Feeling younger than ever before, nearly half a million women in the UK, including Davina McCall, Kate Garraway and Ulrika Jonsson, will turn fifty in 2017.1 New research reveals that far from feeling past their heyday, 4 in 5 (82%) are winding up, not down as they reach this age landmark, however nine out of ten women (92%) approaching the big 5-0 have concerns about their health. Boots UK is raising the health and happiness of the nation by offering health and lifestyle advice to give these women the knowledge, tools and confidence to help them reach their expanding life ambitions. By identifying the three ‘F Factor’ attitudes women have towards turning fifty, Health Psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos and Boots Pharmacist Liz McPherson offer hints and tips to feeling fabulous at fifty.
Health Psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos says, “Women turning fifty now feel younger than their previous generations, with most viewing this time in their lives as a threshold of new opportunities and experiences. That said, turning fifty heralds a decade of transition, with many physical and psychological changes on the horizon, and there are some women who are feeling less certain about their next life chapter. That’s why I’m working with Boots UK to identify three main typologies of women approaching fifty, so they can offer advice appropriate to how women really feel and behave towards their health at this milestone age.”
THE THREE F FACTOR TYPOLOGIES
FEARLESS (40% of women): Nothing can stop her
“A fearless type lives life to the max. Facing the future with excitement and positivity – she’s first in line to take-up a new dance class, start a new career, or travel the globe. Caring about her appearance as much as her health, she feels like nothing can stop her when it comes to trying new things.”
FATALISTIC (39% of women): What will be will be
“A fatalistic woman lives by the motto ‘what will be will be’. She takes the ageing process in her stride, but can be complacent when it comes to looking after herself, ignoring health niggles rather than proactively looking to improve them.”
FRETFUL (17% of women): Natural worrier
“A fretful type is a natural worrier. She feels anxious about what getting older will bring and finds it difficult to embrace change. She is very aware of how her body and health are changing, but might bottle up her worries rather than dealing with them proactively.”
F FACTORS HEALTH ADVICE
Using these different attitudes of women approaching fifty, 55-year-old Boots Pharmacist Liz McPherson has created tailored health advice, drawing on her personal and professional experience. She encourages those facing into fifty to ‘ASK’ (Always, Start, Know) when encountering health concerns at this age:
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FEARLESS Nothing can stop her |
FATALISTIC What will be will be |
FRETFUL Natural worrier |
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“Always… |
…know your limits and don’t push your body too hard. Over exertion could see you miss out on the things you enjoy so be sensible about what you can manage.” |
…monitor your body and emotions for any notable changes and seek support rather than ignoring them.” |
…ask for help and advice if a health niggle is concerning you.” |
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“Start… |
…having your free NHS Health Checks every five years, available to those aged 40-74. These will identify whether you're at higher risk of getting certain health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and stroke.” |
…being proactive in future-proofing your health – small changes to your lifestyle can make a big difference to how your body manages age-related changes.” |
…doing, not worrying. If you are concerned about a health issue take action to improve it - worrying won’t help.” |
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“Know… |
…your local pharmacist is a great source of advice – drop in and ask about the best ways to support your active lifestyle.” |
…you don’t have to simply accept the changes your body is experiencing. For many niggles associated with ageing there is support and treatment available.” |
…your real risks by taking advantage of the free online health assessments offered at Boots.com.” |
Boots Pharmacist Liz McPhersonalsogives her top tips on dealing with some of the top health worries of this generation:
- Joint health: “Leading a healthy lifestyle is an easy way to help maintain joint health. Regular exercise will help strengthen muscles that support joints and keep joints flexible. You might also want to consider a supplement tailored for joint health.
- Healthy diet: 50 is also a time when, more than ever, you can benefit from a healthier diet and lifestyle to ensure you enjoy life to the full.”
- Eye sight: “Changing eyesight at the age of fifty is very common it’s important to have regular eye tests and take action when you notice any changes to your vision, so visit Boots Opticians for an eye test and advice on frames that suit you.”
- Energy levels and immunity: “Consider taking a multi-vitamin supplement containing vitamins B and C to help with energy levels or a supplement containing Zinc to help maintain a healthy immune system.”
Despite the expected health niggles, women of this generation are still living their lives to the full, and are embracing what the coming years will bring. As they approach fifty, over a quarter (27%) plan to travel and see more of the world, and 1 in 5 (19%) are doing more exercise than ever before. A fifth of those surveyed have exciting career aspirations they want to achieve (19%) and 1 in 7 (15%) are looking to do more charity work or volunteering. Becoming more tech-savvy is a goal for 18% and 7% even want to get a tattoo.
Approach fifty feeling better than ever with advice and support from Boots UK.
- Ends -
Notes to editors:
For more information or additional quotes from Boots Pharmacist Liz McPherson, please contact the Boots UK Press Office:
Boots UK Press Office: 020 7025 6657/ bootshealthteam@redconsultancy.com
Research commissioned by Boots, surveying 1,002 women turning 50 in 2017 - November 2016, data on file
Additional quotes from Dr Linda Papadopoulos:
Typology One - Fearless (40%): “This woman embraces change rather than fearing it. Her identity is something that she is clear about and comfortable with and so she is adaptable when faced with change in either her circumstances, her appearance or even her health. She doesn’t fear the future; she feels excitement at the prospect of new challenges rather than worry or anxiety. She is generally a glass half full type of person, approaching challenges with confidence and positivity - she is open to new ideas, thirsty to learn and always ready for new experiences – she’s prime to be first in line to take-up a new dance class, do that degree she always aspired to do, or learn a new language for an exotic trip away.”
Typology Two - Fatalistic (39%): “This woman deals with change by accepting that it’s inevitable. She accepts that she cannot control all aspects of her life at all times and as a consequence takes setbacks, changes and surprises in her stride. She sees changes in her health and appearance as a normal part of life and as such can be complacent about her self-care. However, the fact that she is fatalistic when it comes to growing older means that she doesn’t fear growing older but rather has a positive view of ageing, she doesn’t feel that she has to rile against it but rather live the best life she can within the limits of the changes that growing older and entering a new life stage brings.”
Typology Three - Fretful (17%): “This woman is a natural worrier. She feels that anticipating and worrying about things will make her more prepared to deal with them and as such is likely to be hyper-aware of changes in her health and overall functioning generally. While having some degree of awareness of her changing body is good, as it will instigate positive self-care processes, the downside is that this anticipatory anxiety will get in the way of her embracing change in a positive and productive way.”
About Boots UK
Boots UK (boots.com), the UK’s leading pharmacy-led health and beauty retailer, is part of the Retail Pharmacy International Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (Nasdaq: WBA), the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise. With 2,510**** stores in the UK, Boots UK is committed to providing exceptional customer and patient care, be the first choice for pharmacy and healthcare and offer innovative 'only at Boots' exclusive products such as the UK’s leading skincare brand No7, all delivered with the great value customers love. Created over 165 years ago, the Boots brand is still at the heart of the communities it serves.
References
1. ONS Population Data, MYE2: Population estimates by single year of age and sex for local authorities in the UK, mid-2015, https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/populationestimatesforukenglandandwalesscotlandandnorthernireland, Accessed 06.12.16
2. NHS Choices, Menopause, http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Menopause/Pages/Introduction.aspx, Accessed 06.12.16