Act3

“It is not the years in your life but the life in your years that counts.” ~ Adlai Stevenson

[Dr Rachel Clarke @doctor_oxford]

It was a great pleasure to contribute to this Guardian “The Experts” piece on what death can teach us about how to live.

I’m not sure anyone can ever truly be an expert on mortality, but here are my personal top 4 lessons, distilled from everything my patients have taught me as palliative care doctor:

1. Prioritise people, not things

“As you approach the end of life, all the irrelevant stuff is stripped away. No one cares about how much power they had, how big their house is, how fancy their car is, how much status they had at work. What they care about is the people they love. The way to live a life that is rich and deeply fulfilling is to build human connections. That matters more than anything else.”

2. Don’t worry about signs of ageing

“The wrinkles, grey hairs & menopausal body I now possess are all things that society wants us to feel distressed about - because they want to make money selling products to try to fix our distress. All of those stigmas associated with ageing are a blessing and a privilege to have. Anybody who is old enough to feel anxious about those things should be saying: ‘I am so lucky. I have lived long enough to creak when I get out of bed in the morning.’”

3. Connect with other living things

“The richness of life comes from our relations with other living creatures, human & non-human. It could be animals or birds or plants, but it is living connections with the wider world that give life meaning. The more you can pour yourself into those connections, the more likely you are to have a deep sense of contentment & happiness.”

4. Try to stay healthy – but don’t let that limit your life

“We try to stay healthy so we can function as well as we can for as long as we can. But ascetic lives are pretty hard and constrained. That is the opposite of life. Life is something to savour. So, don’t beat yourself up for things that are often construed as minor sins of living, like eating delicious food & drinking beautiful wine. We are sensual creatures & celebrating that is part of living life richly. Health means enjoying life, not just living it for as long as possible.”

[Act3 @Act3Group]

A new start after 60: I went to art school at 66 – and now I’ve sold hundreds of paintings. https://t.co/RdlDqrkuC8

[Act3 @Act3Group]

Carol Vorderman’s later-life renaissance gives us just the kind of political hero we need. https://t.co/M6BF7it0uF

[Act3 @Act3Group]

Six lifestyle choices to slow memory decline named in 10-year study. https://t.co/u06ADNCMDw

[Act3 @Act3Group]

You’re not selling it @guardian😊

[The Guardian @guardian]

Eat plants, try pilates and stay positive: how to keep your body younger than your years https://t.co/yK8tTuXjhi

[The Guardian @guardian]

Seven hours’ sleep is ideal amount in middle to old age, study finds https://t.co/ivQDh9v1QB

[Act3 @Act3Group]

The wonderful ⁦@RevRichardColes⁩ on #retirement and what comes next for him as he leaves his parish after Easter.

https://t.co/p00EhGD1t1

[Act3 @Act3Group]

We love this from @TheRialMichelle. It’s #nevertoolate.

[Act3 @Act3Group]

Healthy habits fight frailty in #oldage and cut #dementia risk.

https://t.co/ISNU0X1dHg

[Act3 @Act3Group]

If Adam Boulton has to slip quietly away at 62, how long before they come for you too? https://t.co/WWC0FWpPVY

[Act3 @Act3Group]

Second act sensations! Meet the people who reached peak #fitness – after #turning50. https://t.co/GvKCBLPsKF

[Dinah Jefferies @DinahJefferies]

FOUR things you might like to know about me and the truth of being an 'older' woman.
*1 - I have no problem saying NO.
*2 - I don't have to do a shitty job that I hate.
*3 - The only thing I envy about the young is their energy.
*4 - I am happier than I have ever been.

[Act3 @Act3Group]

What a wonderful story. Congratulations to Carole-Ann Warburton on fulfilling her dream in her 60s and wishing all success to @TheBookRest. It really is never too late!

https://t.co/b6mVxZCEm6

[Act3 @Act3Group]

A wonderful, inspiring piece from ⁦@lucykellaway⁩ on starting again in her 50s. #careerchange #ageing https://t.co/efysTmXDne

[Act3 @Act3Group]

Good piece from ⁦@gabyhinsliff⁩ on the employment challenges facing older women. https://t.co/YdjTVcBykv

[Act3 @Act3Group]

For many of us there’s a lot to enjoy about getting older. ⁦@BelgianWaffling⁩ shares her own, very relatable, reasons here. #ageing https://t.co/LCK7kblNaN

[Act3 @Act3Group]

“Deficiencies in #socialcare provision could affect any of us in time. Right now, they are hurting some of the most vulnerable in our society.” #disability #ageing https://t.co/0di0dTT7CL

[Act3 @Act3Group]

Tribunal claims for #ageism at work soar since Covid lockdown. https://t.co/2Jm69ZFZI3

[BBC Woman's Hour @BBCWomansHour]

‘We need to make sure that we are noticeable.’

@Dawn_French offers advice to women in their 50s and 60s that feel society views them as invisible or less than younger women https://t.co/B3Y7AnbBol