From Midlife to Milestones: Navigating a Century of Opportunities
My main focus is on the retirement transition, but we can also consider our future earlier, around midlife. With children born today likely to live to 100, there is much talk of the 100-year life. So around 50 we move into the second half of life. The Government have been talking about Midlife MOTs, I’ve […]
40 Years Later: Revisiting Maggie Kuhn’s Vision for a World without Ageism
I’ve recently watched a video with Maggie Kuhn, founder of the Gray Panthers, dedicated to fighting age discrimination. It’s from 40 years ago and the interviewer will be my age or older now. I wonder if she thinks differently now?. Key Messages The interviewer begins by asking what Maggie thinks of the terms: golden agers, mature […]
Why do you say that you are too old? It’s the transition not our age that we need to consider
So much of life is a transition, I’ve spent 3 years focused on the transition from full-time work and have both research evidence and practical experience that people will have thoughts on what they can, and can’t do, based on age. It is not true that our capacity to learn diminishes with age. Yes, we […]
The importance of friendship in later life
I’ve been working with The Oddfellows friendly society to promote Friendship Month. This is a way of raising awareness of the organisation and to promote the benefits of making new friends. Oddfellows commissioned a survey of 2,000 over 55s in the UK and looked into the social relationships of older adults. The results included that […]
A letter from my 70-year-old self
Today I’m 66. This is the day I get my state pension. A year ago, I spent my birthday reflecting at my wood. Reading poems and notes sent by friends. Watch the video here. This year I’m going away for a few days with my partner, visiting Hawkstone Follies, which I last visited over 25 […]
Loneliness and Legacy: Navigating Transitions, Making an Impact, and Fostering Social Connections
Overview This article delves into the profound impact of loneliness on individuals’ health and well-being, highlighting its equivalence to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Through an evidence-based approach, I explore original research reports, including an extensive booklet from the US Surgeon General, to shed light on the wide-ranging implications of loneliness on physical and mental […]
How old are you in your head?
On ageing …. I want to share a couple of sections from my forthcoming book (on its way to my editor by the end of the week to enter pre-publication), and I’d be delighted in any comments you have. 1: How old are you in your head? Gerontology researchers will ask people ‘how old do […]
The Age Illusion: How Older Adults Redefine Aging and Life Milestones
Am I old now …. I will never be an old man. To me, old age is always 15 years older than I am. – Francis Bacon We each have our own views on this, but it is also useful to see what research has found. A study looking at: ‘Age Differences in Age Perceptions […]
Approaching retirement – would it help to have a mentor?
Imagine starting a new job and having someone with you, ready to answer all your questions and support you as you learn your new role? A mentor who has been in your shoes and happy to listen to your concerns and to share what they have learned. I imagine you would find this really helpful. […]
Being visible
Hi, it’s Dr. Denise Taylor, and today I want to talk about being visible. There’s a lot written about people of around my age, mid- fifties upwards and about how we feel invisible, how we’re not seen, and we fade into the background. I don’t think I fade into the background, and I don’t think […]