As a nurse practitioner, I’ve had many conversations with people about how long they want to live. In fact, part of my routine as a primary care provider has been to have a conversation about end of life issues, fill out a POLST form (portable/physician orders for life sustaining treatment), and talk about advanced directives and living wills with all of my patients. Even for younger patients, I have talked about life goals and strategies to reach those goals in terms of length of life. In all these conversations, I have found that we bend towards extrending life as long as it involves health. Even the idea of “living fast and dying young” is more of an abstract teenage angst as opposed to an actual cognitive choice. People, and all livings things in general, want to be alive.
My ideas on life and death are informed by years of seeing, in more detail then most, the end game. I used to be an ICU nurse, and have watched many people die: many peacefully, and many horribly. I’ve also followed patients for years and watched the slow deterioration over time that inevitably ends in death. Signing death certificates has been part of my professional duties.
In this context, I’ve thought about the length of my life a lot, and then the general concept of long life and death. My conclusion in the matter is the following:
- I want to have the fullest and longest life possible
- Define a full life: a life full of health, adventure, and excellent relationships
- Define health: feeling good and being able to do what I want
I guess my answer is fairly simple to this complex question. There are many confounding factors that can certainly complicate the issue: dementia, cancer, heart failure, natural death versus artificially extended, addiction, and the many different aspects of mental health. Do these issues change my basic premise. Not really. Do sociological implications of long life change my thinking? In other words, human overpopulation, exploitation of the young in order to support the old, economic injustice, global inequity, and other real issues amplified by an aging population. Not really. I fall back on my very basic premise: life is worth living. I want to be alive.
Does this mean that we always push for extended life? I do not think so. Remember the definition: a full life and one full of health. When I reach the end, I think acceptance is in order and that allowing for the end of life is just part of reality and being honest with myself. I think planning for that end is a wise move.
I guess I have just believed this my whole life, and I have had the profound pleasure and honor of working in a field every day where I get to help others achieve health and long life, and encourage wellness and fullness along the way. And then in the end, I help people plan for death and think through the issues so that they can age with dignity and in a way that reflects their goals and values. I genuinely believe that all the details, bad luck, bad choices, and complications are very important and worth deep discussion, but only in the context of the intrinsic value of life.
Living a long, healthy life is my goal, and I am inspired to encourage you along the way as well. Healthy choices and lifestyle increase your odds of a pleasant aging process and a better ending.
The concept of living a long life is one I embrace and help others grasp.
Myhealthadventure 
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