In researching the impact of global longevity EML identified six key areas of life that together, differentiated those who were successful in negotiating later life from those who were less so. There was no silver bullet, no ‘one thing’ that will make all the difference, instead those who were seen by their peers as ‘doing a good job’ were able to strike a balance across the six areas.

To enable others to join their more successful colleagues we then started looking for some simple tools that not only allow you know ‘where you are’ but also plan where you are going. Be it finance or health; relationships or activity; possessions or change, knowing where you are not only allows you to monitor your situation, it also provides you with an ‘early warning system’ so you can act before disaster strikes.

As ever, I am ‘Guinea-pig number one’ for our prototypes and have been monitoring some simple health measures for the last three years. In recent weeks I’ve noticed a minor change in one of the baseline measures – nothing serious, but enough for me to find out more. And that is the point, when you know where you are, you can spot the changes that others may miss, investigate and take corrective action to ‘nudge yourself back on course’.

When your house is groaning with unwanted possessions, your calendar is empty, your family is distant or your belt is too tight – read the signs and act. Living longer is a precious gift, but making the most of it requires us all to acquire some new skills