BBC News:變老的好處

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Coming up, as fighting continues in South Sudan, our correspondent warns that upcoming peace talks could be undermined by the violence.

And our chief international correspondent gives us her thoughts about the future of Syria. Also in our podcast, Colorado becomes the first US state to allow the legal sale of marijuana for recreational purposes.

20 years on we look at the Zapatista rebellion in southern Mexico and ask what it achieved. And other benefits to grow older: one interviewee tells us that life can get better for people who are over 60.

“They find life a lot less stressful if they had good family relationships, they adore their grandchildren. And generally speaking, they are enjoying life to the full.”

But first, bitter fighting has continued in South Sudan. The conflict erupted more than two weeks ago. And more than 1000 people have been killed since then. The two sides have agreed to take part in peace talks in Ethiopia, but there’s been no actual ceasefire. And mediators have warned that negotiations in Addis Ababa could be undermined by the ongoing violence. The United Nations has told the waring factions that they are at a crossroads but still can save the country.

Emma Soames is the editor of Saga--a British magazine aimed at the over fifties.

“I think a lot of people are happier in their older age than they were, say, in their forties and fifties. They find life a lot less stressful if they had good family relationships, they adore their grandchildren. And generally speaking, they are enjoying life to the full. I think on the whole women find it harder than men and probably film stars find it harder than anybody. It must be terrible for them. ”

“So you tell us what are some of the advantages of getting old we lose sight of when we are thinking actually we could ignore old people which is what seems to be the culture in many societies particularly western societies.”

"But if you only define yourself by what you look like, then you are setting yourself up for grave disappointment. Basically, people in their 60s, they are having a pretty wonderful time.”

“Do you think that we in the west have some things to learn from eastern cultures who tend to have a very different view of the way which they regard older people in their societies?”

“Most definitely. I think the respect for older people that you find in some cultures would greatly benefit our western societies.”