Thankfully, there is a growing movement critiquing the way ageing is talked about and thought about in our communities. Being bombarded by messages that assume ageing is something to be avoided (such as with the majority of skin care products), that it amounts to a dreadful kind of cost to the economy (the 'grey tsunami'), and that if you do age, you should ride a bike near a beach with perfect skin and hair...it all contributes to a fundamental discomfort, or even dislike, of our own ageing and older people around us.  At our July Meaningful Ageing Seminar in Melbourne, Catherine Barrett from the Tea Cosy Project took us through a memorable exercise of reflecting on the question: what do you appreciate about your own ageing? In sharing our answers with each other, we were able to hear and celebrate together the small and large gifts of getting older. This does not mean that we deny what may be difficult, but by owning some of the positives we are in a better position to deal with the challenges. 

On Tuesday next week, you have the opportunity to hear an abridged version of Catherine's presentation, and our other excellent seminar speakers, in our webinar offered in partnership with the Australian Association for Gerontology. Tune if you can (see below for further information). Members can participate for free - get the access code for the webinar in our Member's Zone.  Videos of the Melbourne content is also in our Member's Zone. With thanks to Uniting AgeWell for hosting and filming the seminar.

- Ilsa Hampton