Thursday, October 30, 2014

Thoughts on Aging

Having just attended funeral services for an extended family member who live to be 99 years old, it's natural to have thoughts and discussions about aging and whether we can see ourselves reaching such a great age.  Considering I have friends who are having a hard time with "retirement", realistically thinking about living another 30-some years after retiring at 65 or 67 is a bit boggling.

There is the financial end of it, of course.  But even more difficult is pondering is just what ARE you going to be doing with yourself for so long?  Staying healthy is definitely a factor, so you are able to enjoy whatever it is that you DO decide to do.  Retiring is an entirely different animal than when our grandparents retired, when they could maybe anticipate another 10 - 15 years.  We are potentially looking at double that.

The following article about the likelihood of reaching 100 is helpful, if you like to play with statistics.  Personally, I'm just more committed to remaining healthy, nurturing my curiosity about many things, and continuing to explore a wide variety of art and crafts.  I can't quite yet embrace doing only jigsaw puzzles for decades, assuming my eyesight lasts, of course.
                                                                       

How likely are you to live to 100? Get the full data

http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2011/aug/04/live-to-100-likely
We're all living longer. But how many of us will live to 100?
The Department for Work and Pensions have released a report detailing life expectancy in 2011 and comparing the generations at 20, 50 and 80 years old. The data sees 20-year-olds three times more likely to reach 100 than their grandparents, and twice as likely as their parents.
While a girl born in 2011 has a one-in-three chance of living to their 100th birthday, a boy has a one-in-four chance. However, compared to a baby born in 1931, the children of 2011 are almost eight times more likely to become centenarians.

The predictions by the Office for National Statistics estimate the likelihood of reaching 100 by looking either at your age now or the year of your birth. They show that by 2066, there will be more than half a million people in the UK aged 100 or over.

The phenomenon of Britain's ageing population will impact on everything from pensions to the national health service. Pensions Minister Steve Webb says:
the dramatic speed at which life expectancy is changing means that we need to radically rethink our perceptions about our later lives … We simply can't look to our grandparents' experience of retirement as a model for our own. We will live longer and we will have to save more
So, what does it mean? Key figures from the data, show:
 The average chance of a 20-year-old to reach 100 is 23%; however women aged 20 have a 26.6% chance - heavily contrasting with the male 19.5%
 Those aged 50 in 2011 have a 14.2% chance of seeing the year 2061 (17% of women, 11.4% of men)
 A further ten years reduces your chances by 2.2%, and by the time they reach 70 the average Briton will be at 10.4%
 Those aged 83-84 now have lowest likelihood of reaching 100 of any age group - 7.2%. Beyond this percentages begin to look up, with a 99-year-old having a 67.% chance of making it through to their 100th birthday
We've extracted the data from the DWP for you to play with. What can you do with it?

Data summary

Likelihood of reaching 100
Year of birthMale, %Female, %BOTH SEXES, %
19120.31.10.7
19130.31.10.7
19140.31.20.7
19150.31.20.8
19160.41.30.8
19170.41.40.9
19180.51.61.1
19190.71.91.3
19200.61.81.2
19210.72.11.4
19220.82.31.6
192312.51.7
19241.12.71.9
19251.232.1
19261.43.22.3
19271.63.52.5
19281.73.82.8
192924.23.1
19302.34.63.4
19312.55.13.8
19322.95.64.2
19333.26.24.7
19343.66.85.2
193547.35.6
19364.37.96.1
19374.68.46.5
193858.96.9
19395.29.37.2
19405.49.67.5
19415.79.97.8
1942610.38.1
19436.210.68.4
19446.410.98.6
19456.611.18.9
19466.911.59.2
19477.111.89.5
19487.412.29.8
19497.712.510.1
19507.912.810.4
19518.213.110.6
19528.413.510.9
19538.613.711.2
19548.81411.4
19559.114.411.7
19569.314.712
19579.514.912.2
19589.815.212.5
19591015.612.8
196010.215.913.1
196110.516.213.3
196210.716.513.6
19631116.813.9
196411.217.114.2
196511.517.414.5
196611.817.714.7
19671218.115
196812.318.415.3
196912.518.715.6
197012.81915.9
197113.119.416.2
197213.319.716.5
197313.62016.8
197413.920.417.1
197514.220.717.4
197614.521.117.8
197714.821.418.1
197815.121.718.4
197915.422.118.7
198015.722.419.1
19811622.819.4
198216.323.119.7
198316.623.520.1
19841723.820.4
198517.324.220.7
198617.624.521.1
198717.924.921.4
198818.225.321.7
198918.525.622.1
199018.92622.4
199119.226.422.8
199219.526.723.1
199319.927.123.5
199420.227.523.8
199520.527.824.2
199620.928.224.5
199721.228.524.9
199821.528.925.2
199921.929.325.6
200022.229.625.9
200122.63026.3
200222.930.426.6
200323.230.727
200423.631.127.3
200523.931.527.7
200624.331.828.1
200724.632.228.4
20082532.628.8
200925.332.929.1
201025.733.329.5
20112633.729.9

Monday, October 27, 2014

Basket Classes on Lopez

While we have already had one basket class here at my Lopez Studio for the textile guild, the first basket class open to everyone was held this last Saturday:  "Simple Lattice".  The baskets didn't quite get finished, due to our limited time together.  But I was very pleased with the class, and the students seemed to be as well.  Weaving, chatting, sharing -  it really is what basket weaving is all about!



Our next formal adventure into lattice twining will be "Spearmint" on Saturday, December 13th, and we're hoping that a few more adventurous souls will join us.




 Scheduling classes in November and December is always challenging, but we are planning to meet at least one more time before the next class to finish up the first baskets.

My dream of teaching on the island has started!

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Feeling Productive

Finishing future class projects and getting proposals all ready has taken up my week, but give  me permission to go to the city and have dinner and a movie with my darling daughter.  All in keeping with my word of "Balance"!