h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I was reading this story about aging being the key marketing angle for huge numbers of people and it struck a chord:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2336777.stm

I have to say, I am really worried about getting older - not physically I hasten to add - although I don't relish the thought of illness and pain, but financially.

I am in my late twenties and have a reasonable amount of savings for somebody my age, although my isas are currently not looking good thanks to the stockmarket. Trouble is, in the not too distant future those savings will be wiped out when the boyfriend and I buy a family home together. We won't get the chance to build up big savings while paying the mortgage off and having kids and pension funds don't look too good right now so what happens when we are old? I am really worried I'll be spending my old age in poverty.

What worries you most about the inevitable march of time?

I'm not afraid of getting old.

I've had a good job for the last 20 years, have almost paid off the loan on my house, so I am financially secure.

It is a shocking thought that someday there will not be a Gnomon! But I've thought about it for a long time and I think that I've got used to it.

The hardest thing to come to grips with for me is the idea that my partner is also growing old and may die before me. I'll be on my own after having been half of a couple for all my adult life.

You think you get bad Gnomon- my partner is more then 20 years older than me, and I have been with him since I was 18- That's a scary thought- I'll probably be widowed in my 40s

Growing old in general doesn't bother me tho'- mostly because all the pensioners in my family are fit, strong and capable of doing everything I do now.

'The worms crawl in and the worms crawl out
The ones that crawl in are lean and thin
The ones that crawl out are fat and stout
Your eyes fall in and your teeth fall out
Your brains come tumbling down your snout

Be merry my friends
Be merry'

Worms - The Pogues

I think thats a no then.

Kelli, your house is your future from what you said above. Pay the mortgage off over 25 years and you have massive equity which you can either realise by selling and move to a small flat or you can transfer it to a financial company who will use it to invest in an innuity for you.

Property is a far better investment usually than just about anything else.
Also, pension funds have been hit hard recently but remember they're a long term thing. The markets will recover over time. They were *hugely* over inflated recently.

Am I worried about getting older. No, why worry about something you have no control over? I also refuse to pander to adverts that tell you that you're ugly, smell or wrinkly. They just want your money and their products don't work.

Isn't that more about death though? Or is that the scary thing about aging - that we are getting closer to the inevitable time when we cease to be?

Dying isn't what worries me, it is the thought that I might be miserable beforehand. It scares me that I might not be able to provide for myself, whatever I do now. The recent problems with pension companies tells me that - plan as I might - I could still end up destitute. The control freak in me doesn't like that possibility!

I think I worry about the process of aging a little too. I couldn't give a stuff about wrinkles or grey hair but it is frightening to think about bits of me wearing out - again this may be a control issue though.

I haven't considered being worried about what might happen if my partner dies before me - he will just have to live forever

*wanders off muttering about having something new to worry about*

It *is* the financial side that worries me as I don't have a pension and I haven't had much work for the past year or two. But that's the only side of getting old that worries me.

My mother is in her 70s, still healthy, and doesn't look her age - only one lock of grey hair which doesn't show because of how she styles her hair. I don't buy cosmetics and my skin care routine is non-existent. I *did* buy some moisturiser some time ago, but I seldom use it. I *am* starting to eat more healthily, but that's to get my weight down, rather than to stay younger.

Age isn't just a physical thing, though. OK, so when you get older your body can't do things that your brain *thinks* you should still be able to do. But you don't have to *think* yourself old. My mental age can be as low as about 5 and seldom, if ever, reaches my physical age. It makes me wonder how many people are worrying unnecessarily.

Oh, and I'm not afraid of dying. I know it will happen sooner or later, and I don't care how I go - provided that I live to a ripe old age. Two of my grandparents reached at least their 80s, and my mother is still going strong. (I don't know what my dad's dad died of, but my Mum's mum died of diphtheria, I think.) So I have a good chance of making it to my 80s, which is good enough for me.

There was an article in the Guardian on Tuesday, probibly available from GuardianUnlimited.co.uk, called "Britain says non to c'est la vie", which was about a report comparing attitudes to longevity between the British, French and Americans. I'll try and find it, it was really good.

Basically, Brits and Yanks want to cling on to the bitter end, as old as possible with all the infimity, dependance and decline that that may involve, while the French value the quality of life over length.

So what would you prefer a long sickly, useless life - or a short happy active one?


Is everyone terrified of growing old? Not everyone, but if you are, read (carefully) The Portrait of Dorian Gray" and then you'll be scared of not growing old!

Yes, but more from a 'not achieving stuff' angle. I'm 30 in just over a month. Where'd my 20's go? I seem to have washed up on the shore of 30 in pretty much the same state I was in 10 years ago, although now with a house, car, job, pension etc. I know I know I'm lucky to have that, but to be honest I'd be a lot happier with a partner etc etc. I'll admit to being the teensiest bit jealous of those who have a live long partner. I'm not worried about being 70 or whatever, I'm worried I won;t have had a fulfilling, satisfying and meaningful journey there. After all, which would you sooner be, rolling in it and on your own aged 80 or skint but with your life partner and visits from the grandkids (or whatever if you aint into children) at the same age? I'd forgo the money myself. But that's just me.

I guess we each worry about what we haven't 'got' but think we require to provide a worthwhile existence, at any age.

I don't want to be penniless, thats why I put £100 a month into a pension at the age of 23...I can't really afford it but I would rather live in a little bit more debt now than get to 55-65 and panic about my pension fund being too small.

I am worried about losing hubby, I remember finding a website about his disorder after we had been together for a month or two and reading "patients are unlikely to survive beyond their 4th decade". It hurts like hell but we are not going to grow old together so we had better make the most of the time we've got.

On a cold hard financial side of things there are problems too, he cannot get life insurance, if he dies I inherit his half of the mortgage and either have to find the money from somewhere or sell the house and start again. Even if he lives well into his 60s it is unlikely he will ba able to work full time which puts pressure on getting the house sorted so that he can work from home and look after himself during the day.

Basically I know that my life is going to get harder as I age so I'm trying desparately to prepare for any problems in advance. Its hard to prepare for being alone though.

I hate to appear flippant but I firmly believe that growing old is inevitable but growing up is optional. I refuse to grow up. Therefore I still feel immortal in the same way that I did when I was 17 (20 years ago). I've got the same money worries that I had at 17, ie more outgoings than incomings, and see no change in the future. I don't measure success by what I own, but by how much fun I have. Definately with the French in quality over quantity!

Flippant is fine I don't want to grow up either, but the fear of poverty and not having the money to put the heating on/eat properly/afford medical treatment (I'm in the uk but can see the way the wind is blowing) when my body is not strong and no longer able to cope with all I throw at it means I have to grow up enough to prepare for old age.

I don't believe that society will provide anything for me, look at the deal pensioners get now. Things aren't going to get any better and nobody is going to keep me but me.

I knew we'd all worry about different things, you've all given me more stuff to add to my list...

Quality over quantity definitely.

One thing I *don't* want is what I saw happen to my mother's aunts and uncles over 15-20 years or so. They basically just 'continued' to live whilst growing more and more crippled as time went on. Terribly sad to watch, they were always delighted to see us but I wonder how happy they were when we weren't there. I don't want to be sitting by a window watching life go by for the last 20 years of my life

Orcus...you forget that we will have hootoo to keep us company in our old age - not to mention the rest of the internet. And by the time we can't type because of arthritis voice recognition should be at a reasonable standard...although that will mean hundreds of oaps shouting "smiley" at their computers the way that people shout at their phones when they don't work first time.

Sorry to sound sacrilegious but I shudder at only being able to do that too

Better than what they had though right enough

I meet quite a few old folk in my job, particulaly those with partial sight.
Some of them say things like 'don't get old dear' or 'I suspose I have to expect that at my age', all rather negative. They're the ones vegetating & declining & we're less likely to be able to help them.

Others say 'I just get on with things' & 'at least I've got my x/y/z' & 'I don't feel old', being positive. They may have slowed down a bit they're still living life to the full in the best way they can.

So I reckon it's as much a state of mind as anything else, although I can see how declining health can be very depressing.

I don't want to get old & decrepit, but I'm not terrified of it. Several of my family have lived long & relatively healthily, so I'm just keeping optimistic that I'll do the same.

I'm talking about not even being able to get out of bed on your own or even walk *with* the aid of a zimmer frame for 10-20 years. That is a *long* time to just sit and look out of the window... or be forced to sit in the common room of the old peoples home for 5 hours.

If you are fit and healthy and can walk then that is still quality isn't it.

I also wouldn't want to get old an unable to do things. But you can be crippled at any age. Christopher Reeve was crippled by falling off a horse when in his 40s (I think). People have strokes, get involved in traffic accidents. You don't have to be old to be unable to fend for yourself. That's why I don't worry about that sort of thing happening as a consequence of age. If it happens, it happens. I'll worry about it then. I have the attitude that I'll try to stay fit and mobile for as long as I can. Mum still walks into town when she needs to. She tires more quickly and doesn't walk as briskly as she used to, but she is still able to do it.

I agree that immobility can be frustrating - but can they still watch TV, read, listen to the radio/music?
I deal with people who can no longer read for pleasure. But if your brain is still alert, positive people will find pleasure in what they can still do. Not that it's easy. I can understand how bleak life is for some people, but I'm not going to fret about something that may not happen.

The thing that scares me most has nothing to do with aging. The thought of going blind terrifies me. Almost all my hobbies rely on sight - reading, needlework, using my computer, taking photographs. I'd have to replace hundreds of books, most of which probably aren't available in braille. I'd have to relearn so much!