Why I don't plan on ageing gracefully

Just like everyone else on the planet I’m not getting any younger. My biggest fear is becoming frail and losing my independence as I get older. I already have arthritis as a result of damaged cartilage in my knees and this isn’t going to get any better, but I’m determined to make the most of my body’s potential for as long as I can!

The UK population is ageing, the ONS predict that by 2050 1 in 4 of us will be aged 65+, up from 1 in 5 in 2019, and that this age group, as a proportion of the overall population, is growing faster than any other. Around 1 in 5 men and 1 in 3 women alive today are likely to see their 90th birthday. Woohoo, surely this is something to celebrate! However, the quality of life we experience as we age doesn’t necessarily match improvements in life expectancy.

The impact of an ageing population on society as a whole is often reported with an air of impending doom: we need to work longer, there will be fewer young people to provide care services and our already creaking health and social care services will be overwhelmed. We very much get the message that decline and decrepitude are inevitable and we should just get used to it. How often have you heard from a clinician “It’s just part of getting older I’m afraid”?. Of course there is some truth in this as we are more vulnerable to disease and illness as we get older. But it does seem that if we accept this as true, without redefining for ourselves when ‘old age’ really starts we could end up accepting a much lower quality of life than we might otherwise enjoy.

For example, the use of mobility scooters and other aids has been increasing significantly over the last 15 years or so. In 2014 a government report estimated there were about 300,000 users of mobility scooters in the UK and that this was predicted to grow at about 5-10% each year. Of course the availability and affordability of these products has transformed the lives of those who use them and enabled people to retain a level of independence they may otherwise have lost. However, it also means that there is a growing number of companies with a vested interest in a population that considers lack of mobility in old age as inevitable. Addressing this thinking is now more important than ever, as in 2018 we reached the point where those aged 65 and over are now likely to spend more than half of their life with a disability

But old age doesn’t have to be an inevitable slide into decrepitude. There is some great work going on to encourage us to remain active and take care of our physical wellbeing as we age, such as the Shine programme run by Wokingham Council which offers discounted exercise classes and activities specifically for the over 60s.

Active Travel, Living Streets and Sustrans are all great organisations that provide resources, advice and information to support better investment in, and promotion of, walking and cycling. They understand that more of us are likely to remain committed to walking and cycling into our old age if those activities feel safe, the number one reason people give for not cycling is fear of traffic. Perhaps some people also don’t feel safe walking on poorly maintained footpaths and therefore switch to using mobility scooters when they start to feel unsteady on their feet.

Research has long shown that all sorts of different exercise methods (or physical activity if you hate the ‘e’ word) build muscle strength, joint flexibility and bone density, which are all key vitality markers. The body has evolved to adapt to the stresses placed upon it and to become stronger to resist these stresses in future. This means that if we want to adapt well to ageing we need to continue to place stresses upon the body, rather than stop.

So, if you fancy taking up a new martial art, try skiing or line-dancing then advancing years shouldn’t be the reason not to. Keep looking to fulfil the amazing potential your body has and I have no doubt you will feel a continued zest for life year after year.

“The art of <Pilates> proves that the only real guide to your true age lies not in years or how you THINK you feel but as you ACTUALLY are as infallibly indicated by the degree of natural and normal flexibility enjoyed by your spine throughout life.”

Joseph Pilates