Ageing

All creatures age, we know it in our very bones, but we often walk backwards towards old age. The links below explore aspectects of growing into elderhood.

The following links will take you to pages that explore various aspects of being older. If you would like to add your web site, workshop, group or retreat please see the Contact page.

Ageism - Let's Combat It!

Ageism is endemic in Western society, it deeply effects the emotional, mental and physical well being of middled aged and older people. It is particularly sad that many of us older folk don't realise how much we have bought into the societal view of later life.

Having established beyound doubt that we face a mountain range of prejudice as we age (see Ageism section below) let's take it on and work to change the false opinions and perception peddled by media amd marketing, big pharma and government. The articles and papers referenced below look at various aspects of ageism experienced by many older folk in our villages, towns and cities. See also the resources section listing books that explore positive ageing. See below for articles and papers regarding ageism.

Ageism.Org: "In today’s world stereotypes run rampant"

Ageism Hurts: "a forum to stimulate awareness, thought and discussion about ageism"

Jounal of Gerontology: Ageism is a civil rights issue.

Ageing Better UK: “Our goal is to see an increase in the proportion of people aged 50 and over who report they feel they strongly belong to their neighbourhood.”

Independent Age: Helping older people maintain their indendence.

WHO: “Global Campaign to Combat Ageism”

The Harvard Business Review: “we often evaluate people based on their age, and this is now becoming a major challenge in the workplace.”

Transitions – All Change

The links below point to articles and papers on change and impermanence.

Mindtools: Coping With Change

PSYCOM: Any life is a life of change

NLI: Why is Change so Hard?

Ten ways to handle change and transitions in our lives: "this collection of blogs touches upon personal experiences and feelings towards preparing for 60s and beyond."

A Buddhist view on change: "change is always both good and bad, because change, even when it is refreshing, always entails loss. Nothing new appears unless something old ceases."

Supporting transitions in later life: "Around the world, we see a growing recognition that there’s little resource or knowledge on how to plan emotionally and psychologically for transitions in later life."

Diet

Healthy eating is crucial to well being and no less so as we become elders. Some useful aspects of diet and ageing from respected research and health organisations:

EatingWell: A healthy diet and lifestyle are your best weapons against age-related diseases.

Age UK: Healthy Eating Guide

Feeding your body and mind as you age "No matter your age or your previous eating habits, it’s never too late to change your diet and improve the way you think and feel."

Harvard Pilgrim The Science of Food & Ageing.

Good Nutrition for the Older Person: "10 Simple Dietary Guidelines To Help You Stay Well Into Older Age".

University of Washington: Tips for Healthy Eating & Healthy Ageing.

Top of the page

Health

"There is no ‘typical’ older person. Some 80 year-olds have physical and mental capacities similar to many 20 year-olds." WHO.

Diabetes UK: "A positive outlook is more likely to lead to healthy outcomes in old age,"

ABC of Health & Wellbeing: "As people age they tend to become happier and more content with their lives."

PHE: Healthy Ageing Profile "This tool provides data and further information on a wide range of topics relevant to our health as we age."

WHO: Ageing and Health "A longer life brings with it opportunities, not only for older people and their families, but also for societies as a whole."

Mayo Clinic: "Wonder what's considered a normal part of the aging process?"

Age UK: 10 tips for ageing better.

Ageing and health in Norway.

Pain

Experiencing pain is part of being alive but it is only us humans who are able to make it worse by ruminating on our pain. Buddhist psychology talks of the second arrow, the first arrow is the actual pain, be it physical or emotional, and the second arrow can be fired by our thoughts about the pain.

Institute for Chronic Pain: Differences in coping with pain lie in what one has learned or not.

British Psychological Societyl: The different ways people experience pain.

Psychology Today: Mindfulness can reduce chronic pain by 90 percent.

Mindful: Mindfulness as a treatment for pain.

John Cabot_Zinn pioneered a meditative approach used all over the world to treat pain and depression.

Suffering

PsychCentral: Six Reasons Why Suffering Is Normal

The Four Noble Truths liberate us from suffering.

Suffering in old age Els van Wijngaarden.

John Harris "We need to talk about ageing."

Ram Dass: "For most people, when you say that suffering is Grace it seems off the wall to them."

Death

We may stop paying taxes as we age out of paid employment but we can rely on the other certainty.

The Inquisitive Mind: Dealing with death in later life.

Time: Accepting your mortality: how to become less afraid of death.

Lifehacker: "You're going to die here's how to deal with it."

Ronya Banks: "Death and Dying" a buddhist perspective.

Buddhaweekly: Learning how to die.

Dying Matters: "help people talk more openly about dying, death and bereavement, and to make plans for the end of life."