What happens when we reach 70, 80 and beyond, and discover that we are still curious? Growing older can bring loss and change, but it can also bring freedom, new interests, unexpected friendships and a different perspective on love, family and intimacy. Drawing on research, personal stories and plenty of humour, author Judy Higgs explores what later life really feels like from the inside. Why can we feel much younger than the person we see in the mirror? Why do older women sometimes become socially invisible? How do friendships and family relationships change? And are we ever too old for love, adventure or starting again? A lively and thought-provoking conversation about challenging expectations, staying connected and remaining curious about what might still lie ahead.

DELIVERY MODE

Face to face

COURSE RESOURCES

• Book: The Secret Sex Lives of Older Women

COURSE OUTLINE

• How attitudes to ageing compare with the real-life experiences of older people.
• The changing nature of love, friendship, family relationships, and intimacy in later life.
• The importance of independence, social connections, and adapting to major life transitions such as retirement, changing family roles, and loss.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• A greater understanding of how attitudes to ageing can differ from the lived experience of older people.
• An appreciation of how love, friendship, intimacy and family relationships can change in later life.
• An understanding of the importance of maintaining independence, interests and social connections as we age.
• Considered the effects of loss, retirement, changing family roles and other major life transitions.