The Department of Health has recently launched a website to measure and improve your health at mid-life. See www.midlifecheck.co.uk It is designed for people over the age of 40 so that seems to be when "mid-life" starts for the DoH. (Research I've conducted over recent years suggest that most middle-aged people don't regard themselves as middle-aged so possibly an issue on the self-identity subject).
However, I've just keyed in my answers and have been reasonably impressed with the process. It provides really useful and probably uncomfortable information about alcoholic units as well as realistic suggestions about how to increase physical activity which are probably quite easy to do if we are prepared to make changes.
It enables you to save your plan and to check progress over time and I shall be forwarding it to some of my friends as it's quite fun to do.
I'm not that keen on the Doctor who kept on appearing and talking to me, not sure if that is supposed to give me the personal touch but I couldn't quite find how to turn her off (you can have a male Doctor if you prefer!).
Friday, 26 February 2010
Thursday, 18 February 2010
Life time design
Following yesterday's blog about "self-identity".The research in the report helps to explain why people, as they get older, are often in denial about needing walking sticks, hearing aids etc because they don't identify with the types of people they perceive as needing them. While a walking stick will actually help to prevent a fall it is quite often only after the event that the need is realised and begrudgingly accepted by the fall victim.
This reality poses a great challenge (how to support people better when they don't feel they need the support) but it also means there are great opportunities for creative solutions. The Royal College for Art for example has for many years been promoting design for life ie everyday items which just grow as you get older without it being a specific "old" product. An example of better design is when B and Q started to target older people designing lighter weight drills, improving colour and choice etc. This helped to open up the market to a much wider customer base such as women. Design for life therefore makes good business sense, it also addresses the issues of ageism and the fact that unplanned for life events can change our ability to function well at any age, and provides flexibility and choice.Maybe if we all started to focus on the customer's lifetime, rather than a simple short term product focus,we could all be much better supported in our older years.
This reality poses a great challenge (how to support people better when they don't feel they need the support) but it also means there are great opportunities for creative solutions. The Royal College for Art for example has for many years been promoting design for life ie everyday items which just grow as you get older without it being a specific "old" product. An example of better design is when B and Q started to target older people designing lighter weight drills, improving colour and choice etc. This helped to open up the market to a much wider customer base such as women. Design for life therefore makes good business sense, it also addresses the issues of ageism and the fact that unplanned for life events can change our ability to function well at any age, and provides flexibility and choice.Maybe if we all started to focus on the customer's lifetime, rather than a simple short term product focus,we could all be much better supported in our older years.
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
Can do attitude and healthy denial
Another great report and research to share, this time Intel's "Global Ageing Experience" and I'm going to quote from it.
" People want to focus on what they CAN do, not what they CAN'T do. As one woman told us, succinctly and unambiguously: "you are sick when you are lying in bed". That is why so few people self-identify as either ill or old. Many people chose not to use canes, assistive devices in the home etc. This is not just because these devices are socially stigmatising in appearance, but because these devices reinforce a personal identity as someone who is "sick". Many people sought out challenges as ways of keeping themselves sharp -in fact it seemed that it was people's energy level, will to pursue such challenges that most correlated with self-identification as ill or old".
This suggests that denial is a natural part, and possibly healthy response to keeping going when getting older. The issue and challenge for those who provide health, care and support is how to address the need for support,which will increase with age, while understanding and respecting the overall context of self-identity.
More on this tomorrow.
" People want to focus on what they CAN do, not what they CAN'T do. As one woman told us, succinctly and unambiguously: "you are sick when you are lying in bed". That is why so few people self-identify as either ill or old. Many people chose not to use canes, assistive devices in the home etc. This is not just because these devices are socially stigmatising in appearance, but because these devices reinforce a personal identity as someone who is "sick". Many people sought out challenges as ways of keeping themselves sharp -in fact it seemed that it was people's energy level, will to pursue such challenges that most correlated with self-identification as ill or old".
This suggests that denial is a natural part, and possibly healthy response to keeping going when getting older. The issue and challenge for those who provide health, care and support is how to address the need for support,which will increase with age, while understanding and respecting the overall context of self-identity.
More on this tomorrow.
Monday, 15 February 2010
Future of ageing
I've just been reading a really interesting report published by the ILC entitled "Fiction, Facts and Future of Older People and Technology".
It makes a number of really good points, such as, "words do more than describe the world, they create it", which is an interesting comment on the terminology we use to refer to older people and the danger of creating a world that we are trying to avoid by careless attention to detail.
It then mentions the contemporary gerontologist's view of ageing "we should understand ageing not in terms of disability, dependency and disadvantage but as a project of identity, experience and meaning".
I think we'd all find this a more motivating and acceptable approach to ageing and if we can keep on reinforcing these kinds of positive words in relation to getting older then hopefully the creation of this world will follow.
It makes a number of really good points, such as, "words do more than describe the world, they create it", which is an interesting comment on the terminology we use to refer to older people and the danger of creating a world that we are trying to avoid by careless attention to detail.
It then mentions the contemporary gerontologist's view of ageing "we should understand ageing not in terms of disability, dependency and disadvantage but as a project of identity, experience and meaning".
I think we'd all find this a more motivating and acceptable approach to ageing and if we can keep on reinforcing these kinds of positive words in relation to getting older then hopefully the creation of this world will follow.
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
2010: AGE OK
2010 is an interesting year for ageing issues. The Government has brought forward its review of the default retirement age and no doubt the lobbyists are actively presenting their points of view.
To me it is a no-brainer. We should all be able to work for as long as we are able to perform well, whatever our age. This may mean having to change our jobs to enable us to do this and we need to be more realistic about our expectations and employers more prepared to look at flexible options. There needs to be more of a focus on planning for our "second life" of older age where work may feature as part of a portfolio of fulfilling activities. However, most people will still consider retirement at the age their pension kicks in, if they are lucky enough to have one that is.
The second big development this year is the Equality Bill which will ban age discrimination against people over the age of 18 outside of the workplace where good and services are bought. There are going to be lots of exceptions to this so time will tell what kind of an impact this will have.
Age Concern and Help the Aged agreed on their new name last year with the rather uninspiring, but safe, brand name of Age UK. I think they should have called it AGE OK. Two simple words conveying masses of meaning.
To me it is a no-brainer. We should all be able to work for as long as we are able to perform well, whatever our age. This may mean having to change our jobs to enable us to do this and we need to be more realistic about our expectations and employers more prepared to look at flexible options. There needs to be more of a focus on planning for our "second life" of older age where work may feature as part of a portfolio of fulfilling activities. However, most people will still consider retirement at the age their pension kicks in, if they are lucky enough to have one that is.
The second big development this year is the Equality Bill which will ban age discrimination against people over the age of 18 outside of the workplace where good and services are bought. There are going to be lots of exceptions to this so time will tell what kind of an impact this will have.
Age Concern and Help the Aged agreed on their new name last year with the rather uninspiring, but safe, brand name of Age UK. I think they should have called it AGE OK. Two simple words conveying masses of meaning.
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