A ton of things to sort out.

Research published in The Lancet and reported widely in the press this week (for more see www.inmyprime.info) predicts that about half of the children now being born in wealthier countries can expect to live to be 100 or more. Furthermore, with better and earlier medical intervention many of these later years can be free of serious disability. This Danish/German research adds more weight to the ever-growing need to address the issues surrounding population ageing and to acknowledge that the concept and definition of old age needs to be re-examined, mindsets changed and prejudices challenged.

The researchers have even suggested that the lifespans of people should now be considered in four stages: child, adult, young old age and old old age. This is something which those of us who specialise in the field have been banging on about for some time – it is just not possible to lump people who have reached a certain age all together and assume that they are elderly and that their active and useful lives have come to an end, along with their judgement, taste, ability to think for themselves and so on. We are talking about a 50-year time interval here – potentially half of one’s life. And if in “old old age” we can be independent and moderately healthy then what does it say for “young old age” or in my prime as we might describe it?

But living this long is not a “given”. It is dependent on many things – financial security, physical and mental well-being, a good reason to want to live that long, and adequate safety nets for when we might become old or infirm.

The serious debate is only just beginning.

 

 

The doers and the done tos.

Last Thursday I attended the Equality and Human Rights Commission and Help the Aged/Age Concern’s JustAgeing? seminar. It was held  to launch their new research report “Socio-economic inequalities in older people’s access to and use of public services”. The seminar itself was interesting, not least for its emphasis on the need for innovation, creativity and co-creation in devising services for the aged (and indeed for any other group who might be on the receiving end of things being done to them/for them). 

Predictably, one supposes, during the Q & A session the argument emerged about the extent to which those outside a target group i.e. the young in this instance, have the insight, knowledge or right to design programmes, policies or whatever for those whose characteristics and needs they do not themselves share. It’s an old chestnut and applies equally to race, gender, faith, unmarried mothers or whatever other group you choose to focus on.

For me it once again accentuated an acute disparity. Senior politicians, bureaucrats, decision makers etc. tend in the main to be over 50. They are powerful people who make, or approve policies whose beneficiaries are the “over 50s”. Yet these over 50s – the “done tos” – are never linked to the former. Instead they are treated as if they are voiceless, powerless, and lacking in representation. How come?

What it seems to underline is that ultimately it’s not about age. It is, as ever, about social and economic status. And what it seems to imply in this particular context is that the first group of over 50s i.e. the wealthy and powerful are not the slightest bit interested in aligning themselves with the “done tos” and are unlikely themselves ever to want access to older people’s public services.  Once again the message cannot be reinforced strongly enough – all over 50s do not have standard needs.

He who knows not…..

As may be seen from our own approach here at in my prime we firmly believe that internet access and online activity is not only the future but is already the present. Accordingly, we very much welcome the Government’s Digital Britain Report and initiatives such as NESTA’s “Reboot Britain”.

It is, therefore, rather disconcerting to see in research carried out for Ofcom that not only is there a significant minority who do not have the internet but that many of them, particularly older people, have “self-excluded” themselves and do not see the need nor the value in getting to grips with the new technology.

We are now in a transition phase and many elderly people did not work in or were not brought up in a computerised environment. Their attitude is at least understandable. The learning curve for them is particularly steep – although that should not, in itself, be an excuse. I have experience of trying to help someone make the transition and there is much that can be done by the computer industry to make the experience easier for the elderly – core programs only, spam-free, virus-free, pop-up free, update restricted etc. etc.

But for those over 50s who have not yet reached this stage in their lives there is no excuse. Whether it be employability, keeping in the social mainstream, access to information, finances, improved purchasing power or a host of other uses and benefits, being connected is of paramount importance. Otherwise a truly second class citizenship will emerge and is already doing so.

Every encouragement, incentive and opportunity must be provided to bring people aboard. This is not another example of a nanny state telling us what is good for us and restricting the freedom of the individual – people must not be allowed to shy away.

He who knows not and knows not that he knows not is a fool; avoid him.

He who knows not and knows that he knows not is a student; teach him.

He who knows and knows not that he knows is asleep; wake him.

He who knows and knows that he knows is a wise man; follow him.

Ancient Proverb

Dumb, depressed and drunk?

An interesting piece of research floated past the radar this morning. Apparently a recent University of Michigan study of several thousand “seniors” found that those in the US performed significantly better than their counterparts in England on standard tests of memory and cognitive function. The study is the first known international comparison of cognitive function in nationally representative samples of older adults in the United States and England. It revealed that the overall difference in cognitive performance between the two countries was quite large – approaching the magnitude associated with about 10 years of ageing. In other words, the cognitive performance of 75-year-olds in the U.S. was as good, on average, as that of 65-year-olds in England.

The reasons why this may be are numerous and require further investigation. However the indicators are that a number of factors may play a part: First, higher levels of education and net worth in the United States accounted for some of the better cognitive performance; second, U.S. adults reported significantly lower levels of depressive symptoms than English adults (unlike Brits, they seek medication if they are depressed), and this may have accounted for some of the U.S. advantage in brain health since depression is linked with worse cognitive functioning; and third, significant differences in alcohol consumption between the U.S. and English seniors may play a role with more than 50 percent of U.S. seniors reporting no alcohol use, compared to only 15.5 percent of English seniors. Previous research has shown that moderate alcohol consumption, compared to abstinence, is linked with better cognition among those aged 50 and over.

Interesting links and interesting messages. Okay, maybe we can’t do much about our existing levels of education and net worth in later years, but keeping the brain active, keeping involved, interested and in the mainstream to stave off depression (and perhaps seeking treatment if it does occur), and cutting back on alcohol are all things which are possible and achievable. If it helps keep the brain ticking over that much better in later old age surely it’s got to be worth the effort.

More about the study at http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/553659/

Just who are we talking about?

As you may be very well aware Age Concern and Help the Aged have merged and, last Friday, we attended one of a series of presentations that they have been making around the country to bring on board their many members on the ground who do such valuable work. In addition, we also attended a workshop to consider what new name they should have and what image they should portray. It is here that they have a major dilemma.

Traditionally these charities have been associated with caring for the elderly and many of their workers and volunteers have this clearly in mind when considering their work and their investments of time and energy. However, it is also clear that management have in mind a broader remit, one which encompasses all people over 50 and, therefore opens up all kinds of other possibilities, in particular activities of a more commercial nature (but don’t mention Heyday whatever you do).

All we would say is tread very carefully. If it was ever true that being over 50 meant being elderly it is certainly not so now. As the charities themselves said there will, in future, be a sizeable minority of us who will live to be over 100. Nobody would ever dream of lumping together the first 50 years of our lives into one age category – and the same should apply to the second 50 years. Unless it is very careful the new charity runs the risk of not really fully understanding its own reason for being and in the process it will alienate supporters at all points in the age spectrum.

Power to the (older) people

We note with interest and enthusiasm the development and recent publication of VotingAge, a manifesto for older people, by the charity Counsel and Care. Although lobby groups and political parties have sprung up to argue their cases over issues such as “Europe”, and concerns about the environment, little if anything has been attempted in this arena, certainly not in this country.

While we would not wish the whole political spectrum to be defined along age lines we do see, with the demographics moving clearly in our direction, and a huge voting pool of conscientious citizens well used to harnessing the power of the ballot box, that this could prove to be a very influential way to change opinions and get things done.

Recent events have resulted in MPs and established political parties being held in very low esteem and they must work hard to re-establish faith in themselves and the democratic processes. And there is also now plenty of scope for new influences to enter the resulting vacuum.

As individuals, older people may be thought of by some as weak, vulnerable, insignificant and even invisible. We disagree and certainly, enfranchised and acting en masse, who knows, anything is possible.

For more click below.

http://www.counselandcare.org.uk/influence/news/

http://www.counselandcare.org.uk/assets/library/documents/VotingAge_Manifesto_final.pdf

ASDA be a good thing

Okay, I liked it so much I stole the headline. “It” being a report in May’s Saga magazine that ASDA are taking the radical step of selling mobility aids alongside all the other essentials (and some non-essentials) of daily life we now expect to find in  major supermarkets. For once, this seems an act of genius and one which is likely to remove some of the demonization of age and age-related challenges. After all, why should commonplace articles that simply make life easier for huge numbers of people (some of whom may be young and disabled) have to be sourced from specialist suppliers often at premium prices with the implication that they are a distasteful minority requirement of no interest to the mainstream? 40 year old Dermot McLaughlin who is behind the move believes that the support of a familiar company such as ASDA will transform the public’s perception of daily living aids and break down the associated stigma. Let’s hope he’s right. In any case, he deserves a medal.

Only half way there

Yesterday’s national news item about the wonderful 109 year old lady who wrote to the Queen about receiving the same birthday card every year and was subsequently paid a visit by Prince William to apologise, again served to reinforce a key message that none of us should forget. If, for example, we’re in our fifties now and live anywhere near as long as this lady, we’re only about half way there in terms of our progress through life. Even if we’re older and don’t live quite as long, in all likelihood there’s still a good third of our lives to go. That’s a good thought to keep focusing on at those times when it all seems that the best has gone and the future is simply a matter of sorting things out and closing up the shop. There’s still huge amounts of time left for us to do all the campaigning and complaining we could possibly want. It’s a very positive time.