“They are not slowing down but taking on new challenges, roles, and responsibilities…They are not wilting in the autumnal year of their life. They are perennials. And, like their namesake in nature, they are hardy, with the ability to withstand changes to their environment; they adapt, evolve and grow anew.”
so says ben page, the chief executive of ipsos mori, in the introduction to a 100+ page report. based on data collected from all over the world some astounding facts emerged…73% of people in india look forward to old age.
in germany you are considered to be old at 62
and in spain it’s 74.
however in saudi arabia it’s 55.
here in the UK it seems that people between 65 and 75 are happy and consider things they are doing to be worthwhile, including sex. (meanwhile, those 40-59 experience high levels of anxiety and low levels of satisfaction. i wonder if that includes their sex lives….?)and those of us over 50 have enormous economic power. to quote an article about this report in the ‘i’ newspaper (1 april 2019…this was not their april fool’s day article!),
“if the silver pound were a sovereign nation, it would be the world’s third-largest economy.”
this buying power also gives us a political power. while there are certainly many olders who are poor, those of us who have the ability to do so can make a difference by our consumer choices. we can support artisans, plastic-free products, organic foods and farmers’ markets, local booksellers and make investments in ethical companies.while i haven’t read the actual report, i was over-joyed to read the article. the “i” has a large circulation, both online and in print, so lots of people may have read this article. it has further inspired me to continue to change the paradigm of ageing, both in myself and in the world.will you join me? what sort of perennial are you? where is your place in the rich, abundant garden of life?