"Scuba Diving Killing Older Divers"

[bygolly]

OMG that is too funny! I am 63

Och, 63 yes, but ye are still a fair bonny lass.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Och, 63 yes, but ye are still a fair bonny lass.

:lol: with a few more kilos than I used to carry and a few aches and pains from a well lived active life... thanks BG:blush:

 

[herbdb]

Guess I misunderstood your post. I apologise, but you are still pretty young.

 

[Diver0001]

FYI:

CDNN :: Scuba Diving Killing Older Divers

No suprise there - pre-exisitng medical conditions, both known & unknown, affect our cohort to a greater extent than the hatchlings.

So...with all the wisdom of the ages at our disposal, there is no need to experience a "suprise" down in the briny blue, medically speaking, agreed? Though we can never completely eliminate the chance that we might experience a medical "event" while diving, it behooves us to do all we can to prevent an event.

Regards,
DSD

Link is dead.

All I can say is that aside from medical issues that may stop me, I'll be diving on my 100th birthday!

R..

 

[gypsyjim]

It seems to me that what is killing a lot of older scuba divers is age itself.

Eliminate that aging thing, and for most of us diver's, and other people's, longevity might just improve.

As I see it, even if I quit diving today, that age thing is still going to find a way to wipe me out, even if I spent my remaining years hiding in some nursing home.

 

[hroark2112]

I hear that a lot of older folks are dying while breathing air...

Dammit

 

[jimbeeler]

I realize this is an old thread but I have this question.... What is it about diving that would cause a "mature" person to have problems? As a 62 year old, I find there are two things that really relax me, motorcycle riding and Scuba diving.

I don't really see what it is about diving that would be detrimental to my health. Now it can be a chore to climb long stairs getting out of a quarry, or getting on a heaving boat with all of the gear on, but other than that, I see nothing that would cause distress to my body. I'm a bit over weight with slightly high BP and high Cholesterol (treated with medication) and do have an annual physical.

Can someone enlighten me as to why just being older is a reason to stop diving?

Jim

 

[gypsyjim]

I believe that at least some of the concern is, what the impact of one of us geezers passing while diving would have on other divers who would be involved in search and recovery.
Older people can have health issues, on land, or in h2o, but even minor problems under the water can lead to a fatal outcome. Other divers and responders become involved at that point, not just the diver.

I am on the fence on this, thinking about everyone's ideas. As a fellow aging diver, and biker I am pretty independent and strong willed, but I have to recognize that others may be badly impacted by my choices.

 

[jimbeeler]

I am on the fence on this, thinking about everyone's ideas. As a fellow aging diver, and biker I am pretty independent and strong willed, but I have to recognize that others may be badly impacted by my choices.

I understand what you are saying. That's why I take all possible precautions while riding and diving.

There is an unfortunate byproduct of aging... The body ain't what it used to be. I started a couple of months ago wearing a 40lb weight vest and getting on the treadmill, climbing the stairs in my house and lifting weights just to try to help get myself in shape to haul around my scuba diving equipment when it warms up and I can get back out there.

Bottom line, if you have regular checkups and there's no condition that would prevent you from diving, there's no reason why anyone should object to you diving just because of your age.

Jim

 

[gypsyjim]

My dad drove himself pretty hard to keep in shape after he retired. My mom found him dead beside the exercise bike.

In perfect health, he dropped off the bike, dead. Schitt happens.