What has helped change your life the most this past decade?

3 fit healthy grandchildren- what fun, just adore them

I can't recognise myself now to how things were 10 years ago. Then an avid walker, eg going up Snowdon, walking in the Derbyshire hills, now unable to walk more than 50 yards or carry out many day to day activities. The loss of contact with my grandchildren - I don't know where they are now. The breakdown of my son, who has not seen his kids for 3 years now. Unfortunately these have really coloured the way life is. I do use tech but its just a tool really. Good that I still have most of my old friends around though and have met some lovely newer ones.

TheMaggiejane1

Retirement...and the freedom to choose what I do that comes with every new day.
I loved my job and still incorporate it into my life by doing voluntary work in that sector but, on a sunny day, I can take myself off to the nearest lido with a book, picnic lunch and swimsuit and content myself with my own company for several hours.
Can book an impromptu few days away at no notice, visit my children (who live a good distance away) and enjoy the many Meetup groups I belong to. Photography has become an interest and I'm looking forward to expanding my horizons in that direction. So many things and so little time.

What a learning curve reading all your very varied accounts of your lives in the past decade.Indeed I would go as far as saying we are the generation where it happens!!
Yes there are far too many tales of deteriorating health situations,and of many distressing relationship problems but I think taking the whole thread as a whole your enthusiasm for life............. especially when blessed with young family members ...........shines through and has given so many of you a new lease of life,even though the old bones tend to creak a little more or the back gives you gyp!!!
May this next decade be even better!

This decade I've become a granny to 4 but that in itself is bittersweet as I'm estranged from my child who has two of them. Also my very dear mother died 5 years ago and this has had a big impact on me.

If there is one thing this extremely interesting thread is proving, it is that you cannot lump the older generation together, as each poster has reported a different story.

DD got married had our DGCx2 and went through a messy separation. H took redundancy/retired so we were able to may off our small mortgage and credit card, with enough left to enjoy ourselves.
Our adult son was diagnosed with ASD which helped us and him.
Mum died after living with dementia for about 6 yrs. Very sad but I felt I'd lost her about 12 mths previously.

Emigrating to be with my daughter, her husband and my grandchildren. Some parts have been good, some a bit difficult, compromising and unsatisfactory and some, all to do with my wonderful family, have been – and continue to be – glorious.

Our jobs. We both work together at a retirement home and it has given us security, a pension, paid holidays, sick pay and incredible support and sense of community which has been vital these last few years, after years and years of both being self employed it is still a relief to feel secure and have a regular income until retirement.

Now 70, have been retired ten years. In that time, my parents have died, and within two months of my retirement, DH was diagnosed with PD, and now dementia. The dementia aspect of the disease has been overwhelming, with some very bizarre and frightening incidents. On the plus side, I have enjoyed seeing our five DGC thriving, and helping DD's whenever I can. I got my iPad five years ago, and wouldn't be without it, but still write some letters too. Life changes, in both good and bad ways. We just have to do the best we can.

The biggest change in my life in the last decade? It has got to be retirement. Huge change. Mostly for the better, but of course so often with age comes health problems, though I try not to let these get in the way of enjoying my freedom.
In addition there have been three more grandchildren, such a life changer, so much joy from all of them .
Finally there's been a marriage (my son) and a divorce (my son again!). But no lasting emotional fallout, thank God.

D.I.V.O.R.C.E.

In the past 10 years, I have bought a house of my own, furnished and decorated it exactly how I want it and I love, love, love my independence! Wouldn't swap it now for anything or anyone. I've become a granny to 2 lovely grandchildren and I love spending the time that I do with them. I've cut down my hours at work and have more time for my interests and friends. I've enjoyed the past 10 years more than the previous 15 years.

8 years ago we had the year from hell,both AC had cheating partners and divorces,we had other issues with a neighbour that culminated in a legal intervention and health problems,serious health problems including my OH 's heart attacks.Three in two months !
Now both AC are in good relationships with lovely people my OH has semi retired and instead of working 14 or 16 hour days its 2 or max 3 days a week .Its brilliant to see him have the stress of the business lifted,he's a new man .Our main issue now is my D's ill health which worsens from week to week ..and its me who stresses most about itapart from that life is good.My 4 GC are all healthy and doing well at school and in life and spend a lot of time with us ,if we could just find the house we want to doownsize to everything would be rosie.

Thanks for this post. Reading it has made me realise many are in the same position as myself. Husband is 10yrs older but in our 60's and 70's we were so enjoying his retirement. Headed into our 70's and 80's and he is living with heart failure along with many other conditions and he rarely manages out. I have various health problems but manage all the household stuff and am pleased to be very computer literate as it makes life a lot easier and enjoyable, ie: banking, shopping , keeping in touch with friends and Gransnet!! Do worry about the future but we are lucky with the medical side of things as our surgery is excellent and we get house calls when necessary and, if not, telephone consultations. DH is on a lot of medication which I have to manage very carefully. We also see our 8yr old DGS every day after school and some weekends. I take him to various classes and his swimming lessons and although it is tiring it is great to have the love that we get from him.

No need to be sorry at all cherry I already have 3 gorgeous grandchildren aged 12,10 and 8 so you were right. They have definitely changed my life for the better in the past decade.

Sorry gilly just meant something lovely to look forward to.
The OPs decade may not yet be over

Definitely the computer. I cannot believe now how I swore that I would NEVER have one, EVER !!!!
My younger Brother finally persuaded me to get one as he had been using a computer for years.
To say that I have never looked back, is an understatement.

My secondary school becoming comprehensive. There was an influx of highly qualified teachers, new equipment and we had the opportunity of 'A' levels and then higher education. Prior to that, we had been written off. Without that development, I would have had a very different life.

Getting a dog in 2011 and discovering Gransnet in May 2016!

My grandson is 11 and his sister 6 ...they have given me a new lease on life. At 56 my life was one long miserable day to day drudge. Working full time in a job I hated , while my husband had sat in an armchair for the last fifteen years watching tv. No holidays...no help...no love.... no affection ...no nothing!! Then my daughter announced she was pregnant and I actually smiled for the first time in fifteen years. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the little one ...the work load seemed to double but who cared. I finially had a reason to love life again...then five years later his unexpected sister made her appearance and she’s everything a grandparent could want rolled into one small package! My husband is still sitting in the same armchair ...watching endless useless tv,..his grandkids come and go...for the most part they ignore him! As he dies them!! But my life is ‘on the mend’....I’m thinner..fitter...healthier than I was 20 years ago and I thank my daughter ) in my head) every day fir saving my sanity and making my life whole again ! Who needs money?!!

Without a shadow of a doubt, my "magic medicine" that has stopped my rheumatoid arthritis in its tracks.

Prior to having rituximab, I was crippled. I couldn't get dressed, use the toilet, stand up, sit down, lie down, get up. Anything. I was so warped and gnarled with it.

It is the closest I have ever come to committing suicide, as I just could bear the thoughts of another 20+ years in such pain.

We were contemplating either getting a stair lift, or moving to a bungalow, and getting a mobility scooter. Employment was absolutely out of the question. I was receiving higher rate DLA.

Now - I am symptom free, work full time and can play with my grandchildren - limited only by my fitness, not my pain level.

Definitely a life changer for me, and I thank my lucky stars for our amazing NHS, which pays a small fortune for me to have my life back again.

The birth of my 3rd gd is what has changed my life during the last decade. She has brought me more love and joy than I could have imagined, during a very upsetting and worrying time.

Granny23 For different reasons, I share your fear.