Oldest person you ever knew?

[Shangas]

Grandmothers that you're close to always illicit that sort of reaction. My gran was seldom angry with me. I knew that no matter what the time of night was (gran went to bed early, about 9:00pm), if I went in to sleep with her, she was never angry that I'd woken her up. She would just roll over and pat the bed and I'd sneak in next to her and she would cuddle me to sleep...

 

[Seb Lucas]

Oldest guy I knew was 98. He was pretty strong for his age. His sons died before him. They were in their 70's. I offered my condolences on the death of his last son at 77. He shrugged and responded, "well, he was old."

 

[Shangas]

Hahaha!! Wow...I'm sorry but it made me laugh.

 

[Feraud]

Oldest guy I knew was 98. He was pretty strong for his age. His sons died before him. They were in their 70's. I offered my condolences on the death of his last son at 77. He shrugged and responded, "well, he was old."

Reminds me of my grandmother's comment. When she first entered assisted living (at age 90) she looked around and commented, "I shouldn't be here, this place is for old people.."
My family laughed and thought she was "losing it" but understood her comment. At 90 years old she was more lucid and had less physical issues than everyone around her.

 

[Shangas]

Some people take offence at the suggestion that they need assisted living. It's a big change. In my grandmother's case, we had no choice. Her Alzheimers was getting to the stage where having her live at home was a serious safety hazard.

 

[LuvMyMan]

My Mother is going on 92, my Husband's family had a friend who just passed not too long ago, Mabel Poorman, she lived to be 104, his Great Grandfather lived just a few weeks shy of 100 and was still working up to about a few weeks before he passed away.

I have an Aunt that is 95 and still so sharp, you'd think she was merely 40.

One of my dogs is 15. lol!

 

[LuvMyMan]

Some people take offence at the suggestion that they need assisted living. It's a big change. In my grandmother's case, we had no choice. Her Alzheimers was getting to the stage where having her live at home was a serious safety hazard.

I am almost at that point with my Mother, but she is still able to do some things for herself and most of the time she has fairly normal conversations. But to keep her clean, is another story and she gets real stubborn about being told to do basic daily things like brush her teeth. She is legally blind and has issues seeing what she needs to see, I am sure that has a hand in her other problems. But she is basically happy, and in very good health and eats like a horse for such a small person, she is only about 5 foot tall if that and maybe 115 pounds. Her "long term memory" is fantastic, she can tell you anything about the past history of the USA and the world, but cannot tell you what she had for breakfast nor what day or month or year it is. She still thinks Eisenhower is the President...(we wish)....lol!

 

[Stearmen]

The sadist call I ever got, was after my Mom passed away at 83. It was her friend of 60 years, she was giving me condolences, when she started to cry and said, "all my friends are gone!" She lived another year, I think she was 98. It can be a curse to out live so many.

 

[Shangas]

I am almost at that point with my Mother, but she is still able to do some things for herself and most of the time she has fairly normal conversations. But to keep her clean, is another story and she gets real stubborn about being told to do basic daily things like brush her teeth. She is legally blind and has issues seeing what she needs to see, I am sure that has a hand in her other problems. But she is basically happy, and in very good health and eats like a horse for such a small person, she is only about 5 foot tall if that and maybe 115 pounds. Her "long term memory" is fantastic, she can tell you anything about the past history of the USA and the world, but cannot tell you what she had for breakfast nor what day or month or year it is. She still thinks Eisenhower is the President...(we wish)....lol!

LMM,

REAL, HARDCORE Alzheimers is a crushing disease. I've seen it from the very start to the very finish. TWICE. I would keep a very close eye on your mother. When it hits you, it'll be like a kick in the guts. It took my dad YEARS to finally accept that my grandmother had Alzheimers. And it brought one of my cousins to tears when he found out.

It may seem funny now, but when it gets really bad, you'll stop laughing.

My grandmother was much like your mother. She would forget simple things like turning off lights or turning off the stove or opening or closing a door. And her long-term memory was FANTASTIC. I mean she remembered the names of HER PARENTS at the age of 96! These are people who by now, would've been dead at least 50 years. Nobody else in the family knows who they are. But SHE DID, and we wrote them down before she forgot.

But as time goes by, the memory-loss will just get worse, and worse, and worse. Until she really will not be able to live at home. It's far too much of a safety hazard. I'm legally blind myself. At my age it's not really an issue. At your mother's age, and with Alzheimers, it could be a real danger.

 

[Atticus Finch]

Some of you may already know that my mom has been battling Alzheimer’s for six or seven years. Its hard to know for sure because she and my father successfully hid her beginning symptoms for a long time. She’s currently in a memory care unit and she was in an assisted living facility for several years before that. I am an only child and her only relative who can care for her, so I’ve watched this disease progress from a very close vantage point.

Memory loss is only one of the effects of Alzheimer’s and it is hardly the worst of what the disease does to its victim. Alzheimer’s attacks all areas of the brain, so the victim’s ability to talk, reason, balance themselves, feel hunger or thirst, remain continent, grasp reality, interact with loved ones…or in any way remain a normal human being…is severely compromised. And the disease is by no means merciful or quick. I understand that the average time between onset and death is about twelve years. And those last several years are truly terrible.

AF

 

[LuvMyMan]

LMM,

REAL, HARDCORE Alzheimers is a crushing disease. I've seen it from the very start to the very finish. TWICE. I would keep a very close eye on your mother. When it hits you, it'll be like a kick in the guts. It took my dad YEARS to finally accept that my grandmother had Alzheimers. And it brought one of my cousins to tears when he found out.

It may seem funny now, but when it gets really bad, you'll stop laughing.

My grandmother was much like your mother. She would forget simple things like turning off lights or turning off the stove or opening or closing a door. And her long-term memory was FANTASTIC. I mean she remembered the names of HER PARENTS at the age of 96! These are people who by now, would've been dead at least 50 years. Nobody else in the family knows who they are. But SHE DID, and we wrote them down before she forgot.

But as time goes by, the memory-loss will just get worse, and worse, and worse. Until she really will not be able to live at home. It's far too much of a safety hazard. I'm legally blind myself. At my age it's not really an issue. At your mother's age, and with Alzheimers, it could be a real danger.

Thank you for sharing what happened with you and your loved ones. Both myself and Daniel and some of the closer relatives have been debating about who and what to do with my Mom. She is now not bothering with the stove, and we have talked about doing some safety issue related things such as putting all sharp knives up out of her reach. So for right now some things are going not too bad, but we have seen a marked decline in her ability in just a two year period of time. I've had some experts come to evaluate her and to position her into a program which may help for now. It may be she is going to be here in our home for a year or maybe two longer, but when things come to where we have to restrain her or anything that is too much for us to handle, then she will have to be placed into some facility. She already knows her mind is going, and it bothers her greatly to understand her mind is slipping away. But we tell her as much as we can and then have been doing what can be done to help her. Vitamins Omega, B vitamins, and her diet. She eats well and has a good diet of fruit and veggies along with the other dishes we make. Oddly she keeps everything in her dressers so well folded and organized, by Husband says she is as good as a recruit in boot camp on taking care of being neat and orderly in her room. Watch out everywhere else. She will try to put the cat in the microwave if we are not watching.

You would think by now, as much as they do know about Alzheimer disease, they would have found a fool proof prevention or cure by now.

As serious as it is, Daniel has stated to me if he were to ever get that bad, his cure is to parachute without a chute. For now, we just pray all the time for my Mom to remain at least at the level she is. She can ask me a few hundred times a day, "anything I can do to help"? I tell her to write a list for the grocery store. That takes her a long time to do and keeps her thinking.

 

[LuvMyMan]

Some of you may already know that my mom has been battling Alzheimer’s for six or seven years. Its hard to know for sure because she and my father successfully hid her beginning symptoms for a long time. She’s currently in a memory care unit and she was in an assisted living facility for several years before that. I am an only child and her only relative who can care for her, so I’ve watched this disease progress from a very close vantage point.

Memory loss is only one of the effects of Alzheimer’s and it is hardly the worst of what the disease does to its victim. Alzheimer’s attacks all areas of the brain, so the victim’s ability to talk, reason, balance themselves, feel hunger or thirst, remain continent, grasp reality, interact with loved ones…or in any way remain a normal human being…is severely compromised. And the disease is by no means merciful or quick. I understand that the average time between onset and death is about twelve years. And those last several years are truly terrible.

AF

Yes that is so very true. My Husband's Step Grandmother had it for a long time. The last 19 years of her life she was "gone". His Grandpa had enough funds to have her in a place that would take care of her and keep her alive. 19 years of being non ambulatory and unaware of anything around her. They did not however have her on any life support and when she just stopped breathing, that was it. She was a great lady. Married to one heck of a good man.

One researcher states that over a period of time, it may be that what has been eaten and lacking of certain nutritional needs that our brains needed to virtually stay healthy, is the root of the problem...and not simply an "old age" issue.

 

[Chas]

Oldest person I know?

Dal Richards. He's 94, has led bands since 1938. He lost an eye as a boy and as a result he couldn't serve in the military; he once had Roy Rogers and Trigger stride onto the dance floor of the Starlight Roof at The Hotel Vancouver just as he was giving the downbeat for the last song of the night. He still leads a big band, has helped launch the careers of Michael Buble, Bria Skonberg and gigs as much as four times a week. He's known Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Liberace and Lena Horne once stayed at his house.



I once met and danced with Jean Veloz, though I can't claim to know her. She's 94 IIRC.

 

[Stearmen]

Here is an update on the last living people born in the 19th century. Grace Jones was the last person in Great Britain to have the honers. Now there are just 5, three Americans, one Japanese and one from Italy. The Italian is the youngest, so has the best shot, but, with three, America has better odds. Then again, if Misao Okawa just ties France's Jeanne Calment at 122 when she passed away, Misao still has 7 years. It is strange, I knew quite a few people born in the 19th century, including two of my Grandparents. they are all gone, since the 1980s! http://io9.com/how-many-people-born-in-the-1800s-are-still-alive-1465156510

 

[Hat Dandy]

My grandfather is the oldest person I ever knew. In fact, I still know him and is good health. If all goes well, he's going to be 100 in just a few months.

 

[Stearmen]

With the passing of Misao Okawa age 117, we are now down to only four people in the entire world that were born in the 19th century! The oldest person ever, who was fully documented was Jeanne Louise Calment (France) who was 122. Since the youngest of the four was born in 1899, we may have at least one for the next six years. That's not very long, sad.

 

[Stanley Doble]

Speaking of old people, how would you like to meet the grandson of President John Tyler, 10th president of the United States?

Here was a man who was born in 1790, became president in 1841, and was elected to the first Confederate congress in 1861.

He had 8 children with his first wife and 7 with his second. The youngest of these children, Pearl Tyler, survived until 1947.

John Tyler's 13th child, Lyon Gardner Tyler lived from 1853 to 1935. He married his second wife when he was nearly 70, and two of his sons are alive today. Lyon Gardner Tyler Jr. and Harrison Ruffin Tyler, both born in the 1920s.

So, if you want to shake hands with someone whose grandfather was a contemporary of George Washington here is your chance.

 

[HudsonHawk]

Speaking of old people, how would you like to meet the grandson of President John Tyler, 10th president of the United States?

Here was a man who was born in 1790, became president in 1841, and was elected to the first Confederate congress in 1861.

He had 8 children with his first wife and 7 with his second. The youngest of these children, Pearl Tyler, survived until 1947.

John Tyler's 13th child, Lyon Gardner Tyler lived from 1853 to 1935. He married his second wife when he was nearly 70, and two of his sons are alive today. Lyon Gardner Tyler Jr. and Harrison Ruffin Tyler, both born in the 1920s.

So, if you want to shake hands with someone whose grandfather was a contemporary of George Washington here is your chance.

While flipping channels last night, I watched a bit on History about the Battle of Gettysburg. I was reminded that my great-great grandfather fought in the battle, on the Confederate side, and was taken as a Union POW. And he wasn't a youngster either. He was born in 1831, and was similar to Tyler, in that he had many children until late in life. In fact, he married, had a bunch of children, was widowed then married his wife's sister and had a bunch more, my great grandfather being the youngest, born in 1895. Of course, I knew my great grandfather well. So I remember talking about men walking on the moon with someone who's father fought at Gettysburg.

 

[Stearmen]

While flipping channels last night, I watched a bit on History about the Battle of Gettysburg. I was reminded that my great-great grandfather fought in the battle, on the Confederate side, and was taken as a Union POW. And he wasn't a youngster either. He was born in 1831, and was similar to Tyler, in that he had many children until late in life. In fact, he married, had a bunch of children, was widowed then married his wife's sister and had a bunch more, my great grandfather being the youngest, born in 1895. Of course, I knew my great grandfather well. So I remember talking about men walking on the moon with someone who's father fought at Gettysburg.

I was wondering about that the other day. How many children of Confederate veterans are still alive? As you know, during the depression, it was almost a sport for young women to seek out the veterans because of their pensions. Not sure when the last child was born? Since! know quite a few people born in the 1930s, it stands to reason there are at least a few left!

 

[Fading Fast]

When I was very young - 5 or 6 - my great grandfather was still alive and "having come over from the old country" his age was then estimated at 106, which means he was born around 1864. I remember him as a very slight man (maybe 5'1", maybe 100 lbs soaking wet") always neatly dressed in a suit and tie. He slept a lot, and would nod off during conversation, but was alert and coherent when he was awake. I often think about him be a connect for me back to 1864 and me to him forward to 2015.