Quality of life is as important – maybe more so – than longevity. If one can stay healthy, lucid, mostly independent, and still have good friends and loved ones in their lives, it’s well worth living as long as one can.
The biggest problem is loneliness. Centenarians often outlive the rest of their family and most if not all of their friends, and unless they can make new friends who are also good friends, they can wind up all alone.
That’s one of the most crucial times in a person’s life when he or she can benefit from a fur baby or two – an affectionate dog or cat for faithful company. That’s why pets are called companion animals, and we need them, especially when we get older, because there may not be many, or any, of our people left.
The elderly also have to be very careful about scammers. They are the supreme targets for con jobs. Crooks play off the loneliness of old people, and also the fact that most of them are financially well off. Elderly abuse is one of the biggest threats to senior citizens, and they need to be vigilant and not be afraid to complain to the authorities if someone is bullying them, assaulting them or trying to rip them off. And, law enforcement agencies and personnel need to take such complaints seriously and do something about them – not just write off the senior as some crotchety old geezer (or geezerette).
