Something I have not discussed in this blog yet is the gendered dimension of ageing. It has been widely discussed that that female body is subject to modification, alteration and validation by medicine. The image of an ‘ideal’ female body continues to persist in mainstream media, despite the efforts from activists and industries to challenge the pervasive normativity. For cis-gendered women, reproductive decline begins around … Continue reading Shifting temporalities of ageing

Disclaimer the photo below shows a severely emaciated body which some may find distressing.   (The Guardian, 2019) This story, which made headline news back in February, caused a national outcry against the Department for Work & Pensions. People were (rightly) appalled at the decision made to refuse Stephen Smith further benefits for being unfit to work. He has a host of debilitating illnesses that make … Continue reading The vulnerable body & how we care

  I found these two adverts for Simplicity Cremations while travelling home last week. Compared to the advert that was banned last summer, (seen in my previous blog post), it is interesting to compare the two styles and see why this one is socially accepted. Perhaps because the people on the cover are (a) old and (b) seemingly cheerful. The text is in the first … Continue reading Meanwhile, on South Western Railways

Did your parent(s) talk you through their will? Will they? My guess is probably not. Death in the West is a taboo subject, seldom discussed and therefore feared. I aim to elucidate and analyse some of the prevailing narratives around death. To begin, I’d like to consider the question – What is death? a) a biological ‘shut-down’ of a physical body b) a divinely-determined end … Continue reading What we talk about when we talk about death

The video below shows Daredevil Dilys, as she is known to family and friends in Wales, performing an independent skydive. Dilys is 82, and has completed over 1,100 skydives for charity, since completing her first jump at the age of 52. Her story has been shared on the “Age of No Retirement” website, designed to question “our internal ageism” and ask us to challenge society’s … Continue reading Defiant ageing?

The body is a finite instrument, created to mature and decay over time. Visiting an elderly relative on Christmas Day at Salford Royal hospital, in Manchester, reminded me of the increased significance of the body as an individual gets older. Physical symptoms of ageing become pronounced and may inhibit participation in activities. I began to wonder about the phenomenological experience of my elderly relative and … Continue reading Introducing the blog