Jane Seymour reflects on her struggles with feeling ‘unseen’ in society

Jane Seymour has recently discussed about her struggles with feelings of unseen in society as she gets older.

“I spoke to a lot of friends of mine and they said, 'Yes, I am unseen, and I am unheard,’” said Seymour, in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE.

The award-winning Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman actress continued, “I'm on television and people do pay attention to me more than the average person. Here in my household, when something breaks down, and I call up and I say, ‘Can you help me with this?’”

“The man will actually look over my head and find the nearest man in the room to talk to about it. It's like I'm unseen,” remarked the 73-year-old.

Elaborating on how unseenism affected women’s health, Seymour noted, “I get that 'doctor's nervous' thing, even though I'm a doctor's daughter and I played one on TV.”

“I always either have someone else with me to take notes, or I've just asked for permission to record it, because I don't always take it in at the time that I'm told it,” she continued.

The former Bond star mentioned, “I don't want to be told, 'Oh, you're losing it. Maybe we should check you for dementia, or you're not listening, or you're just an older woman. That's what happens in life.’”

“I'm 73 and I don't feel old,” she stated.

Seymour pointed out, “I realise that the rest of the world probably looks and goes, 'Oh, that's old.' What I want to do is redefine it. It's not old — that is wisdom on two legs.”

“I love being a woman but I would like to be respected and heard,” she added.