Fit and over fifty

“Reducing working-age ill-health could save the UK up to £100 billion every year’. That was the government’s conclusion published at the end of last year in its white paper, Healthy Lives, Healthy People. The paper went on to say that improving wellbeing in adults could reduce premature death and illness and eradicate a substantial proportion of cancers, vascular dementias and circulatory diseases.

Back in 2008 Dame Carol Black’s report, Working for a Healthier Tomorrow encouraged employers to take greater responsibility for the welfare of their workers, with the words “good health is good business”.

By all accounts, and perhaps rather predictably in these recessionary times, progress since then is reported as having been somewhat slow. To counter this, some interesting findings have emerged recently indicating that a surprising number of over fifties say they feel fitter and healthier than they did in early adulthood.

In a study of 1,500 over fifties conducted by insurance company Engage Mutual, 17 per cent stated that when it comes to health and fitness, they feel better than they did in their twenties. And over 70 per cent of ‘fit over fifties’ claim they now do more exercise and pay more attention to their diet.

67 per cent attributed their new found motivation to increase levels of fitness to a raised awareness of the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

The research indicates that the ‘fit over fifties’ eat far more fruit and vegetables now than they did in their early years. Only a fifth of them would have made sure they were having their recommended five portions a day 30 years ago – compared to an impressive 75 per cent today.

And of the people who feel fitter than in their twenties, the average exercise levels approach four times a week and include walking, swimming, cycling or attending fitness classes. Reasons for doing more exercise now? 29 per cent claimed they want to be fit and energetic for the sake of the grandchildren; 37 per cent are looking forward to an active and enjoyable retirement; and 23 per cent say exercise now makes up an important part of their social life. 

If this is to be believed (and no reason why not) it sounds as if older workers, having seen the light themselves, should be considered for the  role of wellbeing mentors in the workplace encouraging and supporting their younger colleagues to follow their example and look after their health.

How working life ends: not with a bang but a whimper

One scenario which is sadly overlooked in the debate about when to retire is that of the increasing band of older people who retire by default. These are the individuals for whom working life ends not with a retirement party, gold watch, or any other type of excited celebration but rather the slow realisation and acceptance that their state of continuing unemployment has slid into inevitable, irrevocable and unwelcome retirement.

For those who have worked hard all their lives, built a career, and paid their dues this seems a shameful way to be rewarded. Whether it occurs as a result of redundancy, illness or simply a failed attempt to change careers, start a business or undertake some other type of reinvention, it is nevertheless becoming an increasingly prevalent problem as older people want to work longer and find that the opportunities are few and the barriers are many.

Whatever their type of work, specific age or gender, many unemployed older people still feel, quite rightly, that they have numerous good, productive years left in them to spend in paid work of some type. Evidence shows that a high proportion would be prepared to downsize both their previous ambitions and their pay and hours for a chance to do a job that equates roughly to their level of skills and experience and allows them to remain part of mainstream life.

Yes, of course, they could do voluntary work and countless older people – both employed and unemployed – are happy to do so, but it’s not acceptable that this is the only option for all but the fortunate few.

One of the biggest fears for older people now is that stepping out of the employment arena, particularly as a result of caring responsibiliites, a period of ill health, or an inability to continue to cope with the relentless pressure of their current job, will be a death sentence for their working life.

To be in a situation in which the end of working life equals the end of hope can create a huge negative impact on individual feelings of worth and value. Okay, so older people are more resilient, but what sort of way is that to embark upon the challenges of true old age?

 

Improving wellbeing … one step at a time

We received some interesting information from the breast cancer charity Walk the Walk in a press release promoting their forthcoming SunWalk in Battersea Park London, on Sunday on 24th July.

Apparently…

• Mile for mile Power Walkers walking at a minimum pace of 4 miles an hour use the same amount of energy as runners
• Experts have been quoted as saying ‘Walking is the nearest thing to the perfect form of exercise”
• Walking at least 45 minutes 4 times a week at pace, you could lose up  to 18lbs in a year without changing your diet

Sounds just the thing for any older person faced with the challenge of losing a few pounds and retaining, or regaining, fitness.

Details of the event can be found at www.walkthewalk.org.

Even if you aren’t able or don’t want to participate, it’s a great reminder of the value of propelling yourself out of the door on a regular basis (no special preparation or equipment required) in the fight to lose a few pounds and fend off decline.

The right to retire?

There’s been much food for thought over the past few days in the reinvigorated debate about the increase in the state pension age. Interest has centred largely on those several hundred thousand women in their late fifties who will now have to wait a couple of years more before they receive their state pension. This is a double whammy for them in as much as raising the age for all comes on top of the increase in women’s state pension age (to align it with men’s) which is now being phased in following a notice period of several years.

Of course, it is unfortunate and unfair for those particular women, but the change has to be made. It is arguably equally unfair to keep the burden of paying for older people’s pensions with the shrinking pool of working age people (many of whom now face long-term financial pressures). Certainly the fact that women have been able to retire well before men has been totally unjust for many years and completely at odds with women’s longer lifespans and drive for equality.

At the heart of the issue however seems to be the question of do we, as citizens, have a right to retire? Not just a need, or a desire, or a social habit, but a right? Personally it had never occurred to me that we might, but listening to the input of others not just over the past few days but for many years now, it appears that many do.

I find it an attitude that is difficult to accommodate. Whilst I acknowledge that one has rights in relation to personal or workplace pensions that one pays into, in terms of an expected and reasonable return at a certain date, I don’t believe that the state pension system is the same thing.

Surely, like income support for the unemployed, it was only ever intended to be a default – a way of assisting those who were too weak or unfortunate to be able to continue to work? Although the idea seems a glorious nirvana, it wasn’t ever intended to be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow guaranteed for all who had simply worked for a number of years and paid their taxes…was it?

So – hard luck that pensions are now being pushed off a bit, but our focus as a society surely has got to be firmly on creating and sustaining work for older people, not paying pensions. That’s a field where there’s plenty to complain about that might actually have a productive outcome.

Time, I feel, for a good prime time TV documentary on the origin of the state pension and the reality of what people can and should expect. We’ve got to start accepting that a state pension is a priviledge not a right.

Out for a stroll

Cheering news that a seventy-two-year-old woman, Frances Tennant, has recently completed the 1,200-mile trek from Land’s End in Cornwall to John O’Groats in Scotland, making her the oldest female ever to be officially recorded as having walked the length of Britain.

Once she had finished the walk, she even found enough energy to climb theUK’s highest mountain,Ben Nevis, on her way back home.

Mrs Tennant, who has completed the Great North Run 18 times, was accompanied by her friend Rupert Booth, who at 60 is himself a pretty impressive performer.  The pair achieved an average of 17 miles a day, taking about three months to complete the walk. Initially they had intended to do it purely for fun, but then decided to make it a charity trek raising money for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

At the end of her journey Mrs Tennant was reported as saying “We had an absolutely fantastic time. It has been wonderful”.

On days when all we seem to hear about is the bad news side of ageing – pension problems, care costs, Alzheimer’s, and worse – it’s great to have such a good news story. Everyone over 50 should be encouraged to print it off and stick it on the fridge door as a constant reminder of what is possible in later life and the joy that can come from realizing one’s dreams and ambitions.

The WEASEL way to life planning

“Eagles may soar but weasels don’t get sucked into jet engines”

The trickle is turning into a flood. Almost daily now we are seeing more and more issues pile up which, on the whole, are not being tackled head-on or are being addressed with a “sticking plaster” approach. We are talking here about education costs, housing, employment, pensions, health costs, care costs and increasing life expectancy – and there are probably others too.   

We are fast approaching the time when we must acknowledge the need for a complete paradigm shift. A new conceptual framework is required to cope with the new realities together with a dismantling of old structures, old ideas and old platforms underpinning our life course aspirations and actions.  

There are some who don’t yet see this is happening. There are many institutions for which this will not make good reading and which have vested interests in preserving the status quo and so are side stepping it. And there are the myriad issues for government in managing the various pressures in an acceptable, palatable and understandable way. But the overall course of events is in one direction only.

There is much more to be written and discussed but, in the meantime, what can we do on an individual basis to ensure that we can achieve as much as possible and still remain with our heads above water in financial terms?

We offer the WEASEL way.

Work longer

Earn more

Act earlier and save more

Stay fit and healthy

Enjoy life at each stage

Live cheaper

“Success is getting what you want; happiness is wanting what you get”

Finding work over 40

Despite age discrimination legislation, attitudinal change is slow. This means that for many older people finding a job suddenly turns from merely being a challenge to a potentially critical and soul-detroying outright problem. Unfortunately there is neither an easy solution, nor one that will work for all, but that doesn’t mean that nothing can be done.

A new book, Finding Work Over 40 builds from the starting point that one size doesn’t fit all in this arena, and is directed specifically at managers and professionals aged 40 to 65. This is a group that the authors call “the forgotten workforce” – one that is assumed to be okay but, in reality, may be much in need of advice and assistance in this arena.

Alongside this, the book acknowledges that this is a time at which many people start to examine their career and life goals and contemplate making changes for the remainder of their working life. So, not only is this a guide to finding work as a result of externally driven events such as redundancy, but also a practical guide to voluntary later life career change including making the transition to self-employment or a portfolio career.

How new will people  find the material in this guide will depend on how much research they have already done in this field.  After all, even for those for whom this is an entirely unexplored arena, it’s not rocket science. The authors’ basic recommendation for finding work is “Know yourself, sell yourself and network like crazy” and based on their own experiences in working with the over 45s in job clubs for white collar workers, that’s a mantra that’s probably as good as any for helping people focus effort and maintain momentum.

Overall, this is a timely and commendable book. For those seeking work or a career change it is a rich source of both practical advice (how to apply for a job, interview techniques), and inspiration (motivate yourself, self-assessment).

http://www.inmyprime.info/directory/Books/Employmentbooks.html

Glad to be old

I was heartened to read, within one day, two media articles in which our new found mass longevity was considered “A Good Thing”.

Quite why, when in general people seem to think that being alive is desirable, living longer is consistently positioned as a huge social problem is a bit of a puzzler. Okay, so it may mean we need to change some of the ways we do things, but that aside we should all be rejoicing much, much more than we seem to be about the fact that, in general, we can all contemplate many more years of drawing breath and eating cake.

Andrew Dilnot, Chairman of the Independent Commission of Funding of Care and Support, interviewed by Ros Altmann in Saga magazine summed it up rather well:

“I’d love people to have a more positive attitude to the provision of care. To get everyone, including policy makers and the media, to stop thinking this is a terrible burden and reflect instead that it’s fabulous and exciting that people are living into their eighties, nineties and even hundreds, and having independent fulfilling lives.”

His comment followed an interesting article read earlier in the day in the business journal Management Today reviewing the ongoing influence of the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung (Why Jung still matters). Whilst highlighting many areas in which Jung’s legacy still forms an integral part of contemporary business practice, the author was also at pains to remind us that in relation to today’s ageing population Jung would have had plenty to say. Unlike many psychologists (including Freud) Jung believed that middle age was precisely when life gets interesting, commenting: “A human being would certainly not grow to be 70 or 80 years old if this longevity had no meaning for the species”.

Perhaps it’s time then that we all focused on what that meaning is and how to use it for the greater good instead of associating this time of life solely with decline and decay?