It's more common than you think!

Brian from Mount Roskill

Did you know that 93% of adults over the age of 65 have at least one chronic condition. And 79% have two or more. Our society is designed for able-bodied and healthy people, so it's no wonder that many people keep quiet when facing a chronic condition.
You might feel like you're the only person you know who needs a colostomy bag, or incontinence-wear, or a joint replacement, for example. But in New Zealand...
• approximately 7000 people have a colostomy bag,
• 50% of women aged 50-74 experience incontinence,
• and in 2023, there were 27,238 joint replacement procedures.
These numbers are not insignificant! So while you might not feel "normal" when living with a chronic condition, remember that you're certainly not "abnormal".
Regardless of what age you are, the only thing standing between being able-bodied or not is luck. Yes, we can take measures to stay healthy well into our later years, but our well-being is outside our control. It's time to normalise speaking out about topics that are often seen as hard to talk about, so people don't feel ashamed when trying to fit into a society that isn't designed for them.
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