Ageing is an inevitable part of life – but we can control how we do it

Ageing is a part of life: a person is born, they entre the stages of childhood, adolescence and adulthood, and hopefully they age happily and healthily along the way. It's an inevitable process and, despite what the beauty industry tells us, an irreversible one. We can't stop ageing – but what we can control is how we age.

As life expectancy rises around the globe, societies are increasingly investing in better elderly care and promoting healthy ageing – and industries are following suit, from tourism and property development to health care and fashion and beauty.

Think cruises for elderly holidaymakers, the best retirement destinations, medical research on how to make elderly people physically and psychologically stronger, and the endless stream of anti-ageing creams sourced straight from the fountain of youth.

Even the tech sector has jumped on the stay-young bandwagon with filters that can swipe away years.

While ageing takes a toll on your mind and body, the news is not all bad – there are positive aspects to getting old, including acquired knowledge and experience.

As the old saying goes, age is just a number. But how we age is, well, up to you.

Look out for a burst of stories from the Post about ageing over the next two weeks. Follow along at Ageing Society.