How old is too old?

That is my exact story that goes with my " on call casual " log book that I use when the boss has me take a load 500 miles to swap, after my normal 60 to 70 hour week, cause somebody fell off a load cause their ##### hurts.

 

Sad it boils down to money.

As for the dementia, the elderly get WTF confused when they are out of their element even when they don't have dementia.
I don't know how anyone could leave their kin in a situation like that.
There's a few people in my family that will absolutely take the by pass around Phoenix, rather than take a chance on bumping into me, and they are wise to do so.

I took the old man to Vegas about year/ half ago. He stayed up almost 48 hours playing poker
( Golden Nugget ).
I'm floating between craps & the sportsbook, some lady comes running up to me " YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT THAT POS IS SAYING TO YOUR FATHER !!! HE IS THE NICEST MAN JUST A LITTLE SLOW !"

I'm going wow, was just by to see him like 15 minutes ago.
So this clown is losing, which is the root of it, but he's on a rant, calling my Dad " it " & " that thing ."
So I sit down on the table on his chips, almost in his lap & explain " I'm the thing's son, that's my Dad, and we're going outside to discuss this."
Security grabs me. Grabs him. Tosses him out the back. Then lets me go so I can wheel the old man out.
The guy running the poker room apologized to us, but said we had to go for at least 24 hours.
Told him all good.

Always do the right thing, regardless of the consequences.

 

The last time security anything grabbed me I jerked and #### near tossed him. It was automatic. I hate it when people do that. That is why I live quietly so that I don't do something stupid and kill people by a whoops did I do that? (Curse you Steve Rukel!!!)

Anyway.

I had a company car and spent half a day on a steamboat padding my thin payroll and doing well. Came back to the yard to find a room ful of hostiles ready to kick my ### rather than see me do that again ever. Long story short I ended up playing the role of a cab driver shuttling 50 people back and forth to walmart and then staying with the on the curb line like a servant not worthy of notice, in fact to say anything got a beating because it was a punishment night.

Next day when two states from the company yard under a load what do I see? The stupid company car wanting me to stop and chat with them. Figured it will take this fella 14 hours to get back to the yard with more people waiting for him I wanted nothng to do with that. That mended some fences that week.

You can make a bunch of friends, but if you are going to make enemies and do it royally in bulk.. you might as well consider leaving for pago-pago or something.

 

It's not the age that concerns me, it's the morbidly obese drivers that can barely climb in and out of their tractor, let alone a trailer that concerns me. There are still plenty of chiropractors, quacks, etc., that will sign off medicals.

 

You've been in the wrong nursing homes. I've got 2 sisters, a niece, and my mom, who've worked in nursing homes for a long time. I can assure you, their charges aren't treated like that.

 

The ones I worry about are those that whose staff either withholds meds as punishment or abuse or worse, a little for the patient and alot for you and you and you.

 

MTOO,my sentiments exactly,we are both in the indentical boat.I could have trucked longer,just renewed all my credentials,hazmat,twic,two year physical,etc,truck-trailer paid for no debt.But then I thought why?I had a good run,never hurt anyone,trucked my whole life,great memories,enjoyed the hell out of it for the most part,and financially I'm good.But I just really didn't like the way trucking is headed in general,so why put up with it.LIFE is too short,let the younger guys that want to do it now,have at it,and hope they will have a rewarding and profitable career also.
Enjoy your retirement mtoo,I'm sure as hell enjoying mine.

 

I know a place. You hit the big 60. It is a mandatory physical every year. Good thing I am still a teenager...

 

Realistically speaking, when you hit 70, it is time to pack it in.