Life in Your Early 60s Survey

The Life in Your Early 60s Survey wrapped up in April 2024. More than 8,000 of you took part – either in person or by video call. We’re incredibly grateful to all of you for your contributions.

Our researchers are analysing all the information you shared with us, and we’ll update you on their findings later this year. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for this.

In the meantime, here’s a brief snapshot of some of the things we’ve learned about your lives in your early 60s.

What we asked 

The Life in Your Early 60s Survey involved a 90-minute interview, two paper questionnaires and an online diet questionnaire.

In your interview, we asked you about, among other things, your partner, your children and other people you live with as family circumstances can have a huge impact on our lives. We also asked about your employment and preparations for retirement.

As part of the interview, we asked you to complete a series of assessments to look at your memory, concentration, and other aspects of cognitive ability.

After your interview, if you agreed to a health visit, a healthcare professional took measures of your weight, waist and hip circumference, blood pressure, balance and your walking pace. We also asked your permission to take a small blood sample to test for levels of cholesterol, glycated haemoglobin, triglycerides and C-reactive protein.

The two paper questionnaires asked you about a variety of topics, including leisure activities, attitudes, health, and expectations of the future as well as questions about your experiences growing up.