Peak: Reinventing Middle Age

by Patricia and Don Edgar

Society is changing faster than policies and attitudes are keeping up with. People are living longer, retiring from work later, and remaining active and valuable contributors to the community well into and beyond their 50s and 60s.

Peak: Reinventing Middle Age focuses on Australians in the 50–75 age bracket: their contributions to society and their needs and expectations for their own lives. It is an insightful look at employment, relationships, education, housing, finances, lifestyles, health and aged care, and the need for reinvention both on a personal level and in terms of social policy.

It includes ten short biographies of Australians who have embraced their middle age in a variety of interesting and inspirational ways. They are living fulfilled lives, contributing to their communities and, most importantly, not succumbing to outdated notions of winding down or stepping back from life in this exciting stage of life.

Genres: Nonfiction

Paperback

Published February 27, 2017

Reviews

[Text Publishing · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Patricia is a sort of centurion in her abilities to kick down doors and push walls over…she gets things done.’
Phillip Adams

‘With her characteristic passion, Patricia Edgar has exploded the myth that an ageing population is unrelieved bad news for our social and economic future. This book is bursting with intellectual energy: if Edgar’s rational arguments don’t convince you, her human stories will.’
Hugh Mackay on In Praise of Ageing

‘Patricia Edgar brilliantly portrays the challenges and, more importantly, the manifold joys of growing older. She dissects the biased and inaccurate attitudes which prevent society from gaining maximum value out of its senior citizens. She highlights the experience, perspective, integrity and wisdom of our elders and introduces us to eight individuals enjoying fulfilling lives towards the end of their journeys—independent, interesting and inspirational people, examples to be emulated. This book is a “must read” for every thinking Australian.’
Sir Gus Nossal on In Praise of Ageing

‘A robust, persuasive and passionate look at the benefits of an extended life span.’
Sun-Herald on In Praise of Ageing

‘In Praise of Ageing is a cultural call to arms…The portraits of the elder firebrands are wonderful, painting an image of tireless spirits, keeping old age at bay with their good humour, spirit and sense of purposes.’
Weekly Times on In Praise of Ageing

‘A breath of fresh air.’
Australian Doctor on In Praise of Ageing

‘What a fantastic book. [Patricia Edgar] has written the most positive book on ageing that I have read. The book is not cloying, patronising or depressing. Instead, [Edgar] has presented us with an eminently readable and thoroughly researched book on a topic that is very close to many of us.’
Law Society Journal on In Praise of Ageing

‘A thought-provoking, affirming look at the years ahead, and how society might meaningfully restructure to accommodate ageing Baby Boomers.’
Books+Publishing

‘A thoughtful and challenging study.’
GP Speak

‘Part pep talk, part revolutionary pamphlet, the Edgars’ book is a quick and informative read on a subject that will engross more and more of the population.’
Inside Story

‘The Edgars paint an encouraging picture of satisfying middle age.’
ANZ Lit Lovers

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I was young, people in their sixties were old. In fact, many of The Ex’s family died of cancer or heart disease when I was in my twenties and they were in their fifties, long before they could retire or take up the Old Age Pension as it was then known. My English grandparents had what was called a good innings, my grandfather dying aged 72 and my grandmother aged 80, but they had both seemed old when we saw them for the last time eighteen years before, when we left England. But things have changed. Although indigenous health is still a matter of national shame, there have been – in the course of my lifetime – such remarkable improvements in health care for most Australians that old is now redefined to mean something much later than sixty or seventy. This increase in longevity means that the concept of middle age needs to be redefined too.

Both in their eighties and living active, satisfying lives, husband-and-wife authors Patricia Edgar and Don Edgar argue in Peak, Reinventing Middle Age that it’s not just a matter of semantics. They say that this shift in demographics has created a challenge for policy makers; for welfare and taxation regimes; and for attitudes to education and employment. They suggest that increased longevity means that all of us as individuals need to rethink our responsibility for looking after ourselves beyond our fifties and sixties. We need to rejig our ideas about our contributions to society, our needs and our expectations because – apart from anything else, if we don’t, we may outlive our financial resources. But the Edgars reject the idea that an older Australia means a dependency problem, and they also reject the prevalent media preoccupation with inter-generational conflict. (The argument, for example, that youth unemployment is exacerbated by older people ‘hanging onto’ their jobs, or that housing affordability could be improved if the oldies all downsized or got out of the capital cities with a sea- or a tree-change). They make a compelling case for the need to start a national conversation about these issues of middle age as a matter of urgency.

To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2017/05/31/p...

[Pauline M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very inspiring! Middle-age now runs from age 50 to 75. No wonder I feel so fit and sparky!