To Old

[Harry WilkesParticipant @harrywilkes58467]

It's official I'm too old 2 years back I applied for a Government funded grant for solar panels through the Green Homes scheme this as dragged on and on however today received a phone call I was out so wife took the call the caller gave his credentials and said he needed some info regarding our grant application he wanted to confirm our ages wife told him she was 76 and I was 77 he then said he was very sorry but we were to old for the grant, so ladies/gents that's it to old

H

[Harry WilkesParticipant @harrywilkes58467]

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

Yep, we are too old (70+) for a Bank Credit card here in France.

Too old to hire cars from some car hire companies.

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

My NHS brother at the pub last week informed me that I'm now allocated a coffin-dodger bed in hospital if I get ill because I'm over 60

I believe the description is "Elderly"

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Speedy Builder5 on 12/10/2022 19:13:48:

Yep, we are too old (70+) for a Bank Credit card here in France.

Too old to hire cars from some car hire companies.

.

Yes, I had that problem when hiring a van recently

“… our Insurance only covers drivers up to 70 years old“

MichaelG.

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

hen I was 60 I was surprised to see written on outside of my medical docs, 'Geriatic'.

Now I am 85 do I get another designation?

Edited By Clive Hartland on 12/10/2022 22:33:55

[Anonymous]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 12/10/2022 20:20:12:

“… our Insurance only covers drivers up to 70 years old“

Hmm … do the insurance companies still penalise young drivers too? Say, those under 25.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Peter Greene 🇨🇦 on 13/10/2022 01:11:47:

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 12/10/2022 20:20:12:

“… our Insurance only covers drivers up to 70 years old“

 

Hmm … do the insurance companies still penalise young drivers too? Say, those under 25.

.

I haven’t looked for at least 30 years, Peter [that was when my son was hoping to buy a car, and gave it up as a bad idea] … but I think it’s probably worse now than ever.

Presumably some forum member will have recent experience

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 13/10/2022 07:13:23

[Mike HurleyParticipant @mikehurley60381]

Posted by Clive Hartland on 12/10/2022 22:33:24:

hen I was 60 I was surprised to see written on outside of my medical docs, 'Geriatic'.

Now I am 85 do I get another designation?

Edited By Clive Hartland on 12/10/2022 22:33:55

You should worry, women get described as Geriatric at 35! ( All to do with pregnancy etc)

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

It's the way of the world.

Lot's of opportunities close down as one gets older, especially when physical health matters. Making babies is off my agenda now. A first time pregnant lady aged over 35 is an 'elderly primigravida'. Age limit 18 to 29 if you want to join the Army as an Officer. The average age of a professional football team is 27 and most footballers retire before 35. My brother-in-law now bitterly regrets his time as a rugby player because old injuries have reappeared to cause considerable pain in his seventies.

I'm currently in the process of being demoted as the family alpha-male. Quite interesting to go from a man whose judgement was automatically accepted to not being trusted to put the bins out! I'm giving way to the inevitable gracefully with good-humour. If I can add value I do, but I'm wary of dumping out-dated assumptions into the debate unless the evidence supports it.

Quite interesting to compare the value of my experience with the value of younger more open minds. The problem with experience is it has a best before date! There's a fine line between old certainties being wisdom and laughably wrong. So experience always has to be revalidated against current circumstances, and relying on it uncritically causes trouble. Wilfred Trotter, author of 'Instincts of the Herd in Peace and War', said: 'If a middle aged engineer tells you something is possible, he is likely to be right. If a middle aged engineer tells you something is impossible, he is likely to be wrong.' It relates to the better known Trotter quote:

The truly scientific mind is altogether unafraid of the new, and while having no mercy for ideas which have served their turn or shown their uselessness, it will not grudge to any unfamiliar conception its moment of full and friendly attention, hoping to expand rather than to minimize what small core of usefulness it may happen to contain.

On the other hand I'm thoroughly enjoying retirement despite it being a decline and fall. Unlike my children who will have to work until they are at least 68, I was able to retire aged 60 in poor health with no debts and sufficient pension to fund my interests. Health wobbles apart, retirement's been an extended holiday; I hope it lasts, but the flesh is weak and the brain isn't quite what it was…

Delightful when William Shatner blasts off into space aged 90, but he's not my role model. I like comfy slippers. We're all different!

Dave

[John Doe 2Participant @johndoe2]

Being forced into early retirement, partly as a result of Covid; I volunteered for the RNLI lifeboats. I lived a 5 minute jog from the lifeboat station and have been around boats and water all my life. Being retired meant that I was available 24/7 and would not have to take time off from a workplace. I thought it would be fun and interesting as well as being useful.

I did an interview on zoom with two interviewers. One of the first questions was "what is your age?", and it turns out that their top limit for the lifeboats is 55. (I was a couple of years over that at the time).

How stupid is that? Someone who is 54 but has only one leg, or who couldn't swim would be no good for the lifeboats, so it's not age they should be looking at but physicality, fitness, and health – all things that I score highly on, along with a virtually fat-free body and a low BMI. (daily intensive exercises and a weekly 10km run, along with healthy eating).

A physical ability test is what they should do, not use an arbitrary age limit. They asked me nothing about the sea, tides, weather, boats etc, (all of which I knew), just my age. Ridiculous and frankly, by barring older but fit people; a waste of a good resource

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

I was told by my GP that I was "an old man now". This was after bouncing off a ladder having run into it with a knee. I was 38!

I've also run into the "too old at 70" when asking about van hire.

I've also had to realise, for quite a few years now, that my children have their own lives and we, generally, are seldom a part of it. Having said that, it's nice that my grandsons do occasionally come and ask to use my equipment. Or maybe it's because it's readily available! It's also nice that my nearly 16 year old grandddaughter will still give her old grandad a hug, even if she does have to bend down to do it! She's 5'9" whilst I'm now 5'5" having slowly shrunk from 5'8".

There is one thing that I'm pleased about. My maternal grandfather retired at (I assume) 65. I was aged 6. He died in 1954 aged 70, and during those 5 years went from being a fully functioning adult male to someone who had to be told to do every little thing and had to be watched whilst he did it. I was told that he had "lost his memory". As you might expect, this created a rather frightening memory for me, and seeing other (non-related) people develop Alzheimer's hasn't helped. Fortunately, I've reached 79 with very little mental degradation although physically quite a lot. I think, in reality, the mental thing is more a case of I can't be bothered now.

I took early retirement aged 51. I was, when all said and done, in a position to do it and the company wanted rid of staff. I did do a few years in a part-time job which in reality was not worth-while doing but it did at least get me out of the house. And, yes, I've had so far 28 years of retirement. However, I did make a mistake a few years ago and said something about pensions to my two oldest children. Never again! I got well and truly jumped on, and told that they would never have the same pension that I have. Since then, I have kept strangely quiet about finances! I wonder why.

I'm never asked for advice, especially when my children have far more experience of the rough and tumble of life than I've ever had. Occasionally a grandson might ask what I think, but that's only because I do have some experience & knowledge that no-one else in the family has. But in general, my certificates, such as they are, date from 1971 and before. And even then, I lot of what I learned has become obsolete. And that I do find dispiriting.

Old, obsolete, and outdated.

Perhaps I should creep away quietly and go lie down under a stone somewhere.

Peter G. Shaw

[Nick WheelerParticipant @nickwheeler]

John, the age limit is entirely in line with all the high stress professions(military, police, fire service) retirement age. And it's not unusual for doctors and teachers to retire in their mid-fifties for similar reasons.

[John Doe 2Participant @johndoe2]

Well, frankly, that is ageist.

Airline pilots, (I am one, but unemployed airline-wise), can fly until aged 65; as long as they pass their annual CAA medical*, and their twice yearly, two day Simulator exams.

* Includes hearing and vision tests.

[Clive IndiaParticipant @cliveindia]

You're too old for anything else if you post on here with a length of more than 5 lines!

[Anonymous]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 13/10/2022 07:12:20:

Posted by Peter Greene 🇨🇦 on 13/10/2022 01:11:47:

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 12/10/2022 20:20:12:

“… our Insurance only covers drivers up to 70 years old“

Hmm … do the insurance companies still penalise young drivers too? Say, those under 25.

I haven’t looked for at least 30 years, Peter [that was when my son was hoping to buy a car, and gave it up as a bad idea] … but I think it’s probably worse now than ever.

The reason I asked was that the insurance companies used to charge young drivers more here (based on statistical considerations). 20 or 30 years ago they were told they couldn't do that since it amounted to "age discrimination" which is illegal. (They could charge an individual more based on his record). The insurance companies did , of course, raise their general tariffs to compensate.

I presume they can't do anything like it at the other end of the scale either …. say 70 or more likely 80 here since that is when we have to jump through hoops on the drivers licence front.

[Michael CallaghanParticipant @michaelcallaghan68621]

My wife can work into her late 70,s within the NHS. She is a radiologist and as the powers that be within the NHS have closed most of the training pathways there is a massive shortage of skilled workers in her area. So we may get to the point in this country where the medical staff are older and more clapped out then the patients

[OldironParticipant @oldiron]

Posted by Peter G. Shaw on 13/10/2022 11:01:19:

I took early retirement aged 51. I was, when all said and done, in a position to do it and the company wanted rid of staff. I did do a few years in a part-time job which in reality was not worth-while doing but it did at least get me out of the house. And, yes, I've had so far 28 years of retirement. However, I did make a mistake a few years ago and said something about pensions to my two oldest children. Never again! I got well and truly jumped on, and told that they would never have the same pension that I have. Since then, I have kept strangely quiet about finances! I wonder why.

I'm never asked for advice, especially when my children have far more experience of the rough and tumble of life than I've ever had. Occasionally a grandson might ask what I think, but that's only because I do have some experience & knowledge that no-one else in the family has. But in general, my certificates, such as they are, date from 1971 and before. And even then, I lot of what I learned has become obsolete. And that I do find dispiriting.

Old, obsolete, and outdated.

Perhaps I should creep away quietly and go lie down under a stone somewhere.

Peter G. Shaw

Never hide under a stone Peter you are of no use there. I am in a similar position at nearly 75. Been retired from a full time job for almost 20 years. Worked part time 2 days a week for about 5 years after that. I also was lucky to be able financially to not need to work after my 55th birthday. Not regreted it once. I still wonder sometimes how I ever had time to work at all. I still seem to be in demand from the younger family members for advise, repairs & part making. Health wise only a few niggles so far. I just take it day to day and enjoy what I have whilst I have it.

regards

[steamdaveParticipant @steamdave]

Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 13/10/2022 09:44:42:

It's the way of the world.

Lot's of opportunities close down as one gets older, especially when physical health matters. Making babies is off my agenda now.

Dave

Didn't stop Bernie Ecclestone at 80 something.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

[phillip gardinerParticipant @phillipgardiner]

Will Prince Charles be to old to be King?

[Anonymous]

Posted by steamdave on 13/10/2022 21:30:49:

Didn't stop Bernie Ecclestone at 80 something.

Didn't stop them going after him at 90 for tax fraud either

[HowiParticipant @howi]

Posted by Peter G. Shaw on 13/10/2022 11:01:19:

I was told by my GP that I was "an old man now". This was after bouncing off a ladder having run into it with a knee. I was 38!

I've also run into the "too old at 70" when asking about van hire.

I've also had to realise, for quite a few years now, that my children have their own lives and we, generally, are seldom a part of it. Having said that, it's nice that my grandsons do occasionally come and ask to use my equipment. Or maybe it's because it's readily available! It's also nice that my nearly 16 year old grandddaughter will still give her old grandad a hug, even if she does have to bend down to do it! She's 5'9" whilst I'm now 5'5" having slowly shrunk from 5'8".

There is one thing that I'm pleased about. My maternal grandfather retired at (I assume) 65. I was aged 6. He died in 1954 aged 70, and during those 5 years went from being a fully functioning adult male to someone who had to be told to do every little thing and had to be watched whilst he did it. I was told that he had "lost his memory". As you might expect, this created a rather frightening memory for me, and seeing other (non-related) people develop Alzheimer's hasn't helped. Fortunately, I've reached 79 with very little mental degradation although physically quite a lot. I think, in reality, the mental thing is more a case of I can't be bothered now.

I took early retirement aged 51. I was, when all said and done, in a position to do it and the company wanted rid of staff. I did do a few years in a part-time job which in reality was not worth-while doing but it did at least get me out of the house. And, yes, I've had so far 28 years of retirement. However, I did make a mistake a few years ago and said something about pensions to my two oldest children. Never again! I got well and truly jumped on, and told that they would never have the same pension that I have. Since then, I have kept strangely quiet about finances! I wonder why.

I'm never asked for advice, especially when my children have far more experience of the rough and tumble of life than I've ever had. Occasionally a grandson might ask what I think, but that's only because I do have some experience & knowledge that no-one else in the family has. But in general, my certificates, such as they are, date from 1971 and before. And even then, I lot of what I learned has become obsolete. And that I do find dispiriting.

Old, obsolete, and outdated.

Perhaps I should creep away quietly and go lie down under a stone somewhere.

Peter G. Shaw

hi Peter

Just remember that age has one essential positive "experience".

As we seem to be heading for amageden due to Putins ego, and the world we know descends into chaos, the young (those that manage to survive) will be totally incapable of functoning due to the absence of the internet and smart phones suddenly becomming very dumb.

Who will they turn to?

Yup! thee an' me.

With regard to pensions and pay, whilst those like you and I, who have good pensions, my pay during my working years is only a quarter of what my three sons earn and can therefor afford to put decent money into a pension fund. They all own their own houses – one thing I encouraged them to do as early as possible (experience comming into play).

Those I fear most for are those on mediocre pay and little or no pension savings, by the time they can retire the old age pension as we know it will probably cease to exist and chaos will reign throughout the land.

But! that is a pessimistic view, Me! I'm always the optomist.

As a Monty Python fan I can annoy my children and their children with a painful redition of "Always look on the bright side of life" followed by " I know a song that will get on your nerves"

whilst our bodies may faulter, so long as our minds are still sharp(ish) we can cope.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Howi on 14/10/2022 09:38:51:

Just remember that age has one essential positive "experience".

As we seem to be heading for amageden due to Putins ego, and the world we know descends into chaos, the young (those that manage to survive) will be totally incapable of functoning due to the absence of the internet and smart phones suddenly becomming very dumb.

Who will they turn to?

Yup! thee an' me.

[…]

.

I was working in the Defence business when this article was published: **LINK**

https://www.jstor.org/stable/24965240

It has haunted me ever since.

Highly recommended reading if you can find a copy.

MichaelG.

.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 14/10/2022 10:07:37

[SamsarandaParticipant @samsaranda]

Michael

Unfortunately the assessments of how effective mutual deterrence would be, fails to include that one party may be of unsound mind which is the scenario that we find ourselves in now. As a Serviceman for 22 years I was made well aware of how devastating any nuclear incident could be, we were shown numerous films illustrating the power of the weapons and drilled on how to decontaminate and “survive” , I put survive in inverted commas because that is a doubtful outcome depending on many factors. In these times we now have to keep our fingers crossed that some sanity may prevail, although I am perhaps pessimistic in that respect. Dave W

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

I agree completely, Dave

I have [thankfully] never been at the sharp-end of this; but I knew enough then to realise, for example, that the infamous “Protect and Survive” advice [sic] was utterly crass.

My recommendation of the article is mostly to do with its cold, hard, presentation of the best available information.

MichaelG.

[Author]

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