Top tips for a hassle-free old age

Armed with a bit of tech, it’s a great ride into the sunset, says Donna Freed

Be Prepared

Ihave a cranky uncle who is as generous with unwanted advice as he is stingy with just about everything else.

‘You’ll regret it!’ he said when the vicar asked if anyone had any objections at a family wedding. ‘Get ready for the fastest downhill ride of your life,’ he snarled at me recently with regards to ageing.

Far more gently, Virginia Ironside – who will be performing her show Growing Old Disgracefully at Riverside Hotel, Mildenhall, on April 3 – points out that ‘not only is going downhill less tiring, the view on the way down is far better than the one going up.’

She adds, ‘Remember that after a certain age, a friend with benefits means someone who is willing to drive after dark.’

Here are some other tips and gadgets I have gathered on my way down the hill to meet my uncle who, I hope, will cushion my landing.

the closer to the grave you get, the less the rules apply. Interpret this as you will.

Get up, get dressed and get out. Every day, rain or shine, wheels or walker.

If you already have everything to ‘see you out’, then it must be raining. That rainy day you saved for has arrived. So go ahead and splurge: take a taxi; upgrade your ticket and stay in the room with a view. lkeep a toe in the working world.

Cheer up; ageing stinks but it beats the alternative.

Bring some form of illumination wherever you go. With up to 6 hours of battery life, this portable light is perfect for brightening dingy waiting rooms, dark pub corners and unlit paths. £78.95 www.shop.rnib.org.uk

If you’re not sure whether you need to go to the loo, go. If you don’t, you soon will.

Adopt an older pet. Get all the warmth and companionship without the long walks, teething or having to worry about who will care for Kitty if something happens to you.

You don’t have to be a super ‘silver surfer’ but learn the basics and take advantage of technology. There are no queues for online shopping and bulky packages come to you.

Emails, Whatsapp and social media such as Facebook are a great way to keep up with friends and family. If you’re looking to get in touch with old school friends, try www.schoolmates.co.uk

Learn a useful new language: sign language. Better yet: learn as a family.

Don’t let your hearing hold you back. Vibrating crying alerts, night vision and alarm-clock feeding reminders are only some of the features of this baby monitoring watch but only if you really want to babysit! £99.99 www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk

Avoid anything with ‘silver’ in the title, such as ‘silver’ screenings. As hard as free biscuits and cheap seats are to resist, it’s healthier to mix with people of all ages.

Galling as it may be to admit, you don’t know everything. Only five per cent of people who fund their own care get independent advice. Avoid the nail-biting anxiety for you and your family, arising from the ‘pay as you go’ approach, with a care fees annuity. Annuities and advice are available from, among others, Eldercare Solutions. www.eldercaregroup.co.uk

While it’s inevitable that you lose some friends through attrition, they will be replaced... by doctors.

Make a will; it’s just plain rude not to. Will Month (March 2020) is Amnesty International’s free will writing service. www.amnesty.org.uk