The much-quoted adage, ‘Life Begins at 40’ appears to be falling redundant these days, as 70 now seems to be the time to kick back and enjoy yourself. According to various studies and from much anecdotal feedback, septuagenarians are better educated and happier than counterparts 30 years ago. Forget the idea that school days are the best days of our lives, a happiness study suggests that turning 70 marks the start of a golden decade. And that’s not all; a landmark study across the adult life span — the first of its kind — by Charles and USC Dornsife Professor of Psychology, Margaret Gatz, showed that negative emotions such as anger, anxiety, stress, and frustration, far from increasing as we get older, decrease steadily with age. Added to this, there is an ever-expanding list of inspiring and glamorous 70-somethings who are living their best lives, and some would say are more fulfilled than ever. The following stars who have reached the 70-year milestone this year include rocker Sting, beach hunk – David Hasselhoff, gorgeous Italian actress Isabella Rossellini, legend – Bob Geldof, iconic action movie star – Steven Seagal and actor – Jeff Goldblum to name but a few.

Much of that happiness outlined above appears to centre around retirement as many 70-year-olds cite spending time with friends is what they enjoy most about their golden years. Moving into a retirement community such as those operated by award-winning LifeCare Residences provides the ideal opportunity to feel part of a community and to socialise and make new, like-minded friends. Barry Rutherford, a retired policeman, moved to Somerleigh Court, operated by multi-award winning LifeCare Residences in the heart of historic Dorchester and hasn’t looked back, saying, “I didn’t know anyone before I moved in, but now I have plenty of like-minded friends to chat to. I’m literally surrounded by friends. There is a full programme of events to enjoy such as interesting guest speakers and visiting musicians and a regular pianist comes in and plays on request which is delightful. In fact, there is a wider and more interesting cross-section of people here at Somerleigh Court than there were in my old village!” A professor from Cornell University, Karl Pillemer, backs up Barry Rutherford’s sentiment that life in your 70’s is an incredibly enriched one and wants to banish the negative preconceptions; “Because society is so ageist, people envision life after 70 to be this kind of Dickensian horror. And we have heard over and over that it turns out for most to be much better – it’s an extraordinary surprise. It’s potentially a really rich time in the life course.” While younger people concentrate more on acquiring the knowledge and skills that will help them succeed in their careers, those in their 70s, like Barry Rutherford, tend to focus more on emotional goals that make them feel good. In your 70s you are freed from the worries about the future that plague the younger generations – they don’t need to anguish about whether they will have children or strive to be successful in their career – they are able to live in the moment and enjoy making the most of the time they have, without ‘sweating the small stuff’.

Your 70s can be one of the most enjoyable periods of one’s life. “More time for personal activities” is often cited in polls of over 70-year-olds as one of the best benefits of growing old, and the Office for National Statistics found that those aged 65 and over, spent an average of seven hours and ten minutes a day on leisure activities; the most out of all age groups. Retirement means that you now have the time to go out and do whatever it is that you’ve always wanted to do. Your 70s are called your golden years for a reason, and retirement provides plenty of time and the perfect opportunity to pursue new activities. Whether it is gardening, watching sports or getting back into crosswords, the time afforded by retirement is perfect for doing things just for fun!   LifeCare Residences’ communities provide ample opportunity for residents to meet like-minded people and even get involved in a range of activities and clubs on offer – be it board games, craft, ukulele, cards, falconry, archery, bridge, or music. Award-winning Battersea Place, in London, not only provides a full spectrum of five-star amenities and services for its residents, but the team is also dedicated to helping facilitate a wide array of clubs and classes to get involved in, such as the popular Theatre and Opera Supper Clubs, a Book Club, and a Gentlemen’s Discussion Club. In addition, the team hosts Musical Dinners, Murder Mystery Nights, there are live screenings from the Royal Opera House, as well as Residents’ talks and lectures from visiting film and art historians. It doesn’t end there – residents at Battersea Place can join a Bridge Club as well as turning their hand to scrabble or even an art class. At Somerleigh Court, in the heart of Dorchester, Dorset, there is even a lifestyle co-ordinator who is on hand to create a revolving calendar of events, talks and excursions for residents. At Grove Place, in Hampshire, residents can enjoy a wide-ranging plethora of activities set up by the LifeCare Residences team. Weekly activities on offer include a Gardening Club, Craft Club, an art class, a Creative Group, Bridge, and a Choir. At the age of 70, many new residents find their social circle expanding once again, while day-to-day living is made easy and as maintenance free as possible.  With numerous opportunities to socialise, including during meals, leisure experiences and outings, many residents find a restored sense of purpose and joy in their social lives in their golden decade.

Many 70-year-olds relish the freedom afforded to them in retirement years, compared to in their 40’s for example, with some saying that they can now shop whenever they like and no longer have to leave household chores for the weekend and so on.  LifeCare Residences pride themselves on providing retirees with vibrant places to live offering a full-spectrum of five-star amenities and services that not only make day-today living smoother, but they also help to free up time. The following support services come as standard across all LifeCare Residences communities: housekeeping, laundry, room service, maintenance support, courtesy shuttle and domiciliary care,  allowing retirees to relish a more active older age with fewer chores. Moreover, a dedicated 24-hour concierge service can also take the hassle out of organising daily tasks by helping with dry-cleaning, post, tickets to events, taxis, and travel. These on-site amenities are not something many people usually have on their doorstep but are enjoyed to the full by many residents at LifeCare Residences communities.

Professor Ingmar Skoog who led a study at Gothenburg University concludes perfectly by saying of the 70s age group, “This is the rock and roll generation who are now getting older, and they are not going to be sitting on a park bench feeding the birds.”

LifeCare Residences.  We care about living life.