Many commentators have identified that we are living longer. But are we going to live well? Is there anything we can do about how we live – do we actually have choices? And what do we regards as a good life as we grow older? This is why we need to discuss living better?
Most of us have observed the ageing of our own parents, and are confronting our own ageing challenges. Few of us want to end up in a nursing home, and it is fair to say that many of us don’t want the experience of our parents.
While we can probably describe what we don’t want, we can’t necessarily explain what we do want, except in broad terms such as independence, choice, dignity, respect etc. Why do we need to discuss living better?
Firstly, if we can’t describe what we do want, then we will get what others have decided for us.
Secondly, to help us identify how things have to change to get what we do want. And change will inevitably take time.
So we need to discuss how we want to live for the rest of our lives, before it is too late. Otherwise we will just have to accept what is on offer, what others’ have designed for us.
This conversation is for those who are interested in living independently at home, and taking responsibility for their own well being and rest-of-life-life journeys.
This is a broad topic with many aspects. I would like to see wide discussion and debate on many fronts – capacity to continue working well beyond traditional ‘retirement age'; other issues relating to independence; proliferation of aged care that does not require institutional outcomes; introduction of advance directives that are legally binding; organ donation that is based on ‘opt out’ rather than ‘opt in’ policies; uniformity of legislation on all aged care issues across all states and territories and many, many more.
Hi Tom
Thank you for your comments. As you say this is a broad topic, and we hope to get a diverse range of views and opinions. Cheers Michael