AofA's Hot To Trot Talking Points

Every Friday

Oh it’s great to be back to discussions on ageing and so much more post-Easter.

1. Edna 0’Brien is one our favourite writers and woman. We’re thrilled to hear that there’s a documentary about her life out there. It’s called The Blue Road and one of our members, Louise Chunn recommended it. ‘My old schoolfriend Mary-Pat Sheahan and I went to see The Blue Road, a film about the life of the late Irish author Edna O'Brien yesterday. When we were teenagers at a New Zealand convent school in the 1970s, we drank her early books (The Country Girls, The Girl With the Green Eyes, Girls in Their Married Bliss) down like illicit sherry. It delighted us to see the covers of the very same paperbacks we had swapped more than 50 years ago.

   And now, women in our late 60s, we loved watching her interviewed and (largely) lauded for her acute insights into the relationship between men and women. Even close to death at 93, she was still standing up for herself, and showing she was "no flibbertygibbet". Heartily recommended.’

   

   2. We loved the images that came in from New York’s Easter Parade. Wowee. This is AofA member, Mindy Fradkin and her friend who is wearing the most exquisite crocheted dress.

3. We reeled in shock that Iggy Pop is still alive, never mind that he’s just had his 78th birthday. What a life! Someone in the group expressed their surprise that he was so young!

4. The Guardian had a piece by journalist Phil Montgredien about the joys - he missed out when he was younger - of interrailing with his sons. This caused much nostalgia and desire to go again…

5. We discussed age-inclusive terms for getting older. One person hates Boomers as a term. Someone else hates Seniors.

American Medical Association

• Discrimination based on age (young or old) is ageism.

• Terms like seniors, elderly, the aged, aging dependents, old-old, young-old, and similar “othering” terms connote a stereotype, avoid using them.

• Terms such as older persons, older people, older adults, older patients, older individuals, persons 65 years and older, or the older population are preferred.

• Use older adults, a term less likely to connote discrimination and negative stereotypes, when describing individuals 65 years old and older.

• Note: In studies that involve human beings, age should always be given specifically (eg, “older people aged 75 to 84 years”)

6. Winner of our Inspiring Personal Story Award 2023 (we need more nominations for our 2025 one) Louise Bernadette Butcher was on This Morning TV and she says how comfortable she felt there and talking about the possibilities of flat closure surgery after breast cancer. She is still being a total inspiration. 'Cannot say how proud I am of everyone on [This Morning]or sharing my story & allowing the beauty of my scars to shine on Morning TV. You have no idea how you have changed the perception of Flat closure surgery and empowered people everywhere by doing my interview in the way that I felt comfortable.'

Advantages of Age Award Nominations are Open

We are currently seeking nominations in multiple categories for our 2nd Advantages of Age Awards to be held on 20th November in the glorious Hoxton Hall, London. We would welcome your nomination for Best Pro-Ageing Substack Writer. You may nominate one or multiple writers by clicking on this button and telling us who inspires you. Feel free to nominate yourself too.