CHANGE THE SUBJECT
After living over three months in an apartment complex for people over 62 and listening to group conversations periodically, I'm at a loss about handling future encounters when health issues are the primary topic. If you're around people my age for longer than a few minutes, the conversation invariably centers on various ailments, operations, and conditions. It's true; old folks talk a LOT about their illnesses! I've had quite a few health and physical issues over the past five years, none of which will kill me, but they are annoying as heck. I long for distractions from those topics. I don't want to hear that someone living here has had four hip replacements when I'm facing the possibility of a hip revision soon or to be told while I'm waiting to go to the nearest ER with symptoms of diverticulitis that someone's relative had part of their colon removed due to the very same condition. Hearing about ailments of people I barely know is depressing and