Think younger stay younger

This has always seemed instinctively correct but some recent research now backs this up. 

Research from Purdue University in the United States, published in The Journal of Gerontology, has found that feeling that you’re younger than you are can make a big difference to your mental abilities.
 

"How old you are matters, but beyond that it's your interpretation that has far-reaching implications for the process of ageing," said Markus H. Schafer, a doctoral student in sociology and gerontology who led the study.
"So, if you feel old beyond your own chronological years you are probably going to experience a lot of the downsides that we associate with ageing. But if you are older and maintain a sense of being younger, then that gives you an edge in maintaining a lot of the abilities you prize."

Markus Schafer and his co-author, Tetyana P. Shippee, a research associate on the 'Aging and Life Course' at Purdue University, compared people’s attitudes and their belief in their mental abilities over a ten year period. For the National Survey of Midlife Development in the USA, almost 500 people aged between 55 and 74 were surveyed about ageing in 1995 and again in 2005.

  At the beginning of the study participants were asked what age they felt most of the time. Most replied that they felt around 12 years younger than their real age. So what difference did the next 10 years bring? 
"We found that these people who felt young for their age were more likely to have greater confidence about their cognitive abilities a decade later," Schafer said. "Yes, chronological age was important, but the subjective age had a stronger effect.

"What we are not sure about is what comes first. Does a person's wellness and happiness affect their cognitive abilities or does a person's cognitive ability contribute to their sense of wellness. We are planning to address this in a future study."

   

Thinking young is easier said than done, especially if the wear and tear of age has left its mark on us physically. Aches, pains and medication have a habit of bringing us back to reality.

In our book we quote the Yale University studies which also link with this. They made it quite clear that you can add 7.5 years to your lifespan by thinking positively about age. Some grumpy old people may live to a great age but you have a better chance if you are not!

Interviewed by Bill Vicks in the US

I was recently contacted by Bill Vicks in Texas who is a portfolio worker and amongst other things has a site called BoomersNext Step.com.  Bill interviewed me about the work that Mike and I have been doing relating to the over 50's and it kind of moved over into the work that I have and currently am doing with Katie Ledger on portfolio careers. I do apologise for the length but as Bill put it I am a recovering academic! So be glad I did not talk for 50 minutes without stopping. This is only 19 minutes so would just have qualified as a TED talk......

This gets syndicated to a multitude of sites in the US.


Anyway if you are really bored do have a look.

New publisher

Our book was published by Middlesex University Press who we think made a very good job of it. Sadly, as part of the overall University cuts Middlesex decided to axe its publishing wing in December. Fortunately, the key people in the publishing company have set up a new company, Libri Publishing. You will now find our book on their new website and from now on the book will be available from them. They also have lots of ideas about building on the book so we believe that its future will be rosy.

World of Employment Map

Those of you familiar with The Rainbow Years may have come across a major reference after the skills and interests diagnostics to the World of Employment Map. This is now on an LSC website on advice resources but now has a new website address to the one printed in the book. It is now http://www.advice-resources.co.uk/Resources/advice_resources/jobprofiles.htm

Bit long I know but it is the place to look if you are wanting information on nearly 800 jobs in 27 job families and it is defined according to your transferable skills and occupational interests.

Record number of older workers forced to shelve retirement plans due to financial crisis

A report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Developmen shows that 70 per cent of workers aged 55 and above said the financial crisis had left them with no option but to shelve their retirement plans.

The figure was just 40 per cent in the same survey two years ago.The research reveals that private sector workers are the biggest losers.

Only 36 per cent of workers in the private sector have a company pension, compared to 90 per cent of public sector workers.

The research will fuel the debate about 'pensions apartheid', with public sector workers enjoying gold-plated pensions - but almost nobody else.By comparison, few private sector workers even get a company pension, and even fewer get one that will pay for a decent retirement.

Without an adequate company pension, they have no alternative but to keep working beyond state pension age, currently 60 for women and 65 for men.

Private sector workers represent around 80 per cent of the workforce, but more and more are being left to face a financially tough retirement.

The survey, which interviewed around 2,000 people of working age, shows how the recession has escalated the financial crisis facing older workers. When the same question was asked two years ago, 40 per cent of workers aged 55 and above said they would have to work beyond state pension age.

But, just 24 months later, nearly three- quarters of workers are planning to stay in their jobs at an age when most of their parents and grandparents had retired.

This research unfortunately does not mention the other studies which show that more and more older workers want to continue in paid work but they do not want more of the same. Our book discusses this in great detail.

How old is 'old'?

The old perennial comes around again. Personally an elderly person is anyone older than me! The Dept of Work and Pensions have just produced a report bringing together a number of surveys which basically says that most people think that old age starts at 63 with youth stopping at 45.

By their mid-30s, most respondents stopped describing themselves as young, and only by their mid-70s did they start calling themselves old.

There was some good news for the older generation, with more people saying they were more comfortable with a boss aged over 70 than with somebody under 30 being in charge at work.

But 26% of those asked said they had experienced ageism. This was not just the retired, but also those who were not working or who were not married.

Stereotyping meant that people aged over 70 were viewed as more likely to be pitied, and also were considered an "economic threat" by some.

"Nearly a quarter of respondents believed that people over 70 take out more from the economy than they put in," the report said.

However, this was less of an issue for people living in Yorkshire and the Humber than anywhere else in the UK. Yet another reason for living in God's own country!

Good deal on The Rainbow Years

Learndirect are revamping the fiftyforward.co.uk website. Its new address is www.learndirect.co.uk/fiftyforward. Why are we telling you this? Because they are offering a really good price for The Rainbow Years:The Pluses of Being 50 +. If you buy from them you can get it for £9 which is cheaper than anywhere else that we have seen.

Kippers

No - not for breakfast! Just the latest mnemonic now being applied to certain members of our age group - Kids In Parents' Pockets Eroding Retirement Savings. The latest research reported in the Observer shows that one in four of people of retirement age cannot afford to leave their jobs and will have to continue working indefinitely.

"Falling house prices, shrinking pension pots and the need to support financially dependent children have created a perfect storm for retirement plans," said Simon Lough, chief executive of Heartwood Wealth Management, which commissioned the independent research of almost 2,000 people aged 55 and over.

The Office of National Statistics, found that most "kippers" are young men. Almost a third of men aged between 20 and 34 live with their parents, compared with less than a fifth of women.

The trend for young people returning home has emerged over the past eight years and in that period the number has risen by 300,000 to include two million young men.

The survey shows that for semi-retired people over 65, the situation is no better than for those approaching retirement: 49% said financial pressures were forcing them to delay full retirement. More than a third of those said they wanted to achieve their pension plan target before retiring fully and almost two-thirds said they would have to continue working until they were made to stop. Just over 6% anticipated having to work for another 10 years.

Do you really want your kids back living with you?

Despite growing up and spreading their wings, a third (31%) of parents have welcomed their ‘boomerang’ adult children back to the family home according to new research out today.

The research conducted by Saga Home Insurance, reveals that over three-quarters (78%) of over 50s enjoy having their children move back in with them – and today’s turbulent economic times are a contributing factor.

Over one-in-ten over 50s who have ‘put up’ their adult children again after they first left home did so to help their children out in times of financial difficulties. A further 17% have provided accommodation for their adult children following a divorce or separation.

While many children return home after completing university (26%), planning for a short stay while they find their feet, it seems many children may be outstaying their welcome.

Almost a fifth (17%) have moved back in with their parents for over a year, suggesting parents may be making their lives a bit too comfortable!

A quarter (27%) of parents asked for a financial contribution towards the increased household bills, but 28% didn’t want any financial assistance. 16% of children contributed financially even though their parents did not ask for help, whereas, 15% of children are unwilling or unable to contribute at all.

Even if their children do contribute to the household bills, many over 50s could still find themselves out of pocket as a fifth (16%) of parents even go so far as to make changes to their own property to house their offspring comfortably.

I'll have a Big Mac from an older person please...

A study conducted by Lancaster University Management School has revealed that levels of customer satisfaction were on average 20% higher in restaurants that employ staff aged 60 and over.

More than two-thirds of people surveyed said older workers connected well with customers, while 47% said they went the extra mile.

The study also revealed 44% believed workers aged over 60 brought mentoring skills to the workplace, helping younger colleagues develop and mature.

Professor Paul Sparrow, who undertook the study, said the results showed the value of employing older workers.

He said: "For McDonald's, we can show that the presence of older employees improves customer satisfaction and, in a service-led business, this drives the bottom line.

"Mature employees are a key part of the performance recipe.

"Employers must rise to the challenge of adapting to Britain's ageing workforce and this research shows that there can be a sizeable prize at stake for those which succeed."

Job help plea for older unemployed

A recent press release from the Press Association quotes the TUC claiming that older people are

being forced into early retirement when they lose their jobs because of a lack of support in helping them find new work.

It warned long-term unemployed people aged over 50 were at risk of never working again unless they were given tailored support to get back into the jobs market.

The TUC said research had shown that people aged over 50 who were unemployed were 10 times more likely to still be out of work after two years than they were to have found a new job.

It added that every year spent unemployed by a man in this age group increased the chances of never working again by 24.3%, and almost half of unemployed people over 50 had been out of work for more than a year.

Unemployment among the over 50s is currently running at 4.3%, lower than the overall rate of 7.8% and only a quarter of the rate of 17.3% among people aged 18 to 24. But despite praising the Government for prioritising tackling youth unemployment, the TUC said it must also look at offering tailored support for older people to prevent them from being forced into early retirement against their will.

The group said it was particularly concerned about the 'work for your benefits' scheme for the long-term unemployed, which has been proposed in the Welfare Reform Bill. Under the scheme, unemployed people will have to do compulsory work experience, earning as little as £2 an hour.

But the TUC said the scheme would do nothing to improve the job prospects for older workers, most of whom already have plenty of skills and experience.

It said the Government's job guarantee scheme, which is currently on offer to some young people, under which employers receive subsidies for taking on an unemployed person for at least six months, was a far better way to tackle long-term unemployment.

The group is calling for the scheme to be better funded and extended to include older workers. TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "The Government must introduce tailored support for older people to prevent them being forced into retirement against their will and face old age in poverty."

Living longer: the ageing population

Have a look at a great BBC piece on global ageing. Facts and some interesting interviews relating to the huge social and economic implications of the ageing population.

By 2040, the world's population aged 60 and over will more than treble to two billion people.

In the next 30 years, for the first time in human history, there will be more people on the planet who are over 60 than those under the age of 15.

People ‘get happier as they age

....according to a review of the available studies on emotions and ageing. Dr Laura Carstensen, a psychology professor at Stanford University found that mental well-being generally improved with age, except for people with dementia-related ill health.

She asked volunteers ranging in age from 18 to mid-90s to take part in various experiments and keep diaries of their emotional state.

She found the older people were far less likely than the younger to experience persistent negative moods and were more resilient to hearing personal criticism.

They were also much better at controlling and balancing their emotions - a skill that appeared to improve the older they became. It would appear that older people are increasingly aware that the time they have left in life is growing shorter.

“They want to make the best of it so they avoid engaging in situations that will make them unhappy.

“They have also had more time to learn and understand the intentions of others which helps them to avoid these stressful situations.”

This photo amused me - that's all..

Can't we celebrate living longer?

This is the title of an excellent article by John Appleby in the Guardian. He is commenting on the latest US Census Bureau's analysis of future world population projections. They are making some very scary predictions as to the consequences for all countries , including developing ones, of the demographic time bomb. The US Bureau says that people aged over 65 will soon outnumber children aged under five for the first time in history. John comments that this sounds oddly ominous, in a rather non-specific way. "In fact, the number of over-65-year-olds in England, for example, have outweighed the number of under-fives for some time – this year by nearly three to one. Has anyone noticed what a burden or problem this has been?" Read it to pick up the rest of the predictions and his less alarmist reactions to them.

Ageing population putting increasing pressure on family finances

As the Department of Health prepares to publish its green paper on long-term social care funding this month, research reveals a potentially difficult financial future for Britain's ageing population.

The Aviva Cost of Family Care study says six in ten (62%) over 50s worry that their pensions and savings are unlikely to see them through retirement.

In the Rainbow Years we discuss the problems of the 'sandwich generation'. This research echos this in a big way as over 50's worry about facing the prospect of simultaneously financing both their elderly parents and their own children:

Almost three quarters (71%) of adults in the UK fear their parents' shortage in retirement funding could cause severe problems for their own financial futures

Six in ten (60%) are concerned their parents will not be able to afford to stay in their existing homes in retirement - a quarter (25%) plan for their parents to live with them

One in ten (11%) say they are ready to cash in their savings and investments to fund their parents' retirement

Almost ten per cent are worried that their parents might not be able to pay for any required medical care during retirement

Many would like to support their elderly parents financially during retirement but, for two thirds (67%) say their own financial situation makes that impossible.

In fact almost half (43%) are delaying financial plans for their own retirement because of the current economic climate.

Do you change your friends every 7 years?

In our book we talk a great deal about the centrality of relationships in our lives so it was with some interest that we discovered that sociologist Gerald Mollenhorst of Utrecht University claims that you lose about half your friends and replace them with new ones after about seven years.

He conducted a survey of 1,007 people ages 18 to 65, and then contacted them again seven years later. From the original group, 604 people were re-interviewed. The survey contained questions such as: Who do you talk with, regarding personal issues? Who helps you with DIY in your home? Who do you pop by to see? Where did you get to know that person? And where do you meet that person now?

The results showed that personal network sizes remained stable, but that many members of the network were new. About 30 percent of discussion partners and practical helpers had the same position in a typical subject's network seven years later. And only 48 percent were still part of the network. This finding goes against previous research which had showed that social network sizes are shrinking.

As we get older many people report that it is more difficult to make new friends. But this is probably because they lose their curiousity which could take them to new places, learn new things or tapping into new social networks. Social media can help here enormously. You are never too old to make new friends- preferably younger ones who will outlive you!

Make the most of every opportunity

We often run into people who bemoan the limited years that they have left. Well, we all have limited time and it is what you do with it that counts. Play this video to see how important this principle is at any age. The young lad on it almost certainly will not live to our ages as he has a life-threatening illness and was granted his single greatest wish by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In our opinion, he shows us all what it really means to “own the moment.” I came across this on an excellent careers site which although American is certainly worth looking at if career change is an issue for you.

Moving home on retirement?

In England, 43% of over-50s plan to move away when they retire.

According to a new survey of nearly 14,000 people in the UK commissioned by Saga, the happiest older people are those who are living in the country already, and the people who aren't think they would be happier if they were. The likelihood that large numbers of older people will move to retirement hotspots has profound implications for Britain as it manages the impending boom in its ageing population. One in 10 people, regardless of where they lived themselves, picked Devon as the best county for retired people to live. Scotland also appears very popular.

We continually advise people to be very wary of making these moves. The danger is that you might lose your main support groups, activities, social pastimes and even your health security blanket as you have to find new doctors, etc. We know of people who have moved to be near their children and grandchildren which sometimes works out well and support can be offered to busy parents. We also know people who came to resent being taken for granted and/or realised that suddenly they did not have ready access to their old friends. Before deciding to do this sit down and make a list of all of the pluses and minuses that you can think of. Check the results alongside your life values - if you have done the exercise in our book. If you are moving to be near family then have a full discussion about expectations from both sides. Unless you happen to be an MP of course and then you can have 2 homes so no problem!

I'm too old to do that!

Do you get as fed up as we do in continually running into people who say this? Sometimes they are only 50. It is tragic seeing people limit themselves because they have bought into stereotyping from a different age. We need to question people who say this at any opportunity and also look for real life examples of people who clearly go counter to this restriction. As we come across them we will report them here and ask you to send us details of anyone you know who would never say this and instead does something remarkable. Like Margaret Jones, of Malmesbury, a 90-year-old former midwife from Wiltshire who had to step in to deliver her great-granddaughter because the duty midwife was not able to arrive in time. She had ceased to be a midwife 50 years ago.

Interviewed afterwards she said : "I did not think I would get down because I have two artificial hips. When I got home after, I had a strong cup of tea and put some whisky in it."

Her grandaughter commented, "My mum first called my gran just to have a look while I was waiting for the hospital midwife."

Mrs Jones ended up delivering 7lb 7oz Carys 20 minutes before the midwife arrived.

"I am close with my gran," said her grandaughter. "It felt incredible to have her there, she is magical."

I'm too old to do that...............