Paula Cocozza

Irvine Welsh discusses ageing, sobriety, health routines and his continuing drive to write, while reflecting on the legacy of Trainspotting. His new novel, Can Nothing Save Us?, is set in Las Vegas and examines dissatisfaction, political dysfunction, climate and health crises, family tensions and gun violence in contemporary America. Welsh describes abandoning heroin through cold-turkey recovery, becoming wary of firearms after finding target shooting dangerously exhilarating, and turning toward yoga, breathwork and a more uncertain spirituality. He also reflects on his late mother, his family relationships and his rejection of the monarchy and House of Lords.

At age 60, Phil Yates left his marketing career to retrain as a barber, receiving unexpected support from his father despite years of advice to prioritise job security. After completing barbering school alongside mostly teenage students, he joined the Auckland barbershop Hava & Co., where he now works with enthusiasm and a strong personal style influenced by his love of rockabilly culture. Cutting hair provides him with daily creative satisfaction and renewed energy, bringing a sense of purpose and vibrancy that had been missing from his previous work. He hopes eventually to travel while barbering, embracing the fulfilment the career change has brought.

Eric Lampaert recounts the onset and aftermath of sudden amnesia in 2019, describing how the loss of memory severed him from his identity and forced a reconstruction of self over 18 months. His upcoming show Zero Minus One explores the experience as part of a broader effort to reintegrate past trauma, including childhood bullying, parental separation and public ridicule early in his career. Hypnotherapy intensified emotional vulnerability before the amnesia, which he believes acted as a psychological reset. Subsequent therapy, medication and work eventually helped him rebuild stability and reconnect with his family. Although life is improved, he continues to navigate loneliness and a sense of alienation while holding on to humor as an anchor for recovery.

Nicola Wilding explores how her mother, a longtime Labour voter and committed care worker, became involved in English Defence League marches following personal fears and the murder of Lee Rigby. The memoir traces three generations of her working‑class family, highlighting themes of belonging, economic precarity, social change, and the difficulty of discussing politically charged issues within families. Wilding reflects on wider political and societal shifts, including the erosion of working‑class identity and support structures, while also navigating grief and her own complicated relationship with her mother. ‘These Wild English’ interweaves family history with broader questions about why many working‑class Britons feel unrepresented by mainstream politics.

Martin Lewis describes the surge of deepfake and scam adverts using his identity to promote fraudulent investments, causing victims to lose significant life savings. He criticises successive UK governments and regulators for years of inaction despite the Online Safety Act, arguing that big tech platforms profit from illicit advertising and face insufficient penalties. He calls for mandatory advertiser vetting, substantial fines, and platform responsibility for compensation and notification to affected users. Lewis recounts personal encounters with victims who believed the scams were genuine, highlighting the emotional and financial devastation caused. He urges policymakers to act decisively to curb organised online fraud driven by sophisticated AI-generated content.

After eight years living with a Parkinson’s diagnosis, Mike Bell learned at 61 that he did not have the disease, prompting both relief and disorientation as he lost the identity and community he had built around it. Despite ongoing unexplained symptoms and uncertainty about his condition, he reassessed his life, adopted healthier habits, and began a creative new career producing detailed musicians’ tube maps for artists to sell as merchandise. A year after being de‑diagnosed, he continues adjusting while finding renewed purpose and direction.

Nick Dowling left a long career in engineering, manufacturing and consultancy after the shift to online work during Covid left him unfulfilled, prompting him to pursue nursing in his 60s. Earlier experience as a young nurse’s aide resurfaced as he volunteered with the ambulance service during the pandemic, motivating him to retrain from the bottom up in the NHS. Now working extended shifts on diverse placements, he aims to qualify as a registered nursing associate and build a late-stage career rooted in learning, service and personal renewal.

Joanna Stern spent 2025 living with AI embedded in nearly every aspect of her daily life, an experiment that informed her book about the growing role of intelligent systems. While AI tools helped manage tasks from cooking to childcare, the strongest impact came from her encounter with a companion chatbot that blurred emotional boundaries and raised concerns about the technology’s influence on vulnerable users, especially children. Her year also reshaped her career, prompting her departure from the Wall Street Journal, the launch of new media ventures and a deeper commitment to scrutinizing technology’s effects on human behavior and connection.

After her husband suffered three strokes and became a wheelchair user, Sarah Geeson-Brown devoted herself to full-time caregiving, reshaping her daily life around his needs and the emotional challenges that followed. As their world narrowed, she found unexpected expansion through connections with carers from diverse backgrounds and a deepening of her bond with her husband. Following his death, she sought new purpose by helping others with gardening, drawing on the patience and acceptance learned through caregiving. The experience brought a profound mix of grief, gratitude and renewed appreciation for small moments of kindness and nature.

Sousan Samadani, a 65-year-old Iranian-born woman living in the Netherlands, devoted herself fully to the Save Soil movement after learning about severe global soil degradation. Inspired by Sadhguru’s awareness campaign, she independently traveled across dozens of countries to support the cause, hitchhiking, biking, skydiving and volunteering at events. Her personal history of displacement as a Bahá’í refugee and memories of her family’s lost farmland deepened her commitment. Now an enthusiastic environmental advocate in Utrecht, she hopes one day to return to Iran and create a garden reminiscent of her parents’ orchard.

Half-birthdays are gaining popularity as a lighthearted way for people of all ages to mark the midpoint of each year, whether for discounts, personal reflection, or family traditions. Social media trends, children’s celebrations, and commercial offerings from restaurants and brands have fueled the practice, while some embrace it as a self‑care milestone or a way to slow down time. The trend spans from playful cakes and themed decorations to more serious markers, such as age-based eligibility for driving permits or military applications, reflecting a blend of nostalgia, creativity, and personal meaning.

At 72, Isabel Walker began a new career in colour analysis after a chance encounter highlighted her natural aptitude. With previous careers in journalism, charity work and communications training, she sought renewed purpose as earlier work declined. Training in colour analysis led her to launch a business in Hertfordshire, where she works primarily with post‑menopausal women. The role has been energising, prompting personal style changes and a more intentional approach to clothing. Walker views each career shift as an unplanned opportunity and remains open to future changes.

After discovering her late father’s photographs and journals from his time in Antarctica, Amanda Barry pursued a longstanding desire to visit Port Lockroy, where he had worked in 1948. Motivated by a need for connection, she reshaped her life, earned a science degree, volunteered in museums and ultimately secured a role as museum manager at the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust’s base. Her journey to the remote site provided a profound emotional link to her father and a renewed sense of confidence and resilience.

Rising cultural anxiety about ageing hands is driving a surge in the handcare market, with cosmetic doctors, beauty brands and retailers promoting treatments ranging from premium creams and LED devices to laser procedures and fat transfer. Experts link the trend to increased consumer awareness, the pandemic’s focus on hand hygiene and an expanding interest in anti-ageing ingredients beyond the face. Brands such as Paume and Chanel are introducing high‑end, ingredient-focused products, while industry analysts predict further growth as hands become a new focus of aesthetic maintenance.

Gary Fisher left a long career in tech after 60 to pursue professional poker, studying the game seriously and competing internationally. He has earned significant prize money, maintains strict discipline during tournaments and aims to achieve major titles. Poker provides both personal fulfillment and a drive for recognition, while teaching him patience and resilience.

After the end of a long relationship, Zack Rogow embarked on 75 first dates, navigating modern dating norms while confronting insecurities about aging and desirability. His experiences, including brief affairs and moments of self‑reflection, ultimately led to a fulfilling partnership formed at a book launch. The stability of this relationship inspired his poetry collection, The Kama Sutra for Senior Citizens, which explores intimacy, pleasure, and aging. He hopes for continued health, shared travel, and deepening family bonds as they move forward together.

Craig Munns transitioned through multiple careers before earning a palaeontology degree at 62 and now works at Geoscience Australia studying mineral deposits and ancient invertebrates. His path included roles in electronics, computing, sales, teaching and library services, and he completed his studies despite personal setbacks. He remains driven by curiosity and aims to continue working in evolutionary palaeontology rather than retire.

A retired city planner in Oregon committed to baking a pie every day for a year to stay engaged and preserve a sense of identity after leaving work. The project helped her reconnect with people, foster creativity and confront concerns about cognitive decline. Over time she became known locally as the pie lady, continued exploring new creative pursuits and gained confidence that her worth extended beyond her professional career.

After decades in accountancy and years of advocacy work, Sally Goldner embraced wrestling in her late 50s, pursuing a long-held passion that began in childhood. Training at a Melbourne wrestling school helped her reconnect with her body and creativity, leading to her debut as wrestler Zali Gold at age 60. Her journey included navigating gender identity, founding Transgender Victoria, and discovering diagnoses of ADHD and autism, all contributing to a renewed sense of purpose and self-acceptance.

David Warr, a Jersey resident haunted for decades by a childhood swimming trauma, begins confronting his long-held fear of deep water with guidance from swimming coach Sally Minty-Gravett. Revisiting unresolved grief tied to his mother’s early death helps him understand the roots of his anxiety, enabling him to take his first confident steps into the sea. Gradual progress leads him to swim confidently, reconnect with his home environment, and gain a renewed sense of safety, perspective, and healing.

Axolotls have become global cultural icons, inspiring extensive merchandise, media representations and online fascination, even as their wild populations in Mexico’s Lake Xochimilco face severe decline due to habitat loss and invasive species. Their appeal stems from their distinctive appearance, perceived friendliness and extraordinary regenerative abilities, which have attracted both scientific interest and public affection. While pet ownership and commercial popularity continue to grow, researchers and conservationists warn that this enthusiasm has not translated into adequate protection for their natural habitat, leaving the species increasingly endangered.

After losing her husband and feeling isolated in Germany, Helen Smith returned to the UK and adopted Blossom, a guide‑dog breeding mother, which provided her with new purpose, confidence and community. Blossom’s presence connected her with neighbours, volunteer groups and renewed independence, helping her reshape her life after 60.

Rich Baker rebuilt his life after leaving a long hospitality career, living on a narrowboat and developing a passion for creating pizzas using English ingredients. Partnering with his wife, Sarah, he launched Flat Earth Pizzas, which eventually gained national recognition and became profitable after early struggles. The venture restored his confidence and sense of purpose, demonstrating that age need not limit pursuing new ambitions.