Approaching her 60s, Siobhan Daniels was frustrated with her job at the BBC and with life in general. She made the incredibly courageous decision to pack up, sell her belongings, buy a motorhome, and hit the road in the UK.
Her mission is to embark on a positive-aging adventure, hoping to inspire women that retirement could be the start of life’s adventures and not the end. She wrote a book about her experience – The Retirement Rebel. Its core message is that we can all make simple lifestyle changes to feel happier and more fulfilled because, at the end of the day, age shouldn’t be a barrier to having an adventure.
I had a fantastic chat with Siobhan, and it’s captured in an episode of her award-winning podcast, Retirement Rebel. I could talk to Siobhan all day, to be honest. What struck me from our chat is that ageism is everywhere, and we are all guilty. Have you ever heard someone greet an older person by saying, “You look great for your age”? Why not simply say, “You look great.” The implication is that ‘You should look wrecked at your age, but you don’t. Well done, you’. That’s ageism. Have you ever said, “I’m 50, but I don’t feel it. I’ve never felt my age.” That’s ageist too. Why not say, “This is what 50 looks like, and I feel great.” Why do we constantly repel aging? As Barbara Scully is wont to say in her Older, Bolder, Wiser shows, the only time you stop aging is when you die. She’s right. Why do we relentlessly fight aging instead of embracing and optimising it?
In the episode, we discuss why I decided to make my standup comedy debut at age 49. Well, before that, I was busy with my twenty-year career as an accountant and then being a stay-at-home parent for my three kids, now in their teens and older. She asked why I had decided to try something so drastic. My answer was, why not? I would rather try stand-up comedy and fail spectacularly than regret not trying it at all. If the gig were a disaster, that would be funny, too. I can visualise myself in later years sipping a gin and tonic in my nursing home going “D’ya remember the time I tried standup comedy and landed on my arse.”
Another thing we discuss is why there isn’t more content, TV, film, comedy, etc., that directly targets older people, women in particular. We are not invisible. According to the 2022 census, there are 2.6 million women in Ireland, and 33% are over 50. That’s 835,000 women. There are 785,000 men over 50. Ladies, we outnumber them, and we want to be entertained.
Are we not worthy of being entertained? I certainly don’t think so. In my view, as content creators, we have an obligation to cater for this age group and to represent their voices. Here are a few examples to whet your appetite:
- Barbara Scully’s show Older, Bolder, Wiser does exactly what it says on the tin. Barbara, in her early 60s, reflects on the freedoms and benefits of aging based on her experience. Her show is uplifting, insightful and very, very funny.
- Orla Diamantino has a new radio show on Near FM called ‘Oldies Unleashed.’ Orla, in her early 50s, interviews guests who are 50+. The show is epic.
- Ruth O’Leary’s new novel, ‘A Week to Remember’ features three strong female Irish voices in their 30s, 50s and 60s. They head off on the Camino to sort themselves out.
But what am I going to do? My eyes have been opened to ageism, both conscious and unconscious. I will call it out, challenge the stereotypes, and continue to reinvent myself as I age until I get to roll on into the nursing stores with some wild stories to tell. Through my comedy writing, I’ll try to carve out a space for witty, vibrant older women’s voices so we can share our lived experiences and wet our collective knickers laughing.
Click here to listen to my conversation with Siobhan Daniels on her Retirement Rebel podcast. You can find out more about Siobhan (she’s amazing) and her book at www.shuvonshuvoff.co.uk and on her social media, @shuvonshuvoff.
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