Isn’t it time for us to stand up?

I'm 77 and I don't think I am unable to stand up for myself, in fact I'm a bit like a terrier with a rat if I get a bee in my bonnet about something and don't give up if I feel that I am being fobbed off with something.

I am 72 later this year and still work 3 mornings a week and volunteer another day. I have some health issues , for which I am awaiting an operation and found my pre op tests and appointments really showed excellent service at the hospital so no complaints there.

I don’t feel old at all and don’t feel I am discriminated against ( still feel annoyed about WFP but that’s life)

The older I get the more I feel able to stand up for myself !

The OP is very vague.

Feeling so frustrated with the state of things
The state of which things exactly?
The NHS, the State Pension, withdrawal of WFA, things in general which may affect everyone?

In what way are older people not getting fair treatment?

I think many people like a good whinge to complain about things but people of all ages should be able to stand up for themselves. Mind you, older people often seem to be invisible to some of the younger generations.

I get somebody to stand up for me. Not because I'm infirm, just lazy.

Do people suspect that the OP is playing with us?

If not, I'm not surprised she didn't come back, as she was jumped on from the start, and is not, presumably, as confident as many on the thread.

I don't feel the need to have others speak for me, but I can understand that not everyone is the same. I don't know why the OP is getting such a hard time.

Given some of the responses, I am not surprised she has not come back.

Time for us to stand up?
Have a look at the 'do you like coffee?' thread. Some like tea not coffee. Some like noither tea of coffee. A few detest both. One claims to only ever drink sparkling water; another only tap water. Some do drink coffee. Instant. Not instant. Espresso. Cappuccino. Latte. Whole milk. Semi skimmed. Oat milk. Soy. One drinks hot chocolate.
When do we stand up? Who gives the signal? What is the catalyst? How long do we stand for? Do we move forward or stand still? Sway from side to side? Will there be community singing? Who picks the songs?
We are people with some things in common and a lot that aren't.
We are evidence perhaps that life rarely gets boring and predictable. And we are still to find a question on which we can all agree.

I nearly died of laughing reading this thread.

Where have you women all been for the past month?

At least twice a week someone has moaned about the unfair way pensioners in the UK are being treated - rising prices, but no rise in pensions, fuel allowance being cut comes to mind.

But none of you have seen these threads, except presumably Pattieb, who won't dare come back now you have all torn her to shreds.

A mysterious post. Why expect others to take on this role?

Unfortunately we can't win against the government if that is what she's indicating.

AuntieE - if you have indeed been reading "these threads" you will see what a capable bunch we "pensioners" actually are!

Twice a week moaning doesn't explain exactly what the OP means.

Maybe some of us are curious - rather than just making assumptions.

Maybe some of us are curious - rather than just making assumptions.

Yes, I still have no clue.

Perhaps pattieb will come back and explain what is upsetting her and we can point her in the direction of helpful groups.

Yes.
We aren't all trying to jump on you pattieb - please come back.

AuntieE
Yes, you’re right. The only difference between those posts is that they don’t expect other people to do something about it.

I think pattieb is a longstanding poster.
She has posted before about how she worries about everything.

If you come back, pattieb and explain what is worrying you, perhaps we can help.
As it is, I'm not sure what we can say or do.

mabon1

Unfortunately we can't win against the government if that is what she's indicating.

True!

Doodledog

Do people suspect that the OP is playing with us?

If not, I'm not surprised she didn't come back, as she was jumped on from the start, and is not, presumably, as confident as many on the thread.

I don't feel the need to have others speak for me, but I can understand that not everyone is the same. I don't know why the OP is getting such a hard time.

I thought your response to the OP on the first page was very kind.I don’t know why she’s being jumped on either.
Some people aren’t as good as others at articulating what they mean.I took it to be possibly the withdrawing the WFA to all pensioners not receiving pension credit, and maybe age discrimination in the workplace.If she returns then she may tell us.

Honestly, retired people in the west have it the best. You travel, homes with no mortgage etc. Come and see my mother, she never held the purse, all Properties from my father directly to my brother, she raised his kids and obviously she will booked after if my father dies before her. She won't end in the street but my brother will dictate her choices because there aren't care homes, just our own homes. Like it or not, you agree with your kids

Sorry, looked after

I think the OP's vague post summarises what the problem is with older people, we are just seen as amorphous mass defined only by our age.

I am really uneasy these days about what would happen if I was involved in a road accident, I would immediately be a woman over 80 and the accident was my fault because I was failing either in mind or eyesight. even though it was the other driver and I have good eyesight tested regulalry and I am fully in my right mind.

People's idea of us is so stereotyped. I have been fortunate in life and genes to be aging well, but I am being driven to screaming point by having to smirk and look happy when people find out my age and exclaim because I look so much younger than that. I do not look younger than my age. There are plenty of 80 year plus people who look like me, but people's stereotype of what a woman my age should look like expects me to be white haired frail and using a stick.

I was listening to a McCarthy and Stone advert on the radio the other day. The woman in the advert was meant to be a resident, but she had that awful patronising voice that some younger people use to speak to us, that sing song voice we use with children. She was saying how she now had got lots of new friends and sounded like a mother encouraging a 5 year old to go to school, because it will be so nice and they will make lots nice little friends.

Why should it be automatic that if you move into a block of flats containing lots of elderly people that simply because they are around your age you will automatically find that one of them let alone more could be a friend?. You could move in and find you have nothing in common with any of the other residents except old age.

I mean to say developers selling flats on the open market do not sell the idea of making nice (little) friends as one of the benefits of their flats, although they may feature gym facilities or a swimming pool.

Rant over

I’m in my early 70’s and for a few years now have woken in a morning feeling very ‘unsettled’ and worrying about how I would cope if my husband of 50 years dies before me. We have one child who lives over 100 miles away and has her own family and life to lead. I just have this terrible fear of having to cope with the loneliness of being alone. Realistically common sense tells me I could die first but that still doesn’t stop this awful feeling I have inside. Any suggestions as to how to deal/cope with this fear would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Well Daisyrose5 my husband died two years ago and I have just got on with it. Plenty to keep me busy. Life goes on, but what I do fear is living out my later years housebound, unable to do the things I enjoy, unable to get out to my activities.

Have you talked with anyone about your fears? One thing you can do now is talk to each other about your spheres of expertise / responsibilities and make sure you share that information, be that finances, contact details for tradesmen, subscriptions etc etc. Be prepared.

This thread is several months old and the OP has not come back.

Another old post yawn...

I noticed it was old thread as I mentioned recently some older threads are reappearing 😊

As long as the sofa isn’t too low !