Well, hold on to your hat. We're only 72 and trying to hang on. Barring anything major, here are some differences in mind and body between being 50 and being 70 with examples and a few coping solutions:
50's: Routine--Work, work extra hard for a deadline, be exhausted, rest up, and start over.
70's: Work, work extra hard for a dead line, be exhausted, get sick, stay sick, barely recover. Rethink working extra hard.
50's: Keep planner handy and schedule a full day.
70's: Plan two things, maybe three. Do NOT push. Some days shower counts as an event.
50's: Still want house to look attractive with current touches. Still cleaning.
70's: Still want a nice house but want someone else to do it. Someone hired to clean. Especially don't care if sick.
50's: Looking for style that becomes your age. Go back in house for matching scarf.
70's: Still looking for style that becomes, but mostly going for easy on, easy off. First elastic-band slacks but hide waist with big shirt.
50's: Hair turning grayer and thinner but still OK.
70's: Be grateful if your hair stays thick because you can be natural. If thin, good luck.
50's: Some short term memory loss, forget names, but overall stay sharp.
70's: What? Why did we come to the store? Call everyone "Sweetheart" and don't worry about names. Write things down. Study calendar in the mornings. Put things back in same place such as keys or journal; park in same place at grocery store. Simplify all belongings.
50's: Intellectual interest are spurred by work, children.
70's: Seek interests. Find book club with like-minded souls. Seek out good friends for discussion. Keep the newspaper or a couple of good sources. Use selected IG accounts. Play word games, sudoku, cards.
50's: Interest in genealogy.
70's: Feeling urgency to pass the torch, share family stories, do the work. A need to share all you know while you can.
50's: Eat what you want when you want.
70's: What you want changes. Large portions disgust, especially at night; sugar is cloyingly sweet; too much food causes horrible heartburn; chocolate allergy causes ear, nose, throat infection; glass of milk requires acidopholus or yogurt on the side to be OK.
50's: If weight issues, walk and exercise. Cut out fry sauce.
70's: Weight issues. Your metabolism changes. Don't give up, but expect a little more on.
50's: Body stiffens: Feels like person does when getting out of car after long trip.
70's: Feel stiff after 1/2 hour in one place. Sometimes feel out of balance. All muscles sore. Exercise is imperative to stay limber; you can just make up a workout at home. Fast movements damage shoulder joints, hip joints, cause stiff neck, so you move with caution, slower. More care on stairs.
50's: Of course, your face is aging, but women still look naturally pretty.
70's: Unmistakably wrinkled. Don't get work done if you can help it. Be wary. (Some women like GG at 85 really couldn't open her eyes well with her heavy lids, but the procedure takes away your natural softness and grandmotherly sweetness.)
50's: Still active intimacy.
70's: Often enough. Good over-the-counter lotions for women, but pricey ($60); Life-flo Progesta-Care and BiEstro-care; use dab of each on arms, etc. Contact me w/questions.
50's: Now and then bladder issues but nothing like on TV.
70's: Like on TV.
IMPORTANT: Probably the biggest surprise is the change in motivation, in energy and purpose. I always thought I would paint more since Grandma Moses started at 80, but the urge is all but gone. (!) I want to organize and purge our things but it takes more energy and focus than I seem to have. Projects seem too big. I want to spend my energy with grandchildren. So my message is GET READY for the 70's. Get things in order, get the right house if you can, simplify your life and your belongings. Really, enjoy the 60's if possible, but prepare.
LOVE YOU!
