Women in their Fifties: wellbeing, ageing and anticipation of ageing

Abstract

Concern about ageing western societies has led to an increase in research into later adulthood and old age. In the UK, however, there have been relatively few studies of women’s experiences of mid-life. Women at mid-life are affected by a range of issues and are more likely to be in paid work and to be facing separation and divorce than previous generations. This briefing paper reports on a small qualitative study which explored the everyday experiences of women aged 50-59 – a topic area in which there has been little previous research. The study focused on the opportunities and challenges facing fifty-something women in a range of different social and economic circumstances.