Your real age?

In our book we strongly suggest that you to to the Real Age website to compare your actual age with your 'real age' based on your lifestyle. I was presently surprised when I did it. I was reminded of this when seeing a Daily Mail article recently which offered a similar self assessment. You are asked to assess your brain, skin, muscles, eye, ears, lungs, teeth, heart and liver and then you get a reading. Not sure of the science behind this but it was educational to do it. The Real Age one is still the best test around.

Older drivers safest in icy weather

Another plus of being 50+!


Insurance claims by over 50s drivers are actually DOWN 17% this December, compared with the same time last year, Saga Motor Insurance can reveal.
It seems that older motorists are heeding the warnings to stay off the roads in bad weather.  As AA statistics show that motorists in general are making twice as many claims as normal due to the bad weather, this must be younger drivers, because Saga's experience shows that older motorists are having fewer accidents this year.
Saga Director-General Ros Altmann commented: "It is really encouraging that older motorists are using their experience and planning around the bad weather to ensure they are not out on the roads in the ice and snow."

Quarter of over 50s 'cheat on their partner'

In addition a sixth of them never use contraception when embarking on a new relationship, the highest of any age group, found the poll.

One in three 51 to 55-year-olds said they had "slept around" and had an unprotected one-night stand, while one in four admitted to having more than one ongoing sexual relationship.

The poll of 3,000 people, commissioned by The Co-operative Pharmacy, found that today's young people are less promiscuous than their elders were at the same age.

A fifth of teenagers over 16 delayed having their first sexual encounter until the legal age of consent, the survey found, compared to only one in 20 of those now aged 20 or older.
Lisa McCreesh, a pharmacist for The Co-operative Pharmacy, said: "Our research challenges the belief that teenagers are more promiscuous than older generations.
"They unfairly get a bad name, while those in their fifties, who grew up in the sixties and seventies, are living up to the era’s care free image as they take greater risks with their sexual health."
Natika Halil, director of information at FPA, the sexual health charity, said: "The message is the same for teenagers as well as people in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s – don’t take a risk with your sexual health over the festive period. There is only one protection against most STIs – wearing a condom."

Another reason for living to be a 100

Advances in medical science have extended not only human life spans, but virility during the course of those longer lives.

That fact has been accompanied by a growing body of research into the sexuality of people who have passed what is to be considered retirement age. Now, a new Australian study shows that both sexual activity and a desire for sex remain a consideration for men who are approaching the century mark.
"Although many people, including some doctors, believe that sexuality isn't important to older people, our study shows that this is not the case. Even in the tenth decade of life, 1 in 5 men still considered sex important," said study researcher Zoe Hyde, a doctoral researcher with the Western Australian Centre for Health and Ageing at the University of Western Australia. "However, some common medical problems are barriers to older people remaining sexually active," Hyde said.
The Australian study comes after studies in the United States and Sweden have shown that many or most people in their 70s lead active sex lives, and have found high levels of sexual satisfaction among this group, sometimes even exceeding that of their younger years.

The new study looked at nearly 2,800 men between the ages of 75 and 95. While sexual activity and the desire for sex was lower than in studies of younger adults, it remained significant. Nearly a third of the men surveyed had had sex in the past year, and just under half considered sex to be "at least somewhat important."
Of those who were still sexually active, more than forty percent wished to have more, but were blocked, often by their own health problems or their partners' problems, including conditions such as osteoporosis, diabetes, prostate cancer or other physical limitations.
Men who wish to be sexually active late in life can take some preventative steps in their younger years, Hyde said.
"Chronic disease, such as diabetes, appears to be the main reason that older men cease being sexually active," she told MyHealthNewsDaily. "If men want to remain sexually active as they age, the best thing they can do is get sufficient physical activity, eat a healthy and nutritious diet and stop smoking."
Hyde said the study has also highlighted other things that may help people who are older stay sexually active if they wish.
"It was interesting that testosterone levels were still associated with sexual activity, after we controlled for medical problems and social factors," she said. "This suggests that testosterone deficiency could possibly cause problems for some men, so this is an area that clinical trials of testosterone therapy should look at."

Testosterone therapy has been advocated to stop age-related decline in men, but it remains controversial because of a lack of data on its risks and benefits.
"It would be premature to suggest testosterone therapy to improve sexual interest and activity at this stage," Hyde said. "We need further studies to properly explore the risks of therapy as well as the possible benefits."
The study did hold some caveats. The authors noted that the men in the study lived in the community, and may not represent the population of men in that age range as a whole, some of whom live in assisted-living facilities.
But researchers also noted that some men might have been reluctant to be more honest in their responses because "sexuality can be a sensitive topic."
Judith Kuriansky, a clinical psychologist and adjunct faculty member of Columbia University Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry, said the new study is not surprising in light of research from other countries.
"Men who are over 75 are not over the hill anymore," Kuriansky said.
Because there are more women than men who live to that age, "They, I'm sure, have lots of partners to choose from," she said, adding that "with all these medications that are available, they can still perform longer."

Watch out for those croissants and toast...

Josephine Forbes of the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute conducted a study on how many common foods – toast and croissants included-can produce chemicals now suspected of fast-tracking ageing and chronic disease.
Named Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs), these chemicals turn up in foods ranging from hash browns to cola drinks and coffee.
Forbes and researchers overseas have suggested that too many AGEs building up in the body can contribute to heart disease and diabetes – and the wrinkling and pigmentation that goes with ageing skin.
The foods producing the most AGEs tend to be processed foods high in sugar or fat, especially animal fat, that are then grilled, baked or fried at high temperatures, often until they’re crispy and golden, said Forbes.
“The more a food has sugar added to it and the more it’s processed, the more AGEs it usually produces. Baked, crunchy breakfast cereals and toasted mueslis also produce AGEs, but raw oats and porridge are fine,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted her as saying.
It seems that once you start mucking around with food the more AGEs it produces – there aren’t many foods in their natural state that produce AGEs,” she added.
We can accumulate too many AGEs in two ways. One is from some foods; the other is when blood sugar levels are too high, as with diabetes or pre-diabetes.
Although research into AGEs’ effects is still in the early stages, studies have suggested they can harm the immune system and contribute to hardened arteries and problems with kidney function.
They can age skin by attacking collagen and promote arthritis by damaging the joints.

And 'yes' I did have croissants for breakfast this morning!

Is this the end of ageing? How we can hold back the years?

This is the title of a wide ranging article in the Mail online by Alice Smellie who discusses the ongoing research by the Institute of Ageing at Newcastle University and recent studies by the Universities of Durham and Oxford. Read it!

Nearly one in ten pensioners still have a mortgage

Some owe hundreds of thousands of pounds, and have no option but to remortgage.

Also instead of enjoying retirement, many pensioners are having to continue working in order to cover the cost of their mortgage

A survey of 6,000 Britons for Saga found that 8.6 per cent of over-65s have a mortgage.

A separate report, from the economic research group Policis, suggests the problem will get worse. It found that 53 per cent of over-50s with a mortgage have a loan which stretches past their 65th birthday.  Nearly two-thirds said they ‘intend to borrow into retirement to support their financial plans for later life’.

The problems of grandparent carers

200,000 family and friends carers, raising around 300,000 children in the UK, who would cost an estimated £12 billion each year if they were in the care system, are largely unrecognised by local and national government – and are set to be hit hard by welfare reform and spending cuts, according to a new report from charity Grandparents Plus.

Campaigners are concerned that the cuts will undermine grandparents’ ability to care resulting in more children ending up in the care system, at great cost to the tax payer.

‘What if we said no?’ is based on a new survey of over 250 family and friends carers, most of whom are grandparents, launched on 28 October) as part of a national lobby day where over 200 grandparent carers and their grandchildren from across the country head to Westminster to call for greater recognition and respect for the ‘forgotten army’ of carers. 

The survey reveals the challenges facing grandparent carers, including:

• Two thirds have a household income of under £300 a week
• 7% don’t receive any kind of benefit or allowance for looking after a child – not even child benefit
• 4 out of 10 (41%) are raising a child alone
• Over half (57%) gave up work or reduced their hours to take on care of a child. 
• 88% of the carers are under 65, half of them are under 55.
• 6 out of 10 have a chronic health condition or a disability

The report shows that children living in family and friends care are a particularly vulnerable group, having experienced parental alcohol or drug misuse, abuse, neglect or domestic violence, or the long-term illness of a parent.  Grandparents Plus has also found that 4 out of 10 of these children have difficulties at schools such as making friends and some experience bullying.

Sam Smethers, Chief Executive of Grandparents Plus said:
“We share the Government’s vision for the Big Society.  And grandparents are at the forefront of it because society is built on the family.  But here are grandparents doing the right thing, picking up the pieces in times of crisis and all too often they take a financial hit and their health suffers as a result.”
“Our research shows that before they take on this caring role they are like any other grandparents.  But then a family crisis means they have to step in. It could happen to anyone.”
Campaigners are concerned that the cuts will undermine grandparents’ ability to care resulting in more children ending up in the care system, at great cost to the tax payer.

‘What if we said no?’ is based on a new survey of over 250 family and friends carers, most of whom are grandparents, launches today, (Thursday 28 October) as part of a national lobby day where over 200 grandparent carers and their grandchildren from across the country head to Westminster to call for greater recognition and respect for the ‘forgotten army’ of carers.  A separate event organised by The Poverty and Truth Commission is also taking place at the Scottish Parliament.

The survey reveals the challenges facing grandparent carers, including:

• Two thirds have a household income of under £300 a week
• 7% don’t receive any kind of benefit or allowance for looking after a child – not even child benefit
• 4 out of 10 (41%) are raising a child alone
• Over half (57%) gave up work or reduced their hours to take on care of a child. 
• 88% of the carers are under 65, half of them are under 55.
• 6 out of 10 have a chronic health condition or a disability

The report shows that children living in family and friends care are a particularly vulnerable group, having experienced parental alcohol or drug misuse, abuse, neglect or domestic violence, or the long-term illness of a parent.  Grandparents Plus has also found that 4 out of 10 of these children have difficulties at schools such as making friends and some experience bullying.

Sam Smethers, Chief Executive of Grandparents Plus said:
“We share the Government’s vision for the Big Society.  And grandparents are at the forefront of it because society is built on the family.  But here are grandparents doing the right thing, picking up the pieces in times of crisis and all too often they take a financial hit and their health suffers as a result.”
“Our research shows that before they take on this caring role they are like any other grandparents.  But then a family crisis means they have to step in. It could happen to anyone.”

Campaigners fear that the combined impact of welfare reform and cuts to local authority children’s services will hit grandparent carers particularly hard.  1 in 3 receive an allowance from their local authority but as this support is discretionary it is particularly vulnerable to spending cuts.  Cuts will also mean the loss of key support for the carers and the children they care for.
Campaigners are making a number of calls, including:

• Recognition for the vital role they play in looking after vulnerable children and keeping them out of the care system. As a minimum they deserve to be counted - we need official data on the number of families in this situation

• Protection from the impact of welfare reform and cuts to local authority children's services, which may hit family and friends carers and the children they are looking after (i.e. those who are outside the care system) particularly hard. 

Sam Smethers added:
“Making these families poorer will push some to breaking point and could result in more children going into the care system.  It could also discourage potential family and friends carers from coming forward to care. This would be neither good for children nor cost-effective.  We know this Government values the role of grandparents in family life and also wants to tackle the crisis in our care system, not add to it, so we urge ministers to consider ways in which they can protect these families from the adverse impact of benefit changes and spending cuts.”

Lynn Chesterman, Chief Executive of the Grandparents Association who are partners in the lobby day, said:
“There is no question that family and friends carers play a vital role in looking after vulnerable children and keeping them out of the care system.  But we are seriously concerned that because this group remains largely invisible, they will be overlooked when decisions about welfare reform and spending cuts are made.  This could lead to grandparents carers being unintentionally disadvantaged in what is already a very difficult economic climate for them.”

Jim Newell, a grandparent carer from Canterbury will be travelling to London for the lobby day.  He said:
 “My wife and I are the sole carers for our three grandchildren and when they initially came to live with us four years ago, I continued to work full-time.  Eventually I had to give up my job; it was far too stressful working and taking care of the children who were all under 3 at the time.
“I believe more needs to be done to recognise the important role grandparents play in caring for their children.  As it currently stands, we get little financial support and already live on a shoestring.  It is frightening to think what the implications of the spending cuts and welfare reforms might be.  I’m sure it’ll hit many grandparent carer families hard.”

The survey also reveals that:

• Almost half (48%) of family and friends carers are looking after a child with special needs or a disability

• 3 out of 10 (30%) are also caring for an elderly or disabled partner, relative or friend.

• 4 out of 10 have looked after the child/children for more than 5 years.

Cathy Ashley, Chief Executive of Family Rights Group, a national charity that provides advice to family and friends carers said:
“These carers are doing exactly what the government wants to encourage in the Big Society, namely stepping forward and putting the needs of vulnerable children above their own.   However, the impact of the proposed benefit changes and spending cuts will be to drive many into greater poverty and spiralling debt, with placements breaking down and children entering care after all.  There are specific things that Government could to do prevent this tragedy such as exempting family and friends carers from the proposed total cap on welfare benefits, as is proposed for families caring for disabled children.”

Why women live longer than men

Women live longer than men because their bodies are better at repairing themselves. In an article in November's Scientific American, Professor Tom Kirkwood of Newcastle University argues that women have to be better at fixing the wear and tear on their cells in order to have healthy offspring.
In interviews last week, Kirkwood said that it made biological sense for men to be more disposable and therefore die younger. The body is disposable, argues Kirkwood, because the genes are passed to the next generation.
"This theory is widely accepted now," Kirkwood says. "Ageing is not driven by a clock."
Having said that it is useful to remind oneself that the longevity gap between the sexes is narrowing.  A women's life expectancy has actually been closing in this country and is now 4.2 years (a narrowing from six years over the past 27 years). A boy born today lives to an average 77.7 years, compared with a girl, who would be expected to reach 81.9. The differential is thought to be due to higher rates of heart disease and risk-taking in men; oestrogens have protected women from heart disease.

7 mistakes made by 50+ job seekers

Just came across this interesting US article which covers some points that I have made before but adds some others and if you are job seeking is well worth a read.

Does this suggest it is time to retire ........

Saga divorces' on the rise as over-50s couples fall out of love

A third of men polled for Saga said their marriage ended as their partner was no longer interested in sex. Most women said their ex-husband was emotionally cold.

Nagging also scored highly, listed as a top reason for a split by 14 per cent of the 1900 divorcees aged 50 and over asked. In 10 per cent of cases, couples said they'd simply run out of things to talk about.

For the sake of research 1,900 people were questioned and the main reason for men wanting a divorce was that their partner was no longer interested in sex while women argued that their reason to head for a divorce was the emotional coldness of their husband. Emotional coldness contributed to 28% of those divorced in the over 50 category. The research revealed that 10% couples admitted that they no longer have anything to talk while 14% said that constant nagging was responsible for their divorce. The research also found that 27% admitted that they no longer are committed to their marriage while 5% were unhappy that their partner flirted with friends and colleagues. Another major factor among couples to divorce was the financial matter. Around 9% couples complained that their partner failed to contribute financially to their relationship that led to a divorce while 8% said that their partner spent too much.

Over half of Britons want to work beyond retirement age

More than half (51 per cent) of British adults are keen to carry on working beyond the retirement age in order to stay active, a new poll has found.

They survey by Friends Provident showed 47 per cent of respondents thought they would be bored once they leave their career behind and another 43 per cent said they value the social contact their job provides.
According to the company's Visions of Britain 2020 report, the country's ageing population are in better health and have more energy than any preceding generation.

It added that by the end of the decade, 51 per cent of those doing voluntary jobs are expected to be over 60 and, along with those choosing to extend their working lives, this group will make a vital contribution to society.
Friends Provident chief executive Trevor Matthews said: "People are living longer and this new breed of energetic and healthy individuals want to remain involved and not become economically inactive."

Less than one in five retired people think that it’s their responsibility to leave
an inheritance to their children. Instead retired people expect to help their
children and increasingly their grandchildren with education and housing
costs. Furthermore, 26% of grandparents expect to contribute to the cost of
tertiary education.

Unemployment: over-50s most likely to be out of work.

The number of over-50s out of work for 12 months or more remains the highest for any age group, while employment levels among the over 65s continue to rise, according to the latest official Labour Market Statistics released today.
According to the data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), despite 38,000 more over-50s finding work between June and August 2010, 387,000 still remain out of work.

Despite the gloomy figures, the number of over 65s in full- or part-time work rose by 0.4% to an all-time high of 846,000 in the three months from June to August 2010, up by 42,000 from the previous quarter, and a rise of 89,000 from the corresponding period in 2009.

Digital unite

This is the new initiative aimed at getting as many older people as possible connected up and using digital media as we all know what a difference it could make to their lives. Each of us can help in a variety of ways so do have a look at their website.


It is also Get Online Week from 18-24 October.  UK online centres have made grants available through Digital Unite. The grants scheme is now closed for new applications but you can still find out all about how it works in the Frequently Asked Questions.

Over 50 and humourless.....

Oh dear! A new study of 2000 people conducted for Dave - the TV channel suggests that we really do get more humourless as we age and that we spend more time moaning than when we were younger. You can see a fuller report in a Daily Mail article.
I would interpret the complaining as being more positive in that we are less prepared to put up with poor service, inadequate products and useless bureaucracy. There is of course no details as to how the study was carried out so maybe I might just complain about a newspaper reporting findings uncritically. So there!

Older men stay attractive for a decade longer

Well this is good news!  Thanks to Debenhams who surveyed 1,000 women and 1000 men aged between 18 and 60 on their attitudes to male appearance.

A greater emphasis on dressing well and keeping fit has dramatically improved the physical attractiveness of older men, according to the findings.

The trend towards women marrying and having children later in life has also extended the period for which a bachelor is considered eligible.

Baldness is no longer seen as a stigma, and even a slight paunch is unlikely to render a man unattractive to women.
Many women reported finding the greater financial security of older men reassuring because it represents a better life for their children.

Ruth Attridge, a spokeswoman for the department store, said: "Older men are now remaining more attractive to women for longer than ever before.They are increasingly seen as eligible, prospective partners rather than old bores with little energy left to catch the female eye".

So there you have it!

October 1

Thought you ought to know that October 1 is International Day of Older Persons. This is a day designed to highlight over-50s contributions to society and to promote the development of a society for all ages.

So - lets celebrate. Although personally I try to celebrate it every day.

Men more likely to forget with age

Men are more likely than women to suffer problems with memory and thinking as they age, research has shown.
Rates of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) were found to be 1.5 times higher in men than in women.
MCI involves a level of mental decline beyond that which can be explained by normal ageing. It is often associated with Alzheimer's disease later in life.
Scientists conducting the study tested the memory and thinking skills of more than 2,000 people aged 70 to 89 in Minnesota, US.
They found almost 14% of participants had MCI, 10% were suffering from dementia, and 76% had normal mental faculties.
A total of 19% of men had MCI compared with 14% of women.
Lead researcher Dr Ronald Petersen, from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, said: "This is the first study conducted among community-dwelling persons to find a higher prevalence of MCI in men.
"The finding that the frequency of MCI is greater in men was unexpected, since the frequency of Alzheimer's disease is actually greater in women. It warrants further study.
"If these results are confirmed in other studies, it may suggest that factors related to gender play a role in the disease. For example, men may experience cognitive decline earlier in life but more gradually, whereas women may transition from normal memory directly to dementia at a later age but more quickly."

Most people believe 'retirement as we know it is over'

This is the result of a survey of 1000 people carried out for the Newsnight programme on Sept 7th. There is an excellent review on the BBC website. I think they are right and not before time. It is even more bizarre when one reads of the French taking to the streets when it is suggested that their retirement age is increased from 60 to 62. And as for the Greeks! What world are these people living in. Clearly one in which the State somehow supports you to live for around a third of your life.

More over 50's using social media

Grandparent carers

From April 2011, working age grandparents who provide care for a child will be able to get their National Insurance contribution credited to help build up their basic state pension. For more information contact Grandparents Plus, a national charity, telephone 020 8981 8001, http://www.grandparentsplus.org.uk

Is our future in retail?

 A report by Skillsmart Retail reveals that while 16 to 24-year-olds still dominate the retail profile, there is a decline in employees of this age.
Conversely, the number of older members of staff - from 55 to 74 - has grown over the last eight years.

Last year workers aged over 55 accounted for one in seven of the workforce, with 50,000 more people from that group working in retail than in 2001.

And the potential market for retailers to employ from within the 50-plus age group is nearly three times greater than the 16 to 24 age group, says Skillsmart Retail.

As people live longer, and with the compulsory retirement age of 65 soon to be phased out, Skillsmart Retail now predicts a 22% increase in the number of over-50s working in retail in the next 10 years.

The report also predicts that the next decade could see a 9% drop in the number of 16 to 24-year-olds working in retail.

Typically, a younger worker will remain with a retailer for one to two years, while the over-50s stay for between five to 10.

Definitely the last of the summer wine

 

Wonderful article on the BBC website about what did Last of the Summer Wine teach us. As it happened I had a meeting in Holmfirth last week and it was a joy revisiting the place again after 15 years. It has somewhat been taken over by the TV series but still a gorgeous place to visit. If you go you must go to the Longley cafe with their superb ice creams and other goodies.

Eat more berries!

The latest directive from the scientists as to what to eat orders us all to eat more berries to keep our brains young.

Strawberries, blackberries and blueberries contain high levels of compounds called polyphenolics, which help the brain to carry out essential 'housekeeping' functions.

Eating fruits with deep orange, red or blue pigments can even reverse the loss of brain power, according to a two month study of laboratory rats fed a berry-rich diet.

 

Shibu Poulose, who presented his research at the American Chemical Society on Monday, said: "The good news is that natural compounds called polyphenolics found in fruits, vegetables and nuts have an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect that may protect against age-associated decline."

Polyphenolics in berries help certain cells called microglia, which clean up toxic proteins linked to age-related memory loss and other symptoms of mental decline. 

So now we have to consume chocolate, milk, red wine and lots of berries. Gets better all the time doesn't it!

Retiring at 66

I have to say that my initial reaction to the increase in the state retirement age for men in 2016 was largely positive. TAEN have produced a very thoughtful report on the issue before coming out against it. If this is a topic of interest to you download their report and see what you think. In spite of their case I think overall I am still in favour although I certainly was unaware that our pensions are about the lowest in Europe. Those Greeks certainly had it made. No wonder they have taken to the streets.

Sex and the over 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's .....

Great article by Pamela Stephenson Connolly in the Daily Mail in which she discusses sexuality and older people within the context of different cultures. Read her description of sex and older people in the Kiribati who live in the Pacific. You will never be able to hear the song "I'm a little teapot" again without an even broader smile!