Thank you, Jo Brand, for not offering us a formula for growing older, writes Dr Denise Taylor. Plus a letter from Louise Mothersole
I found Jo Brand’s reflections on approaching 70 wonderfully refreshing (‘It’s far too late for me to go to the gym every 10 minutes’: Jo Brand on ageing, raging, fitness and grief, 2 November). Here is a woman who doesn’t feel obliged to turn ageing into another self-improvement project. She can be angry, grumpy, less adventurous than she once was, and still enjoy her life.
We hear so much about ageing well, ageing positively and ageing successfully. We are encouraged to exercise more, eat better, remain productive, find our purpose and keep reinventing ourselves. Much of this advice is well intentioned, but collectively it can make growing older seem like another job we are expected to perform.