For long time readers of this column/blog/rant, I heard some bad news today. I started writing by retelling news stories of exceptional older adults. One that has stood out for me as The Senior was Edna Parker of Indiana. Mrs. Parker died last Wednesday at 115 years old. She was preceded in death by her husband 69 years ago! She was not the type who gave advice on longevity like drink a beer everyday and don’t smoke. She encouraged education among her offspring which included 13 great-great-grandchildren. The odd parts of a story are the parts I enjoy. In August another noteworthy woman died at the same facility as Mrs. Parker. It was 7’7” Sandy Allen, Guinness’ record holder as the worlds tallest woman.

Two other bits of news are brought to mind by this story. One is the benefit that older cancer patients receive if they get home care focused on rehabilitation. Exercise and activity that younger patients may get from the need to return to work or other social pressure may leave older patients at risk of losing functional ability and increase the need for moving to a nursing home. The other story is a report in the United Kingdom of the difference in the wishes of older adults at the end of life to die at home, and the reality of the larger number whose end comes in a hospital bed. They are trying to sort out what factors create this disregard for the persons plan. Because of the system of public medicine in England, the factors we might expect in the US are less likely to control, such as hospitals billing higher technical support making money on terminally ill patients. The factors they have identified are age and medical condition. The part I’m interested in is that 56-75% of brits state they prefer to die at home. I will look for US figures to compare.