Inspiring Octogenarian's

BenEadir

Hi all,

Not sure if I qualify as an Oulfella just yet (mid 40's) but I seem to be in a minority amongst family and friends when I say I want to work into my 80's. Most of my friends can't wait to 'retire'.

I'm inspired by octogenarian's such as Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, Warren Buffett and Alan Greenspan all of whom had active careers into their 80's, not because they 'needed' to keep working for financial purposes but because they enjoyed their work and it gave them a sense of purpose or achievement.

I know we all can't be well known sports commentators, world renowned investors or central bank governors but I believe we can still enjoy and get satisfaction from working regardless of what it is as long as we are mentally and physically able to do it. I know of a pub owner in the midlands well into his 80's who opens up every night, serves his customers, gives and takes plenty of slagging, cleans up and closes up around 2am and does so 363 days a year not because he has to (he could have sold and retired many times over) but because it's what he does and he enjoys it.

I also feel too many people retire young thinking retirement is going to be some sort of eternal holiday (grass is greener etc) only to morph into daytime tv watching vegetables within a year or two and I hate the very idea of that.

What do people think?

Can we compile a list of (famous or otherwise) of people who worked into their 80's and are an inspiration to those of who want to follow in their footsteps??

Cheers,

Ben

looksee

You are still in your 40s, its a bit soon to be deciding when you are going to retire and what age you will work till. Life has a way of going its own way and we don't have a great deal of control of it. If you get to your 70s still working, good for you, no harm in hoping to do that. But you still have your 50s and 60s to live through, enjoy them!

BenEadir

looksee wrote: »

You are still in your 40s, its a bit soon to be deciding when you are going to retire and what age you will work till. Life has a way of going its own way and we don't have a great deal of control of it. If you get to your 70s still working, good for you, no harm in hoping to do that. But you still have your 50s and 60s to live through, enjoy them!

Don't worry Looksee, I'm not deciding anything now and I fully intend to enjoy the next 25 years before hitting my 70's but I have always admired active octogenarian's and would like to compile a list of same who people here find inspiring.

Any additions to my list?

Ben

Jellybaby1

There are lots of people working into their 70's and 80's but mainly because their jobs allow it. We had a thread here a while back about employers getting rid of their older employees. My view is, if you are still able to do your job you should be allowed to stay on. However younger posters were mightily against it but I can hazard a guess they might have been managers!

I know a man who had his 90th birthday recently and he is in better nick than the man who took over his job over twenty years ago.

What about Gay Byrne, still earning a crust along with a lot of other older folk in RTE. Some famous aged actors still manage to get roles. Of course if you are self-employed its really up to yourself. I'm afraid I'm not being much help.

BenEadir

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

I'm afraid I'm not being much help.

Not at all Jellybaby. Whilst Uncle Gaybo isn't my cup of tea (I find him very patronising) there is no debating his success and his continued contribution to broadcasting and road safety etc. Not quite an octogenarian yet though, he won't be 80 until August 2014

Any more suggestions? C'mon Oulwans 'n' Oulfellas, quit watching Jeremy Kyle, get your thinking caps on and let's build a list of 100 inspiring Octogenarians

Ben

BenEadir

Rupert Murdock

BenEadir

http://www.inc.com/ss/8-over-80-americas-coolest-octogenarian-and-then-some-entrepreneurs#2 Amazing!!

Esel

BenThere wrote: »

I'm inspired by octogenarians such as Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, Warren Buffett and Alan Greenspan all of whom had active careers into their 80's

Don't be inspired by Alan Greenspan. His Ayn Rand fixation was a major cause of the current almost worldwide balance-sheet recession. If he had retired (or been retired) at 65 we wouldn't all be in such dire straits now....

Anyway, I hope you live long enough to realise your dream!

BenEadir

Esel wrote: »

His Ayn Rand fixation

?????

Stained Class

I've glanced at this thread a few times & have been surprised at the lack of response to it.

What are old people like nowadays? Eh?

For a start, there's David Attenborough. Still making programmes for the BBC at the age of 86.

Also. there's Phill the Greek, still bloodymindededly perforfoming his duties.
He doesent qualify for this thread though.

He's too old. He's 91.

On a personal note, my Dad (Class Sr) started his working life as a Motor mechanic in 1951.

Today, he's fast approaching 80 & still turns up for work 6 days a week fixing stuff for people.

Not 'cos he has to, it's just what he does..........

Me?. I'm a (middle aged) lazy bugger & refuse to comtemplate the idea of working into old age.:D

Esel

BenThere wrote: »

?????

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayn_Rand

looksee

I'd like to respond here but I'm afraid my response is going to sound a bit patronising. And I have no idea if it is typical.

I am 14 years away from being an octogenarian. Considering the speed with which Christmases come round, that doesn't seem very long. I don't need to be inspired by other people at this stage in my life. I'm doing my best with what I have, and being a bit alarmed at the rate I am slowing down, even though I have quite a demanding range of interests. You need more than inspiration to be active at 80, you also need health and luck.

Those people who are still active and productive at 80 are indeed to be admired, but being inspired suggests that you can aim to be that way yourself. You do come to realise that looking forward at this stage is less helpful than living in the moment and enjoying the company of younger people. I prefer not to visualise myself as an octogenarian, I would rather be myself, now.

BenEadir

looksee wrote: »

You need more than inspiration to be active at 80, you also need health and luck.

That is very true but health is something we have some degree of control over and to my (perhaps naive) way of thinking if I can find inspiration in octogenarians who are still active/working (David Attenborough being a great example) it will help motivate me to live a little healtier and do a little more excercise etc in order that I might (with a little luck) achieve something similar in my own life.

There is longevity on both sides of my family so I'm hoping it will trickle down to me. My father (who smoked 40 Players Navy Cut unfiltered cigarettes a day for 75 years) died aged 85 and his aunt aged 99 was at his funeral :eek:

BTW, planning for an active old age doesn't mean I don't live for now. Anyone who knows me would tell you I try to do as much living now as I can because despite the best laid plans I'm fully aware that tomorrow I could be knocked down and killed.

So, back on topic. Any more inspiring octogenarians we can think of?

Ben

Jellybaby1

How about Maureen O'Hara, she will be 93 in August. She still got roles in her 80's.

BenEadir

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

How about Maureen O'Hara, she will be 93 in August. She still got roles in her 80's.

Yep, she wouldn't be my cup of tea but no denying the longevity of her career. Maureen Potter would be another entertainer who had an amazingly long career but didn't quite make it to Octogenarian status.

My personal favourite Octogenarian from the Irish entertainment sector would be David Kelly http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0446303/?ref_=tt_ov_st, he was a great actor who had a really positive attitude to life and always represented his characters very well. Who will ever forget his roles in Fawlty Towers, Waking Ned or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory??

Ben

Jellybaby1

Would absolutely agree with you there on David Kelly. I started watching him with Jimmy O'Dea on RTE in O'Dea's Your Man. Here's a link, you have to suffer through a few adverts first though:

http://www.rte.ie/player/ie/show/1145386/

Edit: What about Peter O'Toole?