I am close to your age and we have a LA quilting business. It is hard on the body. I learned this early on so we invested in adding the Intelliquilter computerized system to our longarm. There are many new computerized options out there now and I know nothing about them. There are well over 5,000 designs out there that are only edge to edge. I enjoy selecting the right design and thread. Not so much the physical act of manipulating the machine to create the design. That takes a lot of hours of practice to create the muscle memory. Size is a consideration in choosing a set up. Do you prefer to create bed size quilts up to a king or is your joy in creating throws and table runners.
Four years ago I developed a bulging disk in my back they can do nothing for. I can no longer stand in one place for more than 10 min. My husband has always been a part of this quilting life. He monitors the machine as it stitches across the row and I provide technical support as we line up to start the next row. Having a computerized system has made it possible for me to continue to quilt.
You may be able to offset the cost if some friends pay you to quilt theirs. IQ will install on most of the major systems like APQS and Nolting etc. Highly recommend their system. All digitized quilting companies have a format compatible with it. Which is another thing to consider before purchasing... do you have to purchase designs only thru that company or does it use a format available from sites like Urban Elementz or Intelligent Quilting.
Life is short find what part of this final part of the quilting process will bring you joy. We love the creative aspect of adding thread and design to complete our own or someone else’s project. My mind goes to thinking about the quilting design before I ever stitch a block together. Others come to us because the thought of choosing a design is overwhelming. Don’t make this decision on a whim but don’t let others hold you back from what could bring joy to your life.