As I edge closer to 60 than I am to 50, I am increasingly becoming more aware of how ageist society is.
With society and the media placing a strong emphasis on striving for eternal youth, many women as they age feel pressured to conform to how the media and society dictate that they should look. Women are made to feel that they should hide their greying hair and wrinkles, rather than embrace them as the symbols of their wisdom years that they are.
When I was in my 30s, I would often hear women in their 50s talk about being invisible. I didn’t fully get it back then, but over the years I have come to understand what they meant. They would talk about being overlooked for opportunities because of their age. Something that is still prevalent today.
But aging is something that will come to all of us and is something that we all need to embrace. As I watch my parents’ generation age, I am becoming more aware of the importance of putting certain things into place now. This is particularly so regarding health, well-being, and planning for those golden years.
Two years ago, I had a bit of a light bulb moment as I observed elderly relatives at a family event. I looked at those who were active physically and mentally and their lifestyle, as well as those who were not whose mental and physical health were fast declining.
I had a realisation that this could be me in 30 years’ time. I could go the route of the physically and mentally fit and healthy, or I could go down the other route. But it all depended on the action that I took now.
Whilst none of us know what the future holds for our physical and mental health. Or, whether we will even get to see old age, we can at least put ourselves in the best possible position to live a long and healthy life. Something I decided to do after that light bulb moment and I embarked on making some healthy lifestyle changes, recognising that it is a marathon and not a sprint.
Many people don’t think about making plans for their long-term future and don’t make provisions for their life after retirement. When you’re in your 20s and 30s it can feel like you will be forever young and live your life just for today.
And whilst it is good to live life in the moment and enjoy it, it is also good to have an eye on the future and put things in place to secure it because the years go by so quickly.
This week got me thinking about what I want my life to be like as I age, when, along with my sister and a group of other people, I had the opportunity to experience a night’s stay in the newly opened Angmering Grange Care Home.
Angmering Grange is a Hallmark Care Homes care home positioned in a picturesque village on the southern edge of the South Down National Park in West Sussex.
We were picked up from Angmering train station in a Rolls Royce, with cocktails on arrival before being shown around the beautiful gardens and the facilities that the home has to offer. This included having a hand massage in what is called the Namaste room, a peaceful and calming space.
We enjoyed a 5 course meal and got to meet the Executive Chef and the team responsible for providing us with this wonderful culinary experience. This was followed by chocolate making and ice cream in what I thought looked like a beautiful 1950s style tea parlour. After having had such a lovely evening, I slept like a baby in the luxurious room that I was allocated.
One of the things that Ray Arnold, the operational manager at Angmering Care Home said has got me thinking. He said that they often get people contacting them in a panic, rather than having planned for this stage of life in advance. It got me thinking about the need for people to put plans in place for their golden years and wondering when the best time is to start.
The experience at Angmering Care Home was like being at a 5-star hotel with extra facilities. The experience was designed to give us a taste of what it will be like for the residents when they move in and is certainly somewhere I would consider living when I get to my golden years.
What are your thoughts about planning for your golden years, and what age do you think someone should start? Or are you more of a live for today and let tomorrow take care of itself kind of person?
First published on LinkedIn.
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