Quote:
Originally Posted by graciegirl
Why do you ask this question? Are you looking to debate or to hurt feelings?
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I certainly am not looking to hurt feelings.
I spent 4 years driving a cash register at a convenience store in Phoenix AZ close to Sun City there (a retirement community). During that 4 years I often saw older people take quite literally 15 minutes to get from their car into the store to prepay for gas. They were exhausted just getting out of the drivers seat and would stand for 5 minutes leaning on the car before walking to the trunk and waiting again to catch their breath or wait for their heart rate to do back down. These people were putting other peoples lives at risk. It was NOT an infrequent occurrence, and our store manager had a policy of asking them to stay in their cars are we would go out to take their payment and pump their gas for them. I had to wonder if we were helping or enabling them.
I understand the need/desire to remain independent and being able to drive is a requirement for that independence in many communities. But, I also feel a responsibility to my fellow citizens to act responsibly and not put other peoples lives at risk. Driving is a privilege not a right.
There are numerous other questions/discussions I feel seniors should have. Things that traditionally polite people just didn't talk about. Dying, Life Support, DNRs, Living Wills, Who will care for my pets if I die etc. etc. etc.
Getting older is inevitable (unless you are a super-ager, but that is only about 5% of the population). And I think learning how (and when) to deal with aging is something we all should be concerned with and plan on prior to needing to do it. I read an interesting article written by a lady that was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. She decided that she would make the decisions about her care and life and end of life while she still could. I admire that self determination, and respect her right to do it. I feel the same about other decisions such as driving. As I said, my wife and I can see a day coming where we should not (don[t want to) drive any more. And are making plans for that eventuality. Bringing the topic up here with a large group of people that face the same decisions is my way of getting input to give me things to think about that I may not have thought of.
What better place to learn about how others feel we should age. What we can do to age better. What should we do to age gracefully and responsibly.
I am sorry your first reaction to a serious question about a serious topic that I believe we all should be openly discussing and thinking about is that I was doing it to hurt some one. That is a very sad statement on TOTV and our ability to carry on open conversations about difficult topics.
I love to debate, true. And I am open to debating any topic anyone would like to debate - heck, I will even take whichever side they don't, just so we can debate.
But I NEVER say anything to hurt or insult anyone.