We have a problem.
A negative view of old age, whether held by others, or by ourselves, is harmful. It affects health, mental and physical, social wellbeing, and the extent to which we enjoy life.
A negative view of old age, whether held by others, or by ourselves, is harmful. It affects health, mental and physical, social wellbeing, and the extent to which we enjoy life.
One of the many delightful surprises in this Strange Land of Old Age, has been this calm acceptance, this adjustment to later life. The change in the focus of pleasures that one cannot imagine at all when you are younger.
What do we mean by this word ‘fit”? We seem to have got ourselves into a nonsensical world with this idea of fitness. What does it mean to be fit at 80+?
For the majority Later years are great years! Why so much sad negativity everywhere?
Let’s shout it!
Retired’ is not an occupation, but there it is, on the form, at the bottom of the list.
Or maybe, even worse, you are expected to tick ‘None‘. But that isn’t true, is it? We haven’t stopped.
Hearing the stories was my first wake up call to the problem of stereotyping in old age.
So angry at the unthinking ageism they revealed, and so sad that the quality of life these people were living was just not recognised.
Love that in my lifetime I have seen the great industrial cities of the UK at their most productive but dirty stage. Saw them collapse and suffer and am now seeing them rebuilding and seriously re greening themselves: Sheffield, Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, Glasgow… And proud of it too. They are amazing places.