The Big Three for Seniors

I do follow politics since I once held elective office for a number of years. But it is so exhausting today, I don't get involved. I don't do religion at all and see a doctor once a year for a check up. I keep busy with family, friends, and of course Marley. My books are practically my life and tv does not hold any fascination for me at all. It totally bores me.
 

Ruthanne said:
I don't discuss religion or politics with hardly anyone anymore. I do have a friend who brings one of the topics up and I agree with him so there's no arguing. Just because people talk about dr.s visits and their health doesn't mean they don't have other things they do or talk about, too. But I have a friend who mostly talks about his health and it's no wonder because he has almost everything wrong with him and he still keeps up his dr.s visits to try and hang in there. So, that's good on him!
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Ruthanne - I love your quote!! Regarding The most beautiful thing in the World cannot be seen or even touched....
 
I'm not religious at all.
Politics bores me.
I care about health & fitness; rarely see a doctor.
Music is a hobby; I play piano often.
I don't care for traveling, except for visiting friends.
 

Hmmm. I'm not seeing "Seniors only discussing 3 Topics". This forum is full of seniors and I've never seen so many different Forums and Threads of every topic under the sun. I find it fascinating to read how people think here. We're all so different and most everyone seems to have something to say on many topics.
 
What politicians do affects us all, so keeping up-to-date on what is happening is important, but there's no need to get obsessed. Religion is a personal thing and should be kept private. I had a friend who only ever read the Bible. Many people do suffer with chronic health problems and it's not surprising if their lives revolve around doctors and hospitals.
After reading your post, I feel better about what I'm busy with at the moment...making toadstools! Not growing mushrooms but making little toadstool houses out of felt. I'm on my third at present. When I've finished I'll try to take a pic.
 
LindaB said:
It seems to me in my every day life that people over 65 have 3 things in their life:
Religion
Politics
Doctors visits and health issues
I noticed this way before I became a senior. I think it's sad that a lot of people I know don't have a life beyond this. I believe that's why those discussions become central to their lives. TV news is never turned off so they are steeped in political BS all day, which btw probably impacts their health. Personally, I am sick to death of politics and politicians.
Get a life, people! Find some hobbies and joy in everyday living. Just venting😂
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You do not seem to think a family plays much of a part in the lives of most people over 65, (an age I reached a year ago).

This my be an oversight, or intentional, and I dont mean to criticise one way or another, but I did want to point to the fact you covered in a subsequent post I think, about your daughter keeping you young, (and your doctor suggesting she would when she was born).

There is a considerable overlap between health issues and contact, or lack of it, between "seniors" and their children. For example I've heard experts say it assists in delaying the onset of dementia and helps general mental health I believe, perhaps boosting your immune system too I would suggest :).
 
StarSong said:
I don't know any Americans over the age of 18 who aren't currently interested in politics to some degree. And if I met some, I probably wouldn't find them very engaging.

We're also interested in food. And family. And climate. And science, movies, music, jokes, alcohol, weather, health, friendships, travel, exercise, relationships, automobiles, hair styles, gay marriage, computers, education, and so much more.

Take a look at the wide variety of forum topics before painting people over 65 with such a broad brush. Our topics vary widely.

Maybe you need some new, more interesting friends in your real life, @LindaB.
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I haven't seen a discussion on gay marriage here. I'm sure it'll be explosive, if there's one but IF only we can talk like we're face to face, we will(?) all be civil. Just a thought.
 
LindaB said:
It seems to me in my every day life that people over 65 have 3 things in their life:
Religion
Politics
Doctors visits and health issues
I noticed this way before I became a senior. I think it's sad that a lot of people I know don't have a life beyond this. I believe that's why those discussions become central to their lives. TV news is never turned off so they are steeped in political BS all day, which btw probably impacts their health. Personally, I am sick to death of politics and politicians.
Get a life, people! Find some hobbies and joy in everyday living. Just venting😂
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That hasn't been my experience at all, Linda. I do have one friend who goes on and on about doctor visits and health issues, but that's a recent development with her, and she's over 90. She has always had wide-ranging interests.

Aside from her, the people in my seniors-only community talk all the time about all kinds of things, aside from those 3, such as: Local issues, activities within the community (used to be a lot more of them, obviously, but we still talk about them, sometimes wondering when they will be reinstated), good movies on Netflix, etc., travel, family, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, golf scores, good books, gardening, knitting, other hobbies, appliance problems, home repair and improvement, where we went to school, nostalgic memories, etc.

P.S. I left out a big one: technology. Everybody is either intrigued with the latest gadgets and things they can do, their phones, computers, Alexa-type assistants, Roku for streaming.... or else they are complaining about how they don't work. Many seniors seem to consider themselves technologically deficient, something I don't agree with. Just think of all the old "stuff" we had to learn about, and then mostly unlearn. Our brains have just so much room!
 
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StarSong said:
There have been many, many discussions on this topic over the years. They've gotten heated.
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I'll check the archives for one.

I remember, Roy C. he was in his 60s when I met him and I was in my 30s then. He was a volunteer in a hospice center. He's the decent type of gay~ educated, gentle, mild mannered and handsome (he looked like Rock Hudson). My gay-dar is very sensitive, I knew it before he confirmed and told me about his longtime lover. Gay marriage was not in the horizon then. If it was, I'm sure they would've gotten married. I wept when his lover called me to say he passed away BUT was glad he slipped away peacefully to the next life. I wept for myself for losing a beloved friend. I missed his sage advice when I needed one.
 
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I wouldn't think in this day and age, a discussion on gay marriage would be explosive. Each to his own, When this topic was discussed in one of my Psych classes, some heated discussions did arise, but at the conclusion, our professor reminded all of us; no one can predict with whom they will fall in love."
 
LindaB said:
TV news is never turned off so they are steeped in political BS all day, which btw probably impacts their health.
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I've seen studies validating this and know from experience that I feel stressed when exposed to TV politics. I don't like background TV noise in general (have never had cable on my own as an adult), but HATE TV politics. I like to read about issues online from a variety of sources and try to figure out what's true.
 

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