Is 70 The new 50?

I have been posting quite bit, . Lemon grove, because after radiotheraphy for anal cancer I have ended up in hospital and now rehab because the treatment caused a small fracture at the base of the spine. Very painful. So amusing myself with the IPad.

Hello Bijou We noted a few years ago that you are our oldest GN member.Haven’t seen you posting for a while, so pleased you are well.Could you come and do a bit of light gardening for me, my hip is playing up!

When my father retired my mother decided to go to work for the first time at the age of 70 because she couldn’t stand being at home with him all day.
When i was 70 I was still doing my own decorating, odd jobs, gardening etc. And only at the age of 85 stopped going on holidays because I didn’t like asking people to help me with my walker. Some people age sooner than others. Must be in the genes . I now only have help with housework and gardenin g at 95.

Absolutely....I am 67 an still working. I am excited about life and when I retire next year I will take my narrow boat home out onto the river system and explore....so much to look forward to. So very different to the life my parents an grandparents had.

DH and I are both 70 and off on our motorbike in a couple of days to tour around France.

Hi just come in from having my nails done,and a lady stopped me and said “ well don’t you look beautiful” I thanked her,then she said” well don’t you think you look beautiful”I said,well I try.She then went on to say,”I’ve seen women in outfits that cost £500 pound, and they still look like a bag of shit”!But you’ve got style.Then she went on her way.LOL,Im 71, it made my day.

I do hope so.

Definitely: better health, more money, greater opportunities and appearance-preserving products have made it so for many.

Reverse that last statement of course. Maybe I'm not as well as I think!

Well, since more and more of us are seeing a century, I suppose there's some semblance of logic in the suggestion. I'm very much in the brigade of 'it's only a number' but then I am currently blessed with very good health and fine fitness so I guess my thinking is blinkered. I do also realise from very unpleasant experience that this can change in the blink of an eye. Life is being very kind to me at the moment so I can only hope OP is accurate and goes from strength to strength. Hopefully for me this also means that 60 is the new 80?!!

oldbatty I remember those grannies and aunties in their pinnies and sort of envy them in a weird way.They knew what they were about and I dont have a clue

I agree. There wasn’t the pressure to keep fit, active, wear nice clothes & go on as many interesting holidays as possible as there seems to be now.
I suppose the reason is that all these things cost money, and a generation ago, many who had reached retirement age didn’t have as much disposable income as many retirees do now.
It now takes courage, I think, to admit that you’re quite happy just being at home not doing very much.
It mirrors the pressure on young people to look beautiful and have fascinating experiences and careers. Where does the pressure all come from, I wonder?

Isn't age but a number ? Who ever said that I can believe in the many instances I have come across. Attitude of mind , personal circumstances and most important, health, play a large part and can make a 70 year old feel and appear no different than when in their 50's.

So is 80 the new 60? I am well into my 80s and recently sent a photo of myself walking the dogs on my eldest daughter’s farm. My 9year old grandson apparently said - Nana only looks 60! I hope he’s right!!

I would like to think that 70 is the new 50 as I am 66!

But common sense tells me that this is not really true.

I am slower at some things than I was when I was 50, and am facing up to the fact that I will probably become even slower.

I am devoutly thankful that I am amongst those able to retire now, and do not have to continue working until my 70th birthday - I really enjoy being an OAP.

Great thread. Yes, I think it is meant to be a bit light hearted as well and a bit of a comfort. I do think that our generation in the main is in better health or has access to things that can help them better than generations gone by. The swinging sixties I just loved for its fun, color and freedom. I have recently bought an outrageous pair of red multi colored boots and have had so many lovely
comments. Its good to be a bit out there, I don't think you are old now until you are in your mid 90's.

well done, absolutely right, hit the nail on the head perhaps the younger generation might take note

My dad died at 70 and my mum died at 67. This was in the eighties. I would like to think I'll be luckier. My mum died of a heart attack, despite going to the doctor several times complaining of pains in her upper back. They didn't associate that to a heart problem. I'm on blood pressure medication now and hope that will save me from a similar fate.

My DS told me I am middle aged (over 70) which is lovely but not sure if I can live up to it!

Yes we have different lifestyles and most of us do not look as old as our parents did at the same age. I am 72 and don’t think of myself as old. The other day I dropped something in M&S and just as I was bending down to pick it up a floorwalker shot over and insisted on helping me. I realised that while I may feel 17 inside I looked closer to 97 to him!!
More and more people seem to be helping me these days so clearly I don’t look as young as I feel!

I guess it good to be healthy and active and take an interest in your appearance. Certainly when I look at old photos my relatives seem a different breed in their 60's.
But, each to their own. Life is moving so fast now. I remember those grannies and aunties in their pinnies and sort of envy them in a weird way.
They knew what they were about and I dont have a clue.

For those who sent me belated Birthday wishes thank you so much I had a wonderful day with my family (3 children and two partners - all on best behaviour) Mr R and lots of good friends. We all went out for a meal and fun was had by all, as they say. I didn't celebrate my 60th because my father-in-law was seriously ill and I had to cancel the planned celebrations so 10 years later I made up for it!!
Thanks again - Gransnet's great, isn't it - I so appreciate that I found it

I am 72 and wish I had the same sort of energy I had when I was 50.
Especially with a two year old dgs to run around after.

At age 60, I still felt quite young.
Fast forward ten years and it’s a different matter.

68 years old and still full-time teaching- in my 45th year of that profession! I still love the kids just as much, and am as passionate about my subjects as when I was 23 year old.

In a recent survey on GN one of the questions was 'What do you think of as old age?' There wasn't space to reply 'ten to fifteen years older than I am now (at whatever age)'. It's true though, old age doesn't begin at 60 any more, does it?

DanniRae Sending you belated birthday wishes I hope you had a great day.x
I have 2 yrs to my 70th birthday and feel just the same as I did during my early 50s and according to my family and friends I have not changed at all.
My Grandmother was old looking when she was mid 40s wrap around pinny and tight permed hair sat in a rocking chair in her kitchen when we used to visit her.