Did any of you catch any of the TV or radio coverage from Glastonbury at the weekend or were you one of the crowd dancing away at the pyramid stage? While some of the acts are just starting out and still in their 20s there were a fair few of the older rockers there. Neil Young headlining on Saturday night is fast approaching his 8th decade and Rod Stewart reached that milestone earlier this year.
While the desire to watch and listen to those musicians in their later years is obviously still there, it is was disappointing to read about recent research carried out by The Centre for Aging better, that showed that nearly a quarter of those questioned think that Glastonbury would be better with fewer people aged 50 and above attending.
It’s not surprising to see that those in the younger generations, aged 24 and under were the ones who held this belief more strongly, however a very encouraging 69% gave the answer that no age is too to attend!
Retirement and aging is changing, we know from speaking to our members that it isn’t all about gardening and golf. As a group, those aged 70 and above are becoming more active and pursuing their interests more actively that previous generations. Obviously finances and health have a big part to play, but there seems to be a trend towards a more active post-retirement life.
As The Centre for Aging Better said ‘What a shame that even when we think about a beloved event such as Glastonbury, which is all about inclusivity and a hugely diverse group of people brought together through a love of music, that there’s still an element of ageism and intergenerational conflict. It really shows the extent to which we live in an ageist society. It should be unremarkable when older people pursue their passions and interests as they have always done or take up new interests – from exercise to hobbies to music and festivals’
They go on to say that many people have told them about negative experiences, such nasty remarks, or being greeted with surprise that people are ‘still’ doing a certain activity. Faced with these reactions, it’s understandable that many older people step back from pursuing their interests, or at least from doing so publicly where they might be subjected to judgement and criticism.
