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Attitudes to John McCain: Does America Respect Older People?

A British lawyer has suggested that the contrasting attitudes to John McCain and Ming Campbell (of the UK's Liberal Democrat party), puts our treatment of older people in a poor light. For whatever reason, Ming was judged by his age while McCain appears to be succeeding in spite of it. But is there such a big difference in approach to ageing in the two countries?

On the face of it, older people appear to be more revered and respected in the USA than in the UK, but it seems to be rich older people who have that privilege. The poorer older folks seem to have a hard time just making ends meet, surviving with dignity, being discriminated against, marginalised and often excluded. So, perhaps, on a general basis, there is really little difference between the two countries.

We do fear ageing in Britain because it is usually associated with illnesses and ill health rather than anything vibrant, energetic and sexy. Society brainwashes us into the desirability of being young through its focus on the young, especially by the media and entertainment industries, and we accept it meekly instead of asserting our presence.

We also worry about ageing skin, about being incapacitated by our age, about having to retire and lose our status, job and friends and, most important, about being excluded, unwanted and insignificant. So instead of welcoming old age as another important phase of our life, we dread it and fear it, which then affects the quality of that life in a negative way.

Yet it is not the actual age we are which should be the focus of our lives but the age we choose to live and wish to be. Personally, I can't wait to celebrate my 60th birthday later this year because age has never dictated my life. It certainly provided a direction, but it isn't the route. My new motto will then be "Sixty, Sexy, Sassy and Soaring!"

What a time I am having being older because I do not live according to the fears or limitations of others. My own beliefs and expectations guide my life. I am determined to make the most of every precious day and, interestingly, people tend to think that I am at least 20 years younger, and treat me accordingly. So the only predictable box I am ever going to be slotted into is the one at my funeral!

We age inside our heads first and our bodies dutifully follow, so how we are perceived is entirely personal. Chronologically, we might be a certain age, but it is up to each one of us how old we really wish to be in our attitude and actions, because that's how we will be treated by everyone else.

Learn more about this author, Elaine Sihera.
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