Strategies for Successful Ageing

I found much of the course simplistic. Obviously a lot of people found it inspiring, but for me it raised a lot of questions for which no answers were forthcoming from the educators. For instance: advice was based on research which has shown a correlation between healthy ageing and exercise, or healthy ageing and mental activity: but we were not told whether or not the relationships are causal, or whether targetted intervention would be effective or not. (A quick look on the internet suggests that increasing physical activity is effective, but that the jury is still out on how to improve mental activity.)

Many of the "strategies" are characteristics which will have been present in a person's life long before retirement, eg social engagement, creativity, interest in learning… This raises several questions, eg:

- Do people with these characteristics age better anyway, ie do certain personality traits, eg extraversion, creativity, make for longevity independently of conscious effort: and if so, is there any point for the rest of us in trying to change our personality as we get older?

- Do people with different traits have the same needs? Is loneliness a greater problem for extraverts than for introverts?

There has been a lot of research into personality traits, and surely someone has carried out research into personality traits and ageing: but if they have, none of it seems to have made its way into the course materials.

There was a one-size-fits-all approach which ignored diversity. A number of learners raised questions about individual differences, particularly with regard to social engagement and extraversion/introversion, but there was no response from the course team to these questions - or indeed to any others.

The course could usefully have included at least a couple of units on the psychological aspect of ageing. In fact the course is so determined to be resolutely upbeat that it ignores the whole area of coming to terms with the fact that life is gradually drawing to a close, and focused on staying young as the measure of healthy ageing. We were asked questions which were presumably intended to make us aware of stereotypes about ageing, but which actually reinforced those stereotypes. The tutors reinforced the same negative stereotyping by urging us to "think and behave young" and by making dismissive comments about people who "act old".