It's Autumn and time for a new series of Strictly Come Dancing. I'm rooting for Felicity Kendall, Peter Shilton and Ann Widecombe, all 1940's baby boomers. Some of them may not look elegant on the dance floor, but I love their chutzpah.
Thoughts from various sources about how to grow old.
How to grow old.
I am one of the baby boomer generation, and we are reaching the age at which how we should grow old and die has become a subject of considerable importance to us. My grandparents, parents and most of my relatives from the previous generation have died; I have now not only experience of how we are dealing at present with these phases of human life, but also a keen personal interest in improving things for the future. Given the chance, no doubt we would all tick the box for eternal youth. But that choice does not exist and there are so many questions to be answered. Should we accept our fate, and grow old gracefully or fight it with any means at our disposal? Is it time the elderly were held in greater esteem by society? Should we be able to choose when to die? How can we improve the way we treat the old and the dying?
For too long discussion of growing old and death has been regarded as uninteresting and slightly distasteful. For too long the inconvenient elderly and dying have been abandoned in a twilight world. Not any more. The baby boomers will see to that. From now on growing old and how to have a good death will be as important as birth and growing up.
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