I’ve survived, thrived and don’t give two hoots what other people think

After a career as a physiotherapist, Joyce, who lives in Glasgow, took up blogging in her 80s. Writing about ageism and fighting stereotypes surrounding getting older, she has even found herself on ITV’S This Morning sofa.

We’re in a society that believes the stereotype of old age as doom, gloom and decline

– it’s a picture that haunts us.

But it’s totally out of date.

When you’re young you can’t imagine what it’s like to be 70 or 80 as you are judging life with young values. Then, when you get to that age, you have a totally different set of values. Confidence really does grow as you get older. Everyone I know says so.

You know who you are, and you don’t care what other people think.

It’s a good place to be, and life feels freer because you have thrived and survived. Age gives you a new perspective on life. When I was in my 30s, 65 was old. Most people died around 64, on average. But in my lifetime, health care has improved and shifted the timeline – what was 65 is now 78 or 79. So, we’ve been given 15 bonus years! I

set out blogging to talk about the positive side of old age because no one was doing it, and in May this year, I launched #Ageproud, a national campaign, with the aim of taking the fear out of ageing.

I want people to be proud to get old, happy to get old and know they will enjoy being old.

When I was on the This Morning Sofa, Phillip Schofield said to me: “So you’re saying you need to be young at heart?”

I replied: “Stop. Why are you saying young at heart. I’m old at heart – and proud of it.”