Senior Citizens Diving...

[rdharbis1]

I am on MikeeH's side! Let me know if you find any of those discounts! I will stop rolling the AARP stuff into fireplace logs!
Randy

 

[scubajoh44]

Yes, yes, yes. Daddy's going to keep diving (not that I could stop him anyway). I guess I just needed to get others opinions. I got a little scared and nervous when I noticed that he actually wasn't superman and did need a little help with some things. He has always been my hero. Thanks for all the advice and I'm looking forward to many more years with Daddy in the water. ;0)

 

[Rick Murchison]

Eh??? What was the question????
Somebody hand me my gear, wouldja?
Rick

 

[dkktsunami]

Dive to live, live to dive. It's a blessing that your dad has found something he loves and can share it with you. I'm not far behind in years and diving is a reason to stay healthy and active, to exercise, to keep a good diet, to hold down the cocktails. I'm also convinced that God lives under water - diving is like going to church for me.

 

[Rick Murchison]

By the way, just as sort of a yardstick, I have a fellow who's 85 in my current open water class. Insists on carrying his own tank, too!
He flew F6F's in the Navy.
Rick

 

[dive_lover88]

Come on...you people aint old,you are always young at heart!

 

[tlawler]

I hadn't seen this addressed in the thread...and this might be a question for a dive savvy physician, but would diving with nitrox perhaps decrease the SAC of an older individual? I'm 43 and it seems to with me. Hard to tell, but my AI dive computer seems to bear it out. The reason an older person would breathe more air is because their lungs aren't as efficient at utilizing the O2 at 21%, so they compensate by breathing more. Conversely, a higher PO2 should decrease their SAC. Any thoughts on this from someone qualified to comment?

 

[Rick Murchison]

I hadn't seen this addressed in the thread...and this might be a question for a dive savvy physician, but would diving with nitrox perhaps decrease the SAC of an older individual? I'm 43 and it seems to with me. Hard to tell, but my AI dive computer seems to bear it out. The reason an older person would breathe more air is because their lungs aren't as efficient at utilizing the O2 at 21%, so they compensate by breathing more. Conversely, a higher PO2 should decrease their SAC. Any thoughts on this from someone qualified to comment?

Well, considering that (1) while diving your PO2 is always above .21 even on air, and (2) your breathing rate is almost entirely controlled by CO2 and not Oxygen, I doubt there's anything to it. I think that Nitrox divers do frequently see a decreased SCR, but I think it's attributable to the normal improvement with experience - and new Nitrox divers tend to be getting Nitrox certified during their peak "improving-SCR" experience level.
I'd bet that a double blind study on it would be incomclusive
Rick

 

[Ron Brandt]

My "Daddy" is a LOOOONNNNNGGGG time diver. His is now 68 and in good health FOR 68. We went cavern diving this summer in Cancun. He had to have help getting his equipment down the steps (it was quite a way). Simply, he's just not in as good of shape as a 20, 30, 40, ect... Now that I noticed that, I see that he manages to "slyly" get someone to set his BC rig in the water or have someone get his tank somewhere. Always on the "sly". When should he quit diving? He really sucks down the air now too. I have almost 400 dives now and they are ALL with him. It's going to break my heart the first time I dive without him, but deffinately don't want him to dive if he can't handle it. I think I'll have to be the one that tells him it's time to stop. Don't EVER see him admitting it.

"I want in the water. Leave me alone." :help_2:

Personally,I carry my gear down to the water and put it on in the water as routine.

I was on a dive boat in Coz a few years back and I felt like a kid on the boat. I was 45 and the average age was 70 ! These people could dive,have dove everyware and had LOTS OF MONEY.

I hope when I am that age I am still teaching scuba let alone the money thing.

Ron

 

[pasley]

Scubajoh44,
Treasure these days with your father. Let him dive as long as he cooses to. When it is time he will know it. If something does happen, is it not better to go doing somthing you love than to spend 2 years sitting on a couch or bed waiting for that day to come?

I might also suggest that you find another dive partner to ocasionally dive with. Could be some presure on Dad to continue diving because you love it so and have not one else to dive with. As far as I am conserned, set his rig up, carry it into the water and help him put it on for as long as he wants to do it and the doctor says its ok.