One thing is missing from this horrible, mindless, muckraking about the PI.E. in the 1970s and that is that it was a time of massive social change with gay rights, employment rights, women's rights, abortion, race relations all being overhauled and changed. The idea that the generation that fought for all these changes is now happy to sit at home and eat tinned rice pudding and watch judge Judy on the TV is nonsense. We need to apply the same energy that changed the perceptions of gays for example to perceptions about so-called senior citizens because they are just as outdated and stereotyped now as were the stereotypes then. Governments try to buy us off with promises of good pensions and free bus passes but I don't want to have more privileges now at the expense of the people that really need them particularly the young.                                                                                                                                          (Paul)

Another advert. This time Michael Parkinson trying to sell us insurance and reassuring us that we don't need to have a health check.  Who would want to join an insurance scheme that doesn't have any checks on who can join?  Would you take out car insurance with a company that says "we take anybody doesn't matter how many accidents you had and how bad a driver you are."  I don't want to join the scheme that allows people that have smoked all their lives and drunk heavily or are ill to also be part of the scheme.  Sorry I've tried to take care of myself, watch my weight, exercise regularly.  I don't smoke or drink excessively and am apparently in good health.  I will only join a scheme that insists on having a health check – my premiums must be lower if the risks are lower – isn't that what insurance is about?  Again there seems to be an idea that if you reach a particular age all normal forms of thought go out of the window and we lose sight of what applies in any other phase of our lives. Come on insurance companies set up a scheme for healthy energetic older people who just like good drivers should be rewarded for looking after themselves.

Have just done my first two coaching sessions.  The went very well and both ladies were happy and we have made appointments for next week.  Really exhilarating and feel that I have achieved something.

"So boots have a 25% discount for the over 60's. I hate every company that does that.  Its not now that we need to have 25% off - its when we were 25 or 35 when we were struggling and broke and bringing up a family and establishing a home.  Now we have either made the money we need or not and the children are sorted or not. And as for the advert - it features a boring looking man that puts on a boring set of glasses and seems to get deluded that he becomes a sex God because of them - haha he's old he has lost the capacity to be self critical  or self aware? . Obviously Boots you are using some hip advertising agency that seems to think its good to perpetuate a stereotype that older men are deluded nitwits - we are not and glasses Boots or otherwise will make not makes us sexy. Guess what -  just like any other age we are sexy or not or boring or not no matter what age.  (author: Paul)

Have now 3 clients to coach and maybe a 4th.  these are from my flyers. It is really exciting when something works. will keep you posted on my journey.

Well said, I was getting a bit depressed and feeling past it and unwanted so I decided to do something about it!  I learnt to drive when I was sixty and I have now started training for a new career, Life Coaching. 

I felt that life changes are a good idea as you get older and makes you feel younger!  I decided that Life is for living and I am going to enjoy it. 

We are not all half dead

The advert asked -are you 61 next birthday? Clicking on the link takes you to a site promoting funeral costs insurance-what?  This blog is for all people that reach this big number in their lives but are not interested in planning to die, or go on sedate river cruises,or install a walk in bath.

The assumption is that we reach this age, normal  mental and physical faculties are abandoned. The NHS asked for over 60's who had been unwell to click on a link that offered this advice-keep warm and eat well and if in doubt go and see a doctor. Ehh  I would never have thought of that, but you would because your brain is not clogged up with brain arthritis, inevitable at the big 60 apparently.

Watching a someone kills everybody thing on T.V. set in  Aberystwyth, one of many victims  was 62 I think-she looked 90, was mad, isolated and alone.  All men who are killed in any TV series over 60 are inevitably crazy, drunken perverts -would we allow  ethnic groups or  gender or sexuality stereotyping to happen anymore ? Gone are the days when all gay characters are "Mr Humphrey" stereotype from "Are you being Served" or black people are always drug dealers or women always in the kitchen. Its time for the generation that changed these images to change the assumptions about this phase of life, because surprise surprise, 60 somethings come in all shapes sizes and outlooks - not one vast Bargain Hunt viewing, going to garden centers, buying upright self lifting chairs mass.