An old friend of mine, 86 years old seems to be fading away. He doesn't have an internet connection, or even a computer. He watches the tape on CNBC. You would think it's foolish to trade from the tape, but after the 08 meltdown he made a small fortune in Ford and a little bit in GE. Last year he made a chunk in FNMA. Right now the only position he has is BAC, he bought 60,000 shares at an average cost of 8.15. I'm not sure if that's what's bothering him, or if it's his age. Earlier this year he fell and was in bad enough shape that he was admitted to the hospital and then sent to a nursing home for a month. He's barely eating anything and becoming incontinent. I'm not sure what his net worth is, but it's probably close to $1M. He's a cheap SOB, wears threadbare clothes and lives in an old dump of an apartment. I can't really think of anything to perk him up and I don't know if I should bring up moving to a nursing or a retirement home. I never had to handle the problem of aging parents, so I don't know what I should do here with my friend.
Old trader not doing very well
- Thread starter hughb
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86 and male....he's already beating the odds.
Show him Cassie's girlie picture thread. If that don't perk him up, nothing will.
It's the only thing keeping old Rennick alive!
It's the only thing keeping old Rennick alive!
If he is truly a friend, buy him a cheap-assed laptop computer and a month of mobile airtime on your own nickel and bring him here. I will personally make it my mission to communicate with him, oldster to oldster, about what he wants to be when he grows up.
Quote from Option_Attack:
Show him Cassie's girlie picture thread. If that don't perk him up, nothing will.
It's the only thing keeping old Rennick alive!
Still getting plenty of trim Pal
To the OP, just look after the old fella when you can... maybe you'll learn a thing or two as well..
He's been in a nursing home for three weeks now and I brought by his tax forms to make his estimated payments. He's been throwing up black liquid since last night and a hospital social worker came by asking him questions including his religious preferences. Needless to say, I didn't bother him with the tax payments, and I'm very worried that the end is near.
You're a good man
When the end is near it is normal to lose interest in the future. And that's quite understandable. Just be there for him. You might be able to cheer him some by getting him to talk about events in his life, if he feels like it. Even when we can't remember what happened five minutes ago we can still remember vividly events of our past, assuming Alzheimer's is not an issue. It's fine to offer to help him get his affairs in order, and to offer help with getting his bills paid etc., assuming he has no close relatives that should be filling that role. Does he have have relatives that should be contacted?
I'm living in a community of people like that. There's not much you can do. Taking them to a doctor is not always good because the doctors will screw their lives up with meds. They are too old to learn about nutrition, supplements, herbs, prevention, etc..
See if you can get in the will though, that is the most productive avenue of action I can think of in that situation...