I hope you make it Peyton, it is worth the effort to still be lucid and ambulatory at 86! But starting early is a requirement, you can't limp into your 70's and expect to recover enough to be vital in your 80's. By now I have seen some great examples of people who last a long time happily but too many incidences of people coming up short by not paying attention early on. And right now I know a lot of people in their late 60's to mid 70's who all seem to have one thing in common: They drink too much. It is almost a guarantee that if they reach their 80's they will be mumbling and stumbling by that time and fighting a perpetual hangover daze. Sadly I saw way too much of that again last month with seemingly intelligent people getting shit faced and making asses of themselves.
Next to alcohol the next thing that seems to retard longevity is probably overweight. The weight thing is just backwards-when you are young and strong you can manage some extra weight but most get heavy as they age when bones and muscle are weaker and less able to carry the extra load. Obesity is a huge quality of life inhibitor.
I had great examples in my life of what to do and what not to do. In my mom's family everyone lived into their late 80's and late 90's and were enjoyable to be around. My dad's family was the opposite with few even making it to the 70's. My dad was gone at 68 after a 1 year retirement while I have been retired for 24 years, easily the best years of my life. No one in my mom's family ever smoked, everyone in my dad's family did and the same with drinking. My dad's parents were well to do but I hated staying there as they were gloomy dour people that complained a lot despite having a lot. On the other hand my mom's parents were poor dirt farmers that had very little but were happy, ebullient and great fun to be with, my grandpa having got me addicted to fishing in 1946. Thankfully I took after my mom's side of the family...
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