Your 100-Year Life

We’ll be there at every step of your Caring Journey!

Instalment #4 - What does it take to live a (satisfying) 100+ Year Life? Resilience Emotional Resilience: What does not kill me makes me stronger [Nietzsche] Emotional resilience is desirable for many reasons. But what is it and what does it have to do with #longevity? In simple terms, #emotionalresilience is a person’s capacity to cope effectively with life’s stressful situations. People are said to have emotional resilience when they are seen to have managed through circumstances that for others would be unbearable. That is where my mother shone. On any measure of resilience, my mother was completely off the scale. Did it contribute to her longevity? Probably, along with other factors. Only those who knew her knew that she had weathered the premature deaths of two husbands and survived independently for two decades after the death of a third. A quick death from cancer at 44; prolonged heartbreak and debility from early onset Parkinson’s next; and finally the third:  the exhausted heart of someone who liberated a Nazi concentration camp. Widowed initially at 44 with no means of supporting herself and young children, how did emotional resilience kick in? So how do we think about #resilience? Is it the ability to ‘bounce back’? To move on? To succeed? To regain happiness? The capacity to draw on existing inner strengths? To gather resources around you? Grit? How does it work? Can it be developed? A scientific review of the literature, courtesy of the US National Institutes of Health, tells us that certain personal attributes are linked with resilience: Loving parents; an easy-going temperament; intelligence; good health and hardiness; a reasonably attractive physical appearance (!); good social skills; self-awareness; optimism; a sense of humour a sense of purpose; capacity to plan; being ‘approachable’ (?); capacity to play; being task-focused hard worker; and ability to compartmentalise. Some experts point to faith, patience, the ability to learn and reflect, having supportive relationships, flexibility, self-confidence and self-esteem, curiosity and resourcefulness. Others add personality traits they found to be most closely associated with emotional resilience, including stamina, persistence, harm avoidance, tolerance and ability to accept personal responsibility. My mother? Tick, Tick, Tick again and again. She had it all – or developed it to do more than survive – to have the capacity to endure, and laugh, to the bitter end. What about the rest of us? Here is a listicle from the book Resilience: The Science of Mastering Life’s Greatest Challenges by @StevenSouthwick and @DennisCharney, who have studied resilient people for over 20 years: 1.     Be optimistic 2.     Face your fears head on 3.     Have a strong moral compass 4.     Practice spirituality 5.     Rally social support – and support others 6.     Find and imitate positive role models 7.     Stay physically fit 8.     Be a lifelong learner: stay mentally fit 

Longevity, Learning and Loving Life Last week I waited in the supermarket register queue behind a white-haired woman nimbly tapping to pay, when I noticed her 'nonna cart' had both a bottle of rose and a bottle of champagne nestled carefully inside. Intrigued, I commented, "Guess you're getting ready to party". That led to a lovely conversation. She explained that you have to enjoy life, and she was always ready for a friend to come over for a chat (the champagne) and the nightly small glass of rose (no more, and definitely no drinking in the morning!). She was so full of life I asked, "How young are you?" "I'll be 90 next month, and I feel like I've been reborn!" She explained that it was due to participating in the courses of #U3A (University of the 3rd Age), which in its own words: "...offers intellectually stimulating activities, talks, courses in the arts, sciences, history, leisure, language, fitness and more, for mature-aged, retired, and semi-retired people, across seven regions of metropolitan Sydney." Online or in a local public #library, its wide range of courses, tailored to each local community, includes crime novels, art appreciation, philosophy, a writers group, visits (to the courts to understand how they work), and activities like Tai Chi, croquet and stretching. Some of the courses are distinctively highbrow, like #Caravaggio in the movies (!) while others clearly stretch brain muscles: learning languages, "Brain Games" and (really) #HenryKissinger. The opportunity to combine #lifelonglearning with #socialinteraction is a powerful two-barrelled boost to #healthspan as well as #longevity. My mother never stopped learning; she was an early and regular participant in what is now #RoadScholar. Regular brain boosts included reading the New York Times daily and often completing their notorious end-of-week crosswords, twice-weekly bridge (in their last years with her 110-year-old partner who herself was a volunteer museum docent at the age of 108!) and mahjong. One of my enduring memories was joining her and friends celebrating New Year, with champagne of course, when she was at least 100. I miss my local single lady neighbours (aka "the ladies of the benches"), who made me an honorary member (I was the only one under 80) to meet periodically in the corner park for late afternoon hors d'oeuvres - and champagne of course. My co-organiser, at 88, would haul a picnic table under her arm and a bottle of 'champagne' in the other. Her body boost included going to the gym 3 times a week, lycra-clad head-to-toe. We can all build #community and #socialcapital with these periodic informal intergenerational get togethers, as well as the rich opportunities of lifelong learning. Dr Nicola Gates #neuroplasticity #longevity #ageing #aging #primelifepartners Anne-Marie Elias #roadscholar #AARP #SeniorPlanet #COTA #NationalSeniors Stephen Johnston #bodyboost Anna-Louise Bouvier

Caring while working? Prepare to wait for Home Care Packages Danielle Robertson is an industry leader in supporting those seeking care for their aging family members. With decades of experience Danielle’s observations and advice are invaluable. Her latest article offers practical advice on how to minimise and deal with lengthy waiting times for government-subsidised home care for aging family. Working while caring? It’s a must-read. #longevity #agedcare #carers #care #aging #ageing

#Caring for #Ageing Parents will be a huge part of life for #GenX and #Millennials At yesterday's #LongevityEconomy: What's in it for you? Anne-Marie Elias and I pulled together the facts and dynamics driving the longevity economy, aided by the inspiration of Mark Pesce, for a knowledgeable audience of enthusiastic professionals. With feedback like "inspiring", "very informative" "thank you for making sure you delivered value" we are delighted with the impact. We're keen and available to customise for in-house at companies and organisations. We are looking forward to #NationalCarersWeek (14-18 October) when we will convene a high level Roundtable on #Care. Security of Care is one of the 4 pillars of the Longevity Economy, along with Financial Security, Security of Home, and Consumer. Care - appropriate #carers, #affordability of care, timeliness - are huge issues already not just for older Australians but for their adult children. Parents needing care - unpredictable, urgent, unending - is one of the major reasons people (especially women) reduce their working hours, decline promotions, or leave work entirely. And those who remain at work are 'smashed' by their intergenerational responsibilities and mental load. The impact on productivity at the national level is huge. The financial impact on women - lost income, lost #superannuation, is enormous. I'm looking forward to participating in-person in a consultation on Australia's #NationalCarerStrategy - the first in a decade. So far the draft document does not mention the financial impact of #caring let alone strategies let alone measures to pay "#informalcarers" (i.e. family). If Australia is relying on unpaid #carers to fill the gap it's time to drop the outdated term "informal" and recognise #familycarers for what they are: an indispensable part of the workforce who deserve remuneration. It's yet another entrenched mechanism that contributes to women's poverty in "retirement" and potential #homelessness. #Workingwhilecaring #superannuation

Working While Caring? #Sandwiched? This is for you!

#Homelessness in an Era of Longevity Timed for #HomelessnessWeek2024 #PrimeLifePartners last week held Australia’s first leaders’ Roundtable on #HousingSecurity in an Era of #Longevity. Leaders of the entire spectrum #ageing, #socialhousing, #affordablehousing, #innovation in #seniorhousing, #housingfinance, #globalageing and more gathered at this invitation-only forum to deep dive into the state of play in #Australia and internationally, and to brainstorm innovation that will unblock and unlock affordable and appropriate housing. Australia is deep in a housing crisis affecting almost everyone to some degree. #Olderwomen are the fastest growing group of homeless Australians- with the full numbers hidden by shame and fear. #AnneMarieElias and I are humbled and grateful to the CEOs, directors and other leaders who contributed to the forum and support our work, validating our establishment of Australia’s #LongevityEconomyEcosystem - with the aim of accelerating innovation to address both the challenge and the opportunity of longevity. #Anglicare #WentwestHousing #WesleyMission #Uniting #BridgeHousing #CityWestHousing #SalvationArmyHousing #WomensHousingConpany #HouseholdCapital #2BeEquityAdvantage #ShelterNSW

Installment #3- What does it take to live a 109-year old life? - Staying Active, Longevity, Healthspan One of the 5, 7 or more keys to #longevity - depending on which expert you follow - is staying active. Reflecting on the 109 years of my mother’s life, what stood out was how determinedly, and creatively, she kept active at every age. In younger years, swimming, tennis, ice skating, horse riding (in a New York city park no less). Later golf. And always dancing! Her determination to stay active in later years - regardless of the challenge - became clear through her final decade as walking became her old faithful, especially stuck indoors in harsh New York winters in her 100+ years. At the age of 99, and again at 102, she fell and fractured her hip (neck of femur), right side one time and left the other. Surgery, if she came through it, would require and three months of inpatient rehabilitation. Both times her team of doctors consulted and determined she could survive the surgery AND had the capacity to return to her previous level of mobility. They were right. Both times she surprised her doctors and physios by her all-in approach to the rehab routine. Despite pain, she was determined to walk the halls, further and further each day. I think she was probably motivated rather than disheartened by the many inpatients who gathered in their wheelchairs for group activities. She was not going to leave in a wheelchair. The rehab centre, a brilliant one, was in Manhattan, so of course there was a New York Times discussion session a few times a week and concerts with a live violinist. Firmly locked in her apartment during COVID, with no visitors except her carers, she stayed active by doing laps of the hallway outside her door, twice a day, without fail. With support and vigilance she continued to walk the halls until her 109th year. You don’t have to be the oldest man to finish the New York Marathon like @AlanPatricof, at 89 last year, remarkable founder of two legendary venture capital firms, #Greycroft and #Apax , and who was a venture capitalist before there was a term for it 50 years ago. A few years ago he founded yet another, #PrimeTimePartners, a VC fund dedicated to early-stage investment in innovative start-ups focussing on the needs of older people. Amazing. But there are so many other ways to stay active. The #AARP and #SeniorPlanet offer free, online classes for stretching, barre, chair yoga, Feldenkrais, Friday Night Dance Party – mixed with a wide and up to date range of easy-to-follow digital coaching: how to remove malware; ai and disinformation; managing privacy online; online selling; and so much more. In combination with interaction with networks of friends and family including multiple generations, a sound diet, a sense of purpose and meaning, an optimistic outlook, thinking young, “good genes”, and mental wellbeing, staying active goes a long way to supporting a long #healthspan. #MyCaringLife #PrimeLifePartners

Announcement 📣 We are excited to announce our speakers at the Longevity Economy Ecosystem Meetup 9 May at ACS (Australian Computer Society) Catherine Ball Futurist, Author of Converge and Mark Pesce Futurust, Inventor will talk about the role of technology today and in the future to help us transform the way we age, live, care and retire 💡 Come along and be inspired about what is possible through innovation and technology to improve every aspect of our lives 🚀 Abby Bloom Anne-Marie Elias Lucinda Brogden AM Philip Moffitt Spark Festival Eugene McGarrell GAICD Ryan Watson #meetup #innovation #longevity 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gfNyWgQV

It’s time to build a robust ecosystem for Australia’s Longevity Economy We need to reappraise, reframe, innovate and invest. By 2030 Australia will have more people 65 and over than 18 and under. The #LongevityEconomy is an opportunity and a national economic imperative. It needs innovation to deliver a positive impact on individuals, families and the nation. That’s why I’m working with Anne-Marie Elias and a long list of experts and innovators to turbocharge the change we desperately need. Join us at Australia’s first Longevity Economy MeetUp, an open, free event. Join innovators, experts, investors, and a range of stakeholders. Register via Humantix below. #longevity #innovation #financialplanning #agetech #seniorhousing #intergenerational