Episode 28

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Published on:

13th May 2025

From Memory Loss to Magical Thinking - Growing Older & Being 70

#yearofbeing70 #lucyandlisette #podcast #mccarraherpodcast #ep28 In this 28th conversation between childhood friends Lucy and Lisette, the two women delve into the real experiences and challenges of reaching 70 years old. With both having celebrated their 70th birthdays in the past year, they openly discuss the physical and mental changes they've noticed, as well as the bittersweet awareness that comes with growing older - the loss of loved ones, the fading of certain abilities, and the need to get one's affairs in order.

Throughout their candid discussion, Lisette and Lucy offer insights and perspectives on topics like memory loss, physical ailments, managing an aging parent, creating a will, and finding meaning and purpose in the later stages of life. Their conversation is both poignant and uplifting, as they acknowledge the difficulties of ageing while also emphasising the importance of living each day with grace and gratitude.

Key Highlights

* Coping with the loss of loved ones as they get older: The women discuss the challenges of losing family members and close friends as they age, and how to deal with these losses.

* Changes in cognitive abilities: They both note experiencing issues with memory, like forgetting names and faces of people they know, where they've put things, and how these are concerning signs of ageing.

* Preparing wills and estate planning: The friends recognise the importance of updating their wills and making plans for how their assets will be distributed after they pass away.

* Fears and concerns about physical/mental decline in old age: They share their worries about potentially losing independence, senses like sight, hearing and the ability to do things for themselves as they get older.

* Redefining priorities and perspectives on legacy/impact: Lucy and Lisette discuss letting go of concerns about leaving a grand legacy, and instead focusing on living each day positively and having a positive influence on those around them.

Why You Should Listen

Lucy and Lisette share a very open discussion with you about the joys and challenges of being 70 years old, providing a thoughtful and relatable perspective on this stage of life. They talk about their experiences with memory loss, physical ailments, and the loss of loved ones that come with aging, which many listeners may relate to.

The conversation touches on important topics like creating wills, managing inheritance, and finding purpose and meaning later in life - practical considerations that listeners may also be grappling with.

Overall, this episode offers an honest, nuanced look at growing older, and could provide comfort and inspiration to listeners who are going through similar experiences themselves or with older family members.

Join the Conversation

If you are an older listener, do you share Lisette and Lucy's concerns and experiences? Does growing older worry you, or are you happy with this phase of life and to grow old gracefully? If you are younger, does this give you pause for thought, or make you empathise with older friends or relations?

Watch our full playlist (The Year of Being 70): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzDmlsx6mhXmqlFJFZEEvaOwytbeAMFCm

If you enjoyed this discussion of an engaging subject, as well as the personal journeys of these old (in every sense) friends, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and tap the bell icon to stay updated on new episodes of The Year of Being 70. Subscribe now and join the journey! #yearofbeing70

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About the Podcast

The Year of Being 70
Two childhood friends who turned 70 in 2024 look back on their lives, their journey, and their busy lives at 70t
Lucy McCarraher and Lisette Schuitemaker are childhood friends. Born one month apart in 1954, they both hit 70 in 2024. In this podcast they take the long view of their experiences, the changes that have taken place through their 70 years of existence in their own lives, their families, their countries and the world. Lucy is British; Lisette is Dutch. Both are authors, eldest daughters and founders of businesses. Every week they check in on each other, recall their younger selves, discuss an important issue, and laugh a lot.
You'll love this podcast if you enjoy:
* Honest discussions between good friends
* Social history from the 1950s to present day
* Memories of growing up in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s
* Living and working through the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s
* Hearing about families and relationships
* Entrepreneurship and business
* Writing and reading books
* A bit of politics from a personal point of view
* Women's issues and the changing face of feminism
* What it's like to be 70 in the 2020s

About your host

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Lisette Schuitemaker