Aging, Change and History 1

Aging, Change and History
South Africa is not usually an international trendsetter but in one area the country has recently been a world leader, with the United States belatedly following its example. That is in dealing with historical symbols of racism. Nearly 150 years since American slavery was abolished by the Civil War, the US is only now getting rid of ...

Anger management as you age

Anger management as you age
“Get angry about ageism – and take action to combat it.” That’s a resolution for 2014 from one of the world’s most powerful lobbies for older people.* Of course My New Old Self decries age-based discrimination. Older people everywhere have been hard hit in this troubled economy and have less hope than younger people of ...

Madiba’s plea not to wander at night looking for the kitchen

Madiba’s plea not to wander at night looking for the kitchen
  Nelson Mandela certainly proved wrong the old saying about the good dying young.* We have had the privilege of watching one of the world’s most impressive human beings grow old and reach a ripe age. It’s not often that a leader inspires the world as Mandela did in his prime. That he continued to ...

Older Persons, it’s your day – and week 1

Older Persons, it's your day - and week
We’re in the limelight this week, so here are a few tips to help you deal with all the attention. Have a cup of strong coffee before you read the official UN statement on the International Day of Older Persons because it’s in UN-speak so it might put you to sleep. There’s the usual mention of ...

Posers Beware

Posers Beware
  Here’s a tip for when you next find yourself facing a camera: think before you strike a pose. This advice popped into My New Old Head when I saw the last white president of South Africa, aged 77, posing for a media campaign called 21 Icons. Barefoot and wearing a suit and tie, he ...