Most of us have heard the song. The good news is that we are in control of our own happiness and if you want to be happier than you currently are, and are prepared to work at it, you can experience more happiness in your […]
Read MoreAre we “seniors” or “super adults”?
It’s well known that lots of baby boomers don’t see themselves as “old” and don’t like to be regarded as “seniors”, “retirees”, “oldies” or other terms that suggest that they’re “past it”. We all think that the date on our birth certificate is wrong and […]
Read MoreFacing the Future
It’s common knowledge that people in their 60s and 70s today are much healthier and fitter than their parents and grandparents of a similar age. We are living longer and many of today’s school children in advanced economies will live to 100.
It’s unrealistic to think that in the near future we can continue to start work in our early 20s and retire in our 60s. This would mean being retired for around 40 years and it’s unlikely that many people would have acquired enough superannuation to last that long.
The obvious solution is that most people will be working into their 70s and the Government is already legislating for this to happen. However if people are to continue working in jobs that they find satisfying, it will be necessary to remove age discrimination from the workforce. Currently it’s alive and well established.
One way to help achieve this is for older people to be seen as productive members of society and not people whose “use by” date has arrived. Many of the terms used to describe people over 60 come from the first half of last century, when many in their 60s were old and frail. That’s not the case today and we really need a new description that reflects the life of 60s and 70s in the 21st Century.
The popular web site”Starts at 60” ran an article recently asking viewers if they preferred to be called “Seniors” or “Super Adults.” This article generated over 200 responses. Some loved “Super Adults” and some hated it. I think this was OK. The worst result would have been if people thought that “Super Adult” was so bland that they neither liked or disliked it and didn’t respond at all.
This new term gets noticed. It’s a humorous send- up where older people are prepared to laugh at themselves and push back against those descriptions that stereotype people over 60 as “old” and “past it”. To be a “Super Adult” says that you have a sense of humour, you are involved with life and still have a useful contribution to make to society.
Caravanning when you’re retired
Travelling with your partner can be a great experience or it can cause domestic friction as you both spend a lot of time together in small spaces. Here are 10 tips that should help make your next caravanning trip more fun 1. Expectations: Set the expectations of […]
Read MoreYour future in retirement – what if?
I recently saw a very confronting program on SBS. It featured three women, all in their 60s and 70s who had become homeless. What was particularly disturbing about this show was that all these women were intelligent, articulate and had achieved success in their chosen […]
Read MoreShare Your Life Story
Why wait till they hear your funeral eulogy to let your family and friends know what you did with your life? We often hear people saying ”We should have got Uncle Fred to tell us more about his life and now he’s gone and it’s […]
Read MoreWho Are You?
“Who are you?” It’s probably one of the most confronting questions we can be asked. The obvious answer – “I’m Paul, I’m married, live in Coffs Harbour, publish books, used to be in tourism, marketing, sports promotion and advertising etc” is also not the right […]
Read MoreTime: How Much Do You Have?
I was at a seminar last year and the presenter offered a great example of how fast the years go by. She said “Life is like a roll of toilet paper. In the early years it rotates slowly but as the paper gets used, it […]
Read MoreBeing Bored Can Be So Dull
While we’re still working, the idea of sitting around and just relaxing may sound very appealing. And it is – for a while. But if it becomes a major part of our life in retirement, we’re heading for trouble. Just watching lots of TV and […]
Read MoreTrain your brain
Like most over 60s I’ve noticed that my short term memory is less than perfect. I had always assumed that it was a part of the ageing process and there wasn’t much that I could do about it. I was wrong! Recent medical research has […]
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