Praise for How to Age Joyfully

“This is an outstanding book. It carries a clear message and expresses a clear philosophy, namely that we need to transform the way we think about living longer. Science has now made clear that even though there is a process called ageing, a normal biological process which does have some effects, these effects are relatively insignificant until the late nineties. Most of the problems people face are preventable and remediable, and the book not only explains this but gives advice, insight and encouragement. It speaks from the heart, from an author who has knowledge and experience. It is a manifesto for living better longer.”

Sir Muir Gray, CBE, FRCPSGlas, FCLIP, Professor and Consultant in Public Health, Oxford University; author of Sod 70!; first Chief Knowledge Officer for the NHS and creator of NHS Choices

“We are all ageing. This motivating and practical book is a valuable, easy-to-read guide on what we need to do to help us age well and make the most of our lives. As a patron of Open Age, I’m delighted that a share of Maggy’s royalties will benefit this remarkable charity.”

Baroness Sally Greengross, Chief Executive, International Longevity Centre UK; member of the House of Lords since 2000 and co-chair of several All-Party Parliamentary Groups on ageing; Director General of Age Concern England from 1987–2000

“As a society, we should be celebrating the extraordinary gift of longer life that we have been given by the last century's advances in public health, nutrition and medicine. But instead, our ageing population is all too often presented as a problem rather than a gift, and ageist stereotypes and age discrimination are everywhere – in our media, our workplaces, our towns, and in our own worries and attitudes about growing old. How to Age Joyfully is a welcome antidote to this fearful, negative view of ageing, and a rich resource of ideas and evidence for how to enjoy your own later life.”

Catherine Foot, Director of Evidence, Centre for Ageing Better

“We hear so much about the burdens of an ageing society that we seem to have talked ourselves into thinking of rising life expectancy as a bad thing. In this book, Maggy Pigott reminds us how lucky we are to live at such a time and how to add joy to all the other emotions as we navigate those later years.”

Alan Johnson, former Labour politician and Cabinet Minister, including Secretary of State for Health (2007– 2009); award-winning author; patron of Open Age

“Full of wit, wisdom – and hope!”

Gyles Brandreth, writer and broadcaster

“We all know that people today can expect to live healthily and productively for longer than ever before. This is fact. Irrefutable. But, what is less clear is what we are all to do with this extra time. As the concept of retirement is increasingly eroded, our society is in desperate need of new life models, new examples of what is possible. We need new champions to help shape a new world, where people can work, play, innovate, inspire, lead and create – throughout life, regardless of age. Maggy is such a champion. Read her book and see why.”

Dr Jonathan Collie, co-founder of The Age of No Retirement

“A fun and savvy guide to putting more life in your years.”

Carl Honoré, writer and broadcaster; author of In Praise of Slow (2004) and Bolder: Making the Most of our Longer Lives (2018).

“Old age is being redefined and this is an essential book for today's new world. It is full of positive actions to maximise enjoyment of our added years in this amazing period of life.”

Joyce Williams MBE FCSP, aka blogger GrandmaWilliams.com

“Maggy has written so passionately about her own experience of discovering the joys and benefits of dance that I feel she can’t fail to convince others. She has brought so much energy and enthusiasm to our dance group and her book shows very clearly and forcefully that there is a whole new world out there awaiting the older dancer – and all of us.”

Barbara Berkeley-Hill, Chair, Sage Dance Company

“Knowing how passionate Maggy is about having a positive approach to ageing, it is no surprise to me that her book is bursting full of inspiration and suggestions on how to do just that. Her tips align with Open Age’s mission and actions for increasing the well-being and social connectedness of our members. It is evidence not only of her passion, but also her generosity, that Open Age will benefit from sales, allowing us to carry on helping many more people to age joyfully. Thank you, Maggy.”

Iain Cassidy, CEO, Open Age

 

 

HOW TO AGE JOYFULLY!

Copyright © Maggy Pigott, 2019

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced by any means, nor transmitted, nor translated into a machine language, without the written permission of the publishers.

Maggy Pigott has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

Condition of Sale
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

An Hachette UK Company
www.hachette.co.uk

Vie Books, an imprint of Summersdale Publishers Ltd

Part of Octopus Publishing Group Limited
Carmelite House
50 Victoria Embankment
LONDON
EC4Y 0DZ
UK

www.summersdale.com

eISBN: 978-1-78783-367-8

Note: The advice in this book is written to the best of the author’s knowledge and research but should not be used as a substitute for medical advice. Please consult professional help where necessary.

 

 

THE FUTURE DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU DO TODAY.

Mahatma Gandhi

 

 

How To Age Joyfully is dedicated to my husband, Tim, and children, Mike and Rachel, who do so much to help me age joyfully.

I am grateful to my family and friends for their help, suggestions and belief in the book’s potential – and their promises to buy several copies each, if published!

Thanks also go to the inspirational charity Open Age, an exemplar of much of what is contained in this guide. I am donating 50 per cent of my royalties after tax to Open Age, which does so much to help the over fifties enjoy active and fulfilling lives. (Open Age is registered as a charity in England and Wales No:1160125. www.openage.org.uk).

I am extremely grateful to Catherine Foot, Director of Evidence at the Centre for Ageing Better, for her very positive and helpful feedback on reading the manuscript.

And finally, huge thanks to all at Summersdale for their skill and guidance, in particular, Claire Plimmer, Editorial Director, for taking a chance on a novice author and Claire Berrisford, my editor, for her unwavering enthusiasm, support and patience.

 

 

YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE, BUT IF YOU DO IT RIGHT, ONCE IS ENOUGH.

Mae West

CONTENTS

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

 

Foreword by Dame Judi Dench

We’re Living Longer – Let’s Live Better!

My Story

The Eight Steps to Ageing Joyfully

Step 1: Move

Step 2: Eat Right

Step 3: Have a Purpose

Step 4: Connect

Step 5: Grow

Step 6: Be Grateful

Step 7: Give

Step 8: Be Positive

It’s Never Too Late

“What a Wonderful World” – A Joyful Playlist

And Tomorrow?

Want to Know More?

 

 

FOREWORD

This is a book that I believe is long overdue, and I was delighted when Maggy Pigott asked me to write the foreword.

Anyone who knows me – and quite a few who do not – are aware that the word “Retire” is not mentioned in my house. These days, we are all living longer, and we should make the most of our extra years. That includes keeping on working if that is what you want to do. If that is not your choice, there are lots of ways to keep active and to enjoy older age. This book tells you about some of them.

Open Age is a charity which will benefit from the sales of this book. Based in London, it provides a wide range of physical, creative and mentally stimulating activities to enable older people to make new friends, while developing new skills, and learning to fulfil their potential.

I commend this book to everyone of all ages, and let us all age joyfully!

Dame Judi Dench, April 2019

 

 

WE’RE LIVING LONGER - LET’S LIVE BETTER!

Thanks to science, better health care, healthier lifestyles and higher living standards we are faced with the global phenomenon of an ageing population. Longevity is increasing in almost every country, although the rate differs depending on economic, social and various other factors. By 2050, about two billion people in the world (one in five of us) will be aged 60 and older. And the numbers of those in their eighties, nineties and even one-hundreds are increasing at the fastest rate.

This longevity should be celebrated and encouraged. Older people can offer so much, including experience, wisdom, skills, work, love, caring, emotional stability, perspective, fun, time and money. Everyone benefits – from the individuals themselves, and their family and friends, to the wider community.

But if added years are to be a bonus, not a burden, we need to keep healthy enough to enjoy them. We owe it to ourselves, those close to us and society, to do what we can to make our old age the best it can be – “the crown of life” (Marcus Tullius Cicero, 106–43 bce, Roman philosopher, politician, lawyer). I hope this book will help you to achieve that.