X is for . . .
X Is for Generation X – born between 1965 and 1979
It’s a question of time. Having enough time.
Gen X has been called ‘The Sandwich Generation’. That is, providing financial and care support to both an aging parent and a child. According to some estimates, one-in-seven adults in their 40s and 50s are providing this double support. How can Gen X deal with this alongside often demanding workplace and other challenges?
It’s a question of health. Being alert to the warning signs.
Exercise is of course good for our health, but so are doing things that make us happy - talking with friends, favourite TV shows, settling down with a good book. Baking, hobbies, shopping, watching sports, our pets - we are all very different and get our joy from different places, so do't be afraid to do something for you, just you and only you - it's good for you.
Gen X is the group least likely to have time to look after themselves properly. And this comes at a time when they can least afford to let themselves go. A slowing metabolism. Increased weight. Menopause. The emerging challenges of aging can escalate quickly if not acknowledged and faced.
- Ask for help - there are lots of groups, numbers to call and friends out there who can offer sound advice during these times.
Davina teams up with Channel 4 to challenge our reluctance to talk about the menopause, in Davina McCall: Sex, Myths and The Menopause.
It’s a midlife taboo that can destroy women’s jobs and relationships thanks to the lack of understanding and misinformation that still exists.
Underpinned with the personal stories of women from a variety of backgrounds who have lived through everything the menopause has thrown at them, Davina’s Channel 4 film sparks a candid conversation about the subject and investigates the science that adds to our understanding of the menopause and its impact on women’s health.
She describes her own menopause journey, busting the myths surrounding the transition, and dispelling the shame and fear around hormone replacement therapy.
“I don’t think I’ve ever worked on a project that has affected me so deeply,” she said ahead of the broadcast.
“I get home after filming and sometimes I just sit down and cry ... from deep frustration and anger at how we are failing women. This film isn’t just for menopausal women, it’s for their partners, their fathers, their brothers, and their sons. We’re all in this together.
“I used to think that menopause was an age thing and now I realise it’s a woman thing. For far too long, there’s been a shroud of embarrassment, shame and fear around this topic, and this is where it stops!”
It’s a question of money. Preparing for retirement.
Gen X have higher earnings than millennials, but many are taking on increased debt, often on behalf of their children, while caring for aging parents as well. While in the short-term this may be sustainable what will be the impact on our retirement? And what can we do to prepare for the financial future.
The good news across the board is, now is the perfect time to review and change lifestyles and choices that used to work just fine but now, perhaps, not so much.
Doing this won’t change objective facts – we are getting older, we have responsibilities, things may not be as simple as they once were. But surely, we want to give ourselves the best chance possible of meeting those facts with a sense of control and purpose. Onwards and upwards…
Books for Gen X
www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/gen-x
Films For Gen X
www.imdb.com/list/ls000065913/
Music for Gen X
