As I sit writing this post early in the morning a question springs to mind : can you teach an old dog new tricks? Continue reading “Simple daily habits to ignite your passion for writing”
Nearing the end of a busy month. The following are the Best of the60life in May which you may have missed: Continue reading “The Best of the60life in May”
Breaking old habits of a lifetime is just what the doctor ordered if,for your health’s sake,you take for inspiration that you’re never too old to adopt new healthful habits. The rewards: In the Johns Hopkins-led Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis,which tracked more than 6,000 people ages 44 to 84 for over seven years, those who made good-for-you changes like quitting smoking, following a Mediterranean diet, getting regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight decreased their risk of death in the time period by 80 percent. The following changes not only keep you healthy, they can help slow down the ageing process, inside and out. Continue reading “Why changing some habits can benefit you in older age”
Sports Relief 2016 gave a platform for Michael Crawford to reprise his Frank Spencer character last played on TV 42 years ago.With an hilarious ten minute sketch Frank has several hair raising adventures on bicycle or roller skates in his typical physical comedy style.Although the sketch was widely acclaimed much comment has been made about the fact that Michael Crawford is 74 years old and, of course,considered to be a pensioner.What’s he doing all this for at his age? Many might say :Is he up to it?Wasn’t it all a long time ago when the series he starred in finished?
Apparently, this sketch was to be a ‘one-off’ in aid of charity.It took many weeks to bring to the screen.Michael might be a little stung by the age remarks.It seems he is not concerned.As in his earlier career, he did all his own stunts.Which brings us nicely to a wonderful web page featuring other senior people acting in most unexpected ways. Is it not time that the ‘old person’ stereotype was buried once and for all? Times they are a changing in our senior classes.Many people are not settling for retirement from life.They are embracing later life with both hands,working enthusiastically at remaining fitter for longer, and enjoying active and fulfilling lives.
So do spend a few moments here being entertained and amazed by a veritable ‘troupe’ of impressive people who are destroying age stereotypes.
Recent official statistics show a positive trend in the use of available online access by the over 65s. Over one third are using the internet regularly.The Office of National Statistics (ONS) says that for the first time, over half of those in the age range 65-74 now have access to the internet at home.
Although this is greatly encouraging,there is still a great number of people for whom the digital revolution has had little or no impact. It is reckoned that there are still 5 million people over the age of 65 who have never been online.
With this high number in mind, government and many charities are actively promoting the benefits and confidence that skills on the internet can bring to older people. Apart from the many ways to cut domestic bills and other spending by being online, many people find that they are less isolated by being more connected with family,friends and the world at large. Age UK, provides information about the value of these internet skills, together with details of suitably tailored courses.
Some further ONS stats are:
“While nine out of ten adults (90 per cent) aged 35-44 have the internet at home, this falls to just a quarter (26 per cent) of over 75s. And while virtually all (99 per cent) 25-34s own a mobile phone, only half (51 per cent) of over 75s own a mobile, with this age group more likely to have a landline (94 per cent) than 16-24s (67 per cent).” It is also interesting to note that when asked what media would be missed the most, people aged over 75 are also far more likely to miss their TVs the most (65 per cent), and then the radio (15 per cent). Young adults aged 16-24,however, would miss their mobile phone the most(28 per cent), followed by the internet (26 per cent) and TV (23 per cent).”
The over 65s play catch-up
The ONS says there is evidence, however, that older age groups are getting to grips with technology.For the first time, over half (55 per cent) of those aged 65-74 have access to the internet at home while over three quarters (77 per cent) now have a mobile.
And the tablets?
Well, tablets like the iPad have grown dramatically in popularity being a handy mobile device of choice for would be silver surfers of the net.The tablet is seen as a driver in the surge of internet access by older people.
If you know of family or friends seeking or needing to join the digital revolution, why not help them look out for a course nearby on computers and the internet.Indeed,you may be interested in learning more of the wide range of the fascinating information you can ‘tap into’ on a daily basis. It is such a valuable facility that can enhance the quality of life. Another source of inspiration for you maybe silver surfers training. Please do let me know how you get on.Feedback may help me to find other resources that could be helpful. You can stay in touch by signing-up for my newsletter, which among other topical things will have some further information from time to time on joining the online community.
Who will care for the carers ?This would work with other recommendations for
One third of people in their 60s experience a ‘later-life’ crisis
The other day ,The Daily Mail reports, the Harrogate conference of the British Psychological Society heard from Dr Oliver Robinson, a lead researcher at The University of Greenwich, that in a survey of 282 people aged 60 or over, 32 per cent of men and 33 per cent of women said they had had a crisis since the age of 60.
At the centre of this later-life crisis for many over 60s is the big question : What is the meaning of life?
Why particularly at this time of life? Is it not stating the blindingly obvious, you may say, that as we become older we fear more, and feel more vulnerable? Illness and isolation become the enemies to be feared, and very often actually endured. There may be loss of family members and friends, or of gainful employment or occupation; physical or mental disability may restrict activity, and a break in connection with the world outside. This is said to be different from the ‘mid-life’ crisis of younger people.
The survey’s findings may perhaps not surprise. For some over 60, the figure of a third may seem rather low. What is there left to do, and where is it all going?
The questions are hugely important,so too is helping to find some answers. The experts conclude that unless the ‘triggers’ of a crisis, for example, bereavement or illness of a loved one, are properly addressed, then a spiral can often develop leading to and accelerating personal decline into physical and meant suffering.
It seems that two or more stressful life events, and the subsequent sense of loss, are likely to raise an acute awareness of mortality and frailty.
In Dr Robinson’s words: “It was important for people in their 60s to recognise the signs and for some to seek help.” It was not something to be ashamed about, either having these experiences or seeking help.”
And the Good News…Overcoming, the crisis can often make life seem even better than before.
Where to go to for help? Obvious immediate answers may be : your general medical practitioner, at first instance, or close family members and friends. In these pages ongoing, we will try to offer some regular and helpful information to help fill the knowledge gap, in what is a large and complex area to cover. If you see in the near future, on the side-bar of this page, an opportunity to sign-up for regular updates and news about what you have just been reading – Do sign-up! There is no cost, and no obligation, your details are treated as strictly confidential and will never be passed on elsewhere.
Health Disclaimer! The information provided on this site should not be construed as personal medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken based solely on the contents of this site. Readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being. The information and opinions provided here are believed to be accurate and sound, based on the best judgment available to the authors, but readers who fail to consult appropriate health authorities assume the risk of any injuries. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions.
You may wish to follow full reports covered in this article and related articles:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2307843/One-60s-hit-later-life-crisis-meaning-life.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Over recent years,there have been academic studies which have concluded that sitting down too much during each day is bad for us, and may significantly reduce our lives, perhaps by several years.
Standing too much,too, may also not be good either. What seems to be important from all these studies is regular physical movement. So if you are inclined in the day to sit a great deal for whatever reason, it is beneficial to move about say every 20 minutes,or so. Why not programme into your day, if you are stuck at home for instance; a regular cup of tea(which you get up and make yourself), or make a bed ;or perhaps potter in the garden if the weather permits; or do that small fixing job you’ve been meaning to do for a while.
Taking regular light exercise, whether at home or at work which breaks up otherwise lengthy sedentary periods during the day may help ward off long term health issues which can arise from excessive sitting. Now it is easy to read these academic reports and terrify ourselves with the long words and dire consequences described, the easy bit though seems to be a truly simple solution – we just need to get off our butts more each day.
The sooner we start the better, but it is never too late too tweek our lifestyles a little – small adjustments make a big difference according to most of the studies on the dangers of excessive sitting.
How long do you sit down on average each day? Apparently, according to the Daily Telegraph some figures show some of us in the UK spending up to 14 hours per day sitting down!
So let’s MOVE IT!
Looking at the wider opportunities for taking regular appropriate exercise, may I leave you today with a great link to exercise tips you can consider building into your lifestyle practice. For those who don’t swim there is a great section on swimming. It is never too late to learn.Let me know how you get on.Maybe you have tips to benefit others.
It is with great sadness that we read that Richard Briers,CBE, a star of the highly successful 1970’s TV sitcom series “The Good Life”, has passed away at the age of 79. He will for most people be strongly associated with his role as Tom Good who made them laugh uproariously with his antics during his chosen life of self-sufficiency in Surbiton. What may surprise many is that “The Good Life” ran for only three years, and was but a minute part of his work in an acting career that spanned some fifty years. He was a highly regarded English actor whose career covered stage,film, TV, and radio.
The long list of acting credits to his name will be well covered by a great number of obituaries, and in interviews with friends and colleagues who knew him well and will testify to his genius. They will also talk of his great generosity shown to people he worked with. He was by all accounts in real life always a “thoroughly good and nice bloke.” What better thing can be said of anyone.
In his sixties and seventies, he worked mainly doing TV work, as in “Monarch of the Glen”, and eventually towards the end of his life happy only to do voice overs, but he was also acclaimed during these years for fine Shakespearean performances.
The writer for one will still enjoy immensely watching repeats of TV episodes of “The Good Life”,which was the work that made him a much loved household name.He apparently never tired of the attention received when recognised in public.
How many of us of a certain age have had this sort of thing said to us; often by friends and relatives, or the media. How strange then that,in a world which seems to daily challenge long held rules and customs, older people are being constrained in their activities or in what they wear by some long held arbitrary boundaries. A letter writer to the Sunday Independent was recently sufficiently moved to have a ‘rant’ about this in response to an article in that paper (published August 5,2012). Eleanor Coggins in the article had asked the two questions: “Should I embrace my inner pensioner?” and “When do I let the hair grow 50 shades of grey,wear twinsets and flesh-coloured tights?”
The writer was robust in her response. She remembers rules and criticisms from parents,teachers and community as a 16 year-old. Her hair was too short, or it was too long … Boyfriend was too old, and her hot pants too hot! Although high-fashion magazines say that women over 50 should never do this or that, she is determinedly going to embrace absurdity (she has decided to buy a pair of shiny red platform sandals) with the same brazen attitude she showed when she wore her much maligned green plastic platform shoes so many years ago.
It is probably true that many people, men and women, of a certain age, wear a kind of uniform dress code which can tend to define their age group. But if they break-out , and wear what they feel best in, should they not be encouraged? This should also apply to activities where, within the physical and mental capacity,they should sky-dive, skinny-dip in the ocean, travel the world, join an amateur dramatic society,go to pubs and clubs, and so on.
I’m with the writer of the letter to the Independent. These pages will frequently return to this theme, and to give current news and ideas for breaking the ‘mould’.
So,where are you on this? Let me know.I’d love to hear from you.
This post keeps on the theme of retirement. It is well known that life expectancy among those currently retiring in their sixties means they could have some 25-30 years more ahead for them.But what to do with all that time?That is the challenge.
We are accustomed to seeing emphasis placed on good financial planning for retirement. Although having a good income behind you when you finally give-up the 40-hour working week knocks away a high hurdle when contemplating a long period of retirement, this of itself does not guarantee a fulfilled and positive retirement.So if you have looked forward to no longer having to answer to your boss, or the demands of every day business, how can you give yourself the chance to enjoy your new found freedom?How do you find satisfaction in your and real quality of life?
Recently, the University of Greenwich in England, undertook a survey to try and find the answer to the above and other questions. This study in conjunction with Laterlife Learning,looked at the responses to an e-survey conducted for the period October 2008 and January 2010. This study found that the keys to a fulfilling retirement were:
1. Having aspirational reasons for retiring
2.Going on a retirement course
3.Having an active social life
4.Having someone to share retirement with
5.Having at least three of the ‘the Big Five’ personality traits
6. Money matters:Having a lack of financial resources,though, was not an impediment to satisfaction in retirement, and access to enjoyable experiences.
Some help tips in the conclusions from the survey report briefly are:
You can read the full brief report providing the findings for the keys to a fulfilling retirement by the University of Greenwich
And,if you would like to also see what the pre- and post- retirement counseling course team Laterlife can offer
Have things changed significantly for you as you have grown older? Perhaps you have noticed how once when your hair was not so grey or white, or you walked with less of a limp, or without the the use of a walking stick, that people were more prepared to stop and take time to listen to you. They would offer you the common curtesies of a valued member of society.
A recent report in the Daily mail says that: ‘The elderly believe they have become invisible in Britain’s youth-obsessed society with more than half feeling ignored, a survey revealed yesterday.
They fear being sidelined despite embracing modern technology such as surfing the web and going on Facebook and Twitter.
Pensioners claim that their opinion is never solicited, nothing on TV and radio is made for them and that they are written off by and ridiculed by society.
Apparently so, according to the Girl Guide organisation which has decided that a woman is too old at 65 to be a Guide leader.
The Daily Telegraph today reports that a Girl Guide leader has pledged to fight the organisation’s “insulting and outdated” rules “tooth and nail” after being forced to stand down from her post after being deemed too old at 65. What do you think?
A thought for the day, said to be attributed to writer Dorothea Kent:
“A man ninety-years old was asked to what he attributed his longevity.
“I reckon,”he said,with a twinkle in his eye ,”it’s because most nights I went to bed and slept when I should have sat up and worried.”
The following extract from the Pall Mall Gazette of circa.1890 gives us an interesting insight into the contemporary perception of the lady 60-lifer of those days:
“Old ladies in the ordinary sense of the word are getting remarkably scarce.I never came across old ladies’ bonnets,dresses,cloaks,or finery in any shape or form for old ladies at the shops. People tell me they don’t make such things. The fact is that women of 50 and 60 have ceased to make frights of themselves. They don’t wear their clothes (boots,bonnets, and gloves included) four time too big for them, like old ladies of past years used to. Less capacious garments are found to be just as comfortable.
“Women of sixty can and do dress gracefully nowadays. Those who have lost their own hair wear artificial ,and look all the better for doing so. With nice hair, whether real or otherwise,a woman of sixty can always put on a respectable looking bonnet. Ugly old ladies will have vanished altogether by the time the Princess of Wales is 60.”
Well, ladies, all I can say is thank goodness we are living in more enlightened times!
How things do change even in a hundred years! This extract was found in a magazine of 1891:
How many a family quarrel a button missing from my lord’s shirt has caused; how many a man has found a dainty, well cooked dinner,with which his wife has really taken pains, all distateful,because she did not remember that he did not like onions in the soup, or oil in the salad!Unreasonable?Yes,and a little thing to put him out ,but who, dear madam ,finds the grain of sand in the eye less irritating because of its minutenes, and have not you yourself have all your pleasure in your new bonnet destroyed because the ostrich plumes and the ribbon wre a little different in colour? It was so little that no one but yourself probably ever noticed it, but nevertheless you hated that bonnet and felt cross when you wore it.
Men are luxurious creatures, and the wife nearest her husband’s heart is she who studies his comfort.Men may be charmed,tantalized by, infatuated with the beautiful,the witty, the cocquettish for a time, but it is the woman who keeps his hose darned ,who lays his paper on his plate ,remembers the eaxact number of lumps of sugar ,and the quantity of cream in his coffee, who avoids the subject of Jone’s success in the very undertaking he himself failed in,because she knows it is not pleasant – this is the woman who takes permanent possession of his heart, rules it through never letting him suspect she is aught but his humble handmaid, and when she dies is mourned and missed sincerely
-from a correspondent at the St Louis Globe-Democrat 1891
Of such little things a marriage was made!
This story was brought to my attention recently by a successful internet marketer,Perry Marshall. It’s a good read, and ends as a kind of cautionary tale about not neglecting things like our relationships, which might otherwise wither like a plant that is deprived of attention. I thought I would share it with you today.
I have an asparagus fern named Lazarus, writes Tom Hoobyar
Why did I name him Lazarus? I’ll tell you why.
I named him Lazarus because when I first got him for my batchelor apartment I was sometimes a neglectful caretaker.
I got the plant so there would be something alive in my apartment besides me. It came in a small green plastic pot about the size of a coffee mug and cost two dollars. It was a little green living thing and it kept me a kind of quiet company… to read more
Perhaps you, too, grew up with ‘The Archers’ playing on the radio in the background. For me it signalled the end of yet another day, and time to go to bed when the latest evening instalment finished. There is one of the original cast from those faraway days, who is still going strong…
The Daily Telegraph reports:
“June Spencer OBE, 90, has been the voice of Peggy Woolley (née Perkins, formerly Archer) in Radio 4’s The Archers for 60 years and is the only remaining member of the original cast. She will be granted the Freedom of the City of London at the Guildhall on June 4. She lives in Surrey and has a holiday house in Menorca.”
You can check her day out in a full report at
June Spencer on being Peggy Archer
Alison Palmer for mirror.co.uk writes:
Esther Rantzen planned to celebrate her 70th by running round the garden naked while Helen Mirren still packs a punch in a bikini at 64, recently posing naked in a bath. And these three women [pictured in a recent article for mirror.co.uk -see below for link to this article] prove hitting your 60s doesn’t mean giving up on your body.
PA Catherine Taylor, 62 [pictured top left in news article] lives in London with her husband, Andrew, 59, who’s retired. They have two grown-up daughters.
“I like my body now more than I’ve ever liked it. It’s not perfect – it’s the body of a 62-year-old – but I’m comfortable in my skin and I don’t worry about it any more. As long as I have my health, that’s the main thing.
“It’s odd I like my body more now as it’s probably less toned and a little heavier than it has been for years. For 20 years I ran six miles three times a week and swam regularly. But that stopped at Christmas when I tore my cartilage.
“I have to have keyhole surgery in September but I’ve joined a gym so I can get back to it. I like exercise because it’s when I think and plan things but it’s not the only thing that maintains my figure. I’ve always eaten well – a Mediterranean diet with lean meat, pasta, vegetables, fruit and olive oil. I don’t like junk food, but I do enjoy a glass of white wine.
“I use £2 aqueous cream on my skin followed by Boots No 7 Protect and Perfect serum and a Clinique moisturiser I’ve used for years.
“I do spend a fortune on my hair. I used to have black hair but it’s …
You can read more at http://www.mirror.co.uk/life-style/real-life/2010/07/22/hitting-your-60s-doesn-t-mean-hiding-your-body-115875-22430319/#ixzz0wNvBPs8v
Today, I thought we should have a smile. Some of life’s irritations, I find are best dismissed with a chuckle. So here is one of those public signs or notices that can make you laugh.
This was recently taken from an advertising feature in my local free newspaper about a new business coming into the town:
“We welcome, everyone here – women,men,children and pensioners”
Uhuh? You sort of know what they mean. ’til next time soon.
Sticking to the celebration theme of last time, how about the cult of the super sixty-somethings? My attention was drawn to the fact that Sting (formerly of The Police rock band) is in his sixtieth year, and will celebrate his next birthday on 27th September. Encouraging, too, is that he looks in very good form, which I hear he puts down mainly to having a ‘slim frame’,a happy marriage, and pilates.
The Times at the weekend, too, was taken with the Super Sixties who were said to be having it all. A peaceful retirement was not in the mindset of many in a report including a DJ,( 68); male model (67); magazine editor (60); and designer (63). Emma Soames,(60), editor-at-large of Saga magazine,and looking good herself, reports on the changing lifestyle choices available and being taken by the baby-boomers now reaching pension age (that is,the age that it is at the moment). Shorn of tying young family and financial commitments, apparently, with health improvements from medical advances, and a life expectancy for a man likely to be to age 85 (in 1950 this was 67), the super sixty-somethings are making radical choices more in common with forty-somethings than 7o year-olds. Travel rather than ‘a slippers by the fire’ existance is becoming more the norm for a quality of life.
The pin-up of the piece goes to designer Diane von Furstenberg who adorned the Times weekend magazine cover. Her last birthday was reported here http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/31/happy-birthday-diane-von_n_408547.html
Today’s message is a hugely positive one. Many people want to actively embrace getting a little older.
New research by Age UK‚ the new force combining Age Concern and Help the Aged‚ has revealed that 95% of people over 60 think getting older should be a time of enjoyment and celebration.
This is despite 78% of this age group feeling that older people are ignored by society. The polling for Age UK by YouGov also revealed that 82% of over-60s felt that older people’s voices were not heard as much as younger people’s. It also highlighted how work‚ not necessarily just age‚ may play a defining role in this with 64% saying they felt working people had a greater voice than those who were retired.
The same poll also found that when asked about what could be done locally to improve their lives‚ being treated with dignity and respect came top for the over-60s (46%). This was closely followed by 34% saying opportunities to learn new hobbies‚ and 32% citing that more frequent and accessible public transport would improve their lives.
Truly a Time for celebration not wishful thinking. This is the essence of what we do: 34% would like to have the opportunity to learn new hobbies. Here one might read hobbies to include also, gainful occupations.
Plenty of work to do then. More to come on this.
For full report on the above go to:
Celebrate older age – and fight ageism!
on Wednesday, 28 April 2010 seniorsdiscounts.com reported:
Age Uk is the new Age Concern and Help the Aged – a combined force that diligently does its homework. New research, The polling for Age UK by YouGov has revealed that 95 per cent of people over 60 strongly believed that they should celebrate older age, but 78 per cent felt ignored and excluded from society. Additionally, 82 per cent felt that older people were not heeded as much as younger people – this is due partly to the fact that working people’s voices are heard more than those of the retired, as believed by 64 per cent of respondents. 46 per cent felt that it was most important to be treated with respect and dignity, 34 per cent prioritised opportunities to learn new hobbies and 32 per cent said the provision of frequent and accessible public transport would enhance their lives.
Charity Director for Age UK Michelle Mitchell said: “As a group within society, people in later life often feel ignored, and this research clearly demonstrates how this is a reality experienced by the majority. Ageing can present many challenges, particularly for those experiencing disadvantage. Age UK campaigns and provides services and solutions to help improve later life.”
Age UK is to launch a new television advertising campaign aimed at a wide audience to promote public awareness of how it can help, its services and products and how it can be contacted, together with this recent research on ageing. The organisation is calling upon older people all over the country to tell others about their own inspiring stories of achievement. This is part of the organisation’s mission to improve the quality of later life for everyone and the aim is to dispel and to challenge some of the myths and stereotypes about older age.
The campaign is led by Diana Moran the Green Goddess a 70-year-old model who said: “I am an extremely active 70-year-old and make a very valuable contribution to society. I am happy to help highlight the search to find stories of other people doing remarkable things and celebrating the joy of later life.”
Ms Mitchell emphasised the organisation’s beliefs that “an ageing society presents tremendous opportunities that should rightly be celebrated, and it is heartening to see that this is a belief held by such a high percentage of those polled.” Telling such inspiring stories is one means of celebrating later life and, she said, is a first step in making older people’s voices heard “loud and clear.” Stories can be sent to [email protected].
For further reports and articles on similar or related topics as the above you should go to seniorsdiscountsco.uk
So what’s in a name? It is a common practice to give things or people names. It’s a form of shorthand. Saves us having to spell out what we mean in full every time we want to refer to something in speech or writing. When we use one of these ‘shortcuts’ we expect our audience to know immediately what or who we are talking about. So it was with a newspaper article that caught my eye the other day when it covered a report from the Journal of Management on Generation Y. Who?
Well, I did have a notion to what group of people the report referred , but it helped a little to be reminded that the so-called ‘Generation Y’ covered a three decade period and comprised those who were born in the late 1980s. The report according to the Daily Mail concluded that people born in this period were rather shy of hard work but believed they were deserving of big salaries,status and plenty of leisure time without putting in long hours to earn this reward. Then,there were the Generation X citizens whose mantra was ‘work hard,play hard’,and they were born in the 1970s and were often dubbed ‘Thatcher’s children’. They lived through the times of the ‘womens’ lib’ movement, a fragile economy, and increasing divorce rates.
Where is this all leading, you may well ask? It leads to that category of people with whom I have a closer affinity, namely the baby boomers who were born in the early post-war years, in the late 1940s and 1950s. This vast group, are said to represent the ‘work to live ‘ generation. But where are they now? What are their current aspirations and interests? Do they have any ambitions? For travel,hobbies, self-determination, or what? This is the group, I hope to identify and engage with over the next five years. What are you doing now? What would you like to do given the chance? I would like to find out.
That the so-called boomers’ group is now so important in the UK is shown by figures from the Office of National Statistics which have been reported in the press.In a population at an all time high, people of pensionable age exceed the number of children under 16 years of age .
Stop by again soon. This theme is going somewhere.
This blog is intended as the beginning of a journey of several years. I hope you can join me. You do not have to be of a certain age to appreciate what may follow in regular posts, but you will recognise content which should be of interest to you if you are.
Things will develop as we go. So what is this all about? Come back often to find out. See what is new.
