A New Lease Of Life

Longer life expectancies mean we have decades left to enjoy after the children have flown the nest. Perhaps it’s time for a change, suggests Holly Kirkwood

WE’RE all familiar with the signs of a mid-life crisis: a man in his forties, suddenly seized with a powerful sense of his own impending mortality, acquires a ridiculous car, a mistress and/or a membership to the local gym. It is, however, time for a reassessment; 40 is no longer ‘mid-life’. In fact, the halfway mark for our lives is now much closer to 50 and lots of us in our sixties can look forward to three or four decades of healthy life ahead of us, which seems like a long time to spend in the garden. It makes sense, therefore, that couples over the age of 50 are increasingly relocating to start a new adventure.

‘These days, property owners in their sixties are finding themselves in perfect health, with grown-up children and fewer responsibilities—perhaps still working, but on their own terms—and seeking new experiences,’ notes Charles Elsmore-Wickens of Savills in Oxford (01865 339702). ‘What suited them 20 years ago, when they were working full time with small children, isn’t necessarily what suits them now. Not everyone wants to be in the middle of nowhere as they get older.’