Citation
Klee, D. (2012), "Editorial", Working with Older People, Vol. 16 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/wwop.2012.56316daa.001
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Editorial
Article Type: Editorial From: Working with Older People, Volume 16, Issue 4
I came across a wonderful sermon this week by 90-year-old Rabbi (2009) on the benefits of growing older. It is worth a read available at: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/flash/health/newoldage/haberman.sermon.pdf
His words got me thinking about the positive changes I have experienced. This is something that we rarely do as growing older has such a bad press. We all want to live for a long time but do not want to grow old. Rabbi Joshua’s list is a personal one, which I have attempted to summarise below:
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Tranquility – all the important decisions in life have already been made.
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A cooling of passion – we are better able to endure what we cannot fix.
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Submission – to what you cannot control, peace of mind.
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A willingness to be wrong – to listen more and talk less.
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Increased appreciation and gratitude.
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The love of a family.
Although we may not all share these attributes as part of growing older, it is inspiring and comforting to reflect on them.
Some of the benefits for me are having more time to do the things that I want to instead of the things that I have to do. I am comfortable with who I am which is a great relief after the angst of youth and the struggles of managing a career and family in my 30s. There are challenges at every stage of life, but it helps to focus on the positives.
This brings me to the articles in this issue of Working with Older People. Guy Robertson in his article Positive Ageing reminds us that people with a negative attitude towards their own ageing die on average 7.5 years earlier than those with a more positive view. If you have not written your list of the benefits of ageing, you might like to do so now! He goes on to suggest practical approaches to reverse the psychological and emotional damage caused by an ageist society.
Some readers may recall an article by Frances Wilby on the USA Neighbours Helping Neighbours Programme (Kelly-Gillespie and Wilby, 2012), where she described the volunteers’ experience. I was fascinated by the programme and asked Frances about the older peoples’ experience. I am delighted that her response was to send the article in this issue.
Assistive technology has the potential to transform the lives of older people who need assistance with some activities of daily living, but often this potential is not fulfilled. Chris Martin offers a helpful insight into why older people may not make full use of assistive technology.
Gareth Morgan reports on findings from the North Wales Dignity in Care Forum survey which asked, “What one change today could make a difference to your dignity tomorrow?” The responses from older people will be relevant to all services providing and commissioning care. It fits well with Stephen Week’s book review on “How we treat the sick” and Stephen’s personal experience of his mother’s final days in hospital.
The concluding part of Minghella and Schneider’s two part paper on Rethinking a Framework for Dementia is in this issue. They offer a new approach to living well with dementia that challenges traditional models. The focus is on social inclusion in dementia friendly communities where people’s assets are valued and they are treated as partners in care. Interventions when required are much more focused and timely making the best use of resources. If you have not yet read part one (Minghella and Schneider, 2012) I recommend you do so.
If you are still struggling with your list of advantages to growing older then read again Warning – When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple by Jenny Joseph (1997) and look forward to picking flowers in other people’s gardens, running your stick along the public railings and my favourite, spending your pension on brandy, summer gloves and satin sandals and saying we’ve no money for butter.
Robert Browning (1864) had a positive attitude…
“Grow old with me the best is yet to be”.
Deborah Klee
References
Browning, R. (1864), Rabbi Ben Ezra (poem), Dramatis Personae, London
Joseph, J. (1997), Warning – When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple, Souvenir Press, London
Kelly-Gillespie, N. and Wilby, F. (2012), “Experiences of volunteers serving older adults”, Working with Older People, Vol. 16 No. 1, pp. 31–40
Minghella, E. and Schneider, K. (2012), “Rethinking a framework for dementia 1: the journey”, Working with Older People, Vol. 16 No. 3, pp. 122–31
Rabbi, J.H. (2009), The Dilemmas of Aging, available at: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/flash/health/newoldage/haberman.sermon.pdf (accessed 31 August 12)