem to have lost much of their intellectual curiosity about the world at large, which is rather upsetting to observe. Is this normal, is it something you recognise in yourselves or your friends?
I'm lucky enough to still have both my parents, Dad is 81 and very fit and active, Mum is 76 and still reasonably active. But I've noticed that their world-bubble is getting smaller and smaller with every passing year. They just don't take as much interest in the 'outside world' as they used to. They no longer have any desire to travel, they no longer visit anyone other than immediate local family (this was a habit that was very much accelerated by COVID restrictions but they have no interest in reversing it), they show no interest in world affairs. I can understand that age brings physical limitations on one's activities and interests but they also seem to have lost much of their intellectual curiosity about the world at large, which is rather upsetting to observe. Is this normal, is it something you recognise in yourselves or your friends?
My mum is 93 and still lives alone, The isolation messes with your intelligence and she worries she's losing her marbles. She is struggling with the software on her new iPad! I've no time for religion myself but mum goes to church and they are age stuff for their seniors and keep in touch to make sure they are ok.
okI guess this is my turning point, the downward slope
Aug 25th 2022, 9:07 pm
#54
limey party pooper
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9,982
Aug 27th 2022, 3:23 pm
#55
Concierge
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 46,390
Re: Life's Turning-Points
Enjoying this thread, and getting an insight into the views of the older generation.
I'm lucky enough to still have both my parents, Dad is 81 and very fit and active, Mum is 76 and still reasonably active. But I've noticed that their world-bubble is getting smaller and smaller with every passing year. They just don't take as much interest in the 'outside world' as they used to. They no longer have any desire to travel, they no longer visit anyone other than immediate local family (this was a habit that was very much accelerated by COVID restrictions but they have no interest in reversing it), they show no interest in world affairs. I can understand that age brings physical limitations on one's activities and interests but they also seem to have lost much of their intellectual curiosity about the world at large, which is rather upsetting to observe. Is this normal, is it something you recognise in yourselves or your friends?
I'm lucky enough to still have both my parents, Dad is 81 and very fit and active, Mum is 76 and still reasonably active. But I've noticed that their world-bubble is getting smaller and smaller with every passing year. They just don't take as much interest in the 'outside world' as they used to. They no longer have any desire to travel, they no longer visit anyone other than immediate local family (this was a habit that was very much accelerated by COVID restrictions but they have no interest in reversing it), they show no interest in world affairs. I can understand that age brings physical limitations on one's activities and interests but they also seem to have lost much of their intellectual curiosity about the world at large, which is rather upsetting to observe. Is this normal, is it something you recognise in yourselves or your friends?
Aug 27th 2022, 6:51 pm
#56
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2012
Location: Cayman Islands
Posts: 4,998
Re: Life's Turning-Points
Rete, bats and Jingsa - I'm in the same boat, except that my wife died three years ago, aged 79, and I'm on my own now. I don't want to move from the house - either permanently or temporarily. I force myself to drive to the supermarket once a week, and to meet up with two old tennis mates for a couple of hours every Friday. And that's about it. I used to fly to Norway where my son and his kids live, but now I make them come to me here in the Caribbean. I'm glad to know I'm not the only old codger whose "world bubble" has shrunk!
WhatsApp has made a huge difference to my life. Gone are the days when one got edgy when the three-minutes time-limit was nearly up for overseas phone calls!
WhatsApp has made a huge difference to my life. Gone are the days when one got edgy when the three-minutes time-limit was nearly up for overseas phone calls!
Aug 29th 2022, 1:55 am
#57
Joined: Feb 2006
Location: Red Deer, Alberta
Posts: 10,612
Re: Life's Turning-Points
In 2000ish when internet dating was still a novelty I responded to a profile for a "crazy Canadian, landlocked in London". That was a life changing moment as it lead to me emigrating with said Canadian in 2004 to part of Canada I'd barely heard of and only visited once in the depths of winter. The other life changing events of course were the birth of my kids in 2009 and 2012 respectively. Sadly, the youngest is also responsible for a life changing moment a little over three weeks ago when she was diagnosed with leukemia. Not all life changing moments are good, but we overcome adversity and fight on.
So sorry to hear of your daughter's health issues. I hope her treatment goes well for her.
Aug 29th 2022, 2:01 am
#58
Joined: Feb 2006
Location: Red Deer, Alberta
Posts: 10,612
Re: Life's Turning-Points
Aside from the usual life events, having a child, keaving the abuser, being a single parent etc. Meeting my hubs and emigration was a turning point. I've lost a mum. My daughter moved to Ontario. Our next turning point should have been moving to Ontatio. Hubs decided before last Christmas that he wanted to be in England. In reality our next move will likely be moving back into town in a cheaper house with no mortgage whilst my husband undergoes however many years of dialysis, until a kidney can be found...then we will decide on where we end up.
Aug 29th 2022, 3:50 pm
#59
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,018
Re: Life's Turning-Points
Aside from the usual life events, having a child, keaving the abuser, being a single parent etc. Meeting my hubs and emigration was a turning point. I've lost a mum. My daughter moved to Ontario. Our next turning point should have been moving to Ontatio. Hubs decided before last Christmas that he wanted to be in England. In reality our next move will likely be moving back into town in a cheaper house with no mortgage whilst my husband undergoes however many years of dialysis, until a kidney can be found...then we will decide on where we end up.
Aug 29th 2022, 11:37 pm
#60
Joined: Feb 2006
Location: Red Deer, Alberta
Posts: 10,612