I hope that you have all enjoyed the 4-day weekend in honour of the Queen’s jubilee.  Despite slightly dodgy weather, it was lovely to see the whole country come together to celebrate, and there seemed to be a real groundswell of love directed towards the Queen, who, it has to be said, has served her country loyally and well.  For somebody well into her eighties, she seems to be in an excellent state of health and still able to fulfil a punishing work schedule.  Some of you may say that she has had a comparatively easy life with endless privelege and, whilst this may be true, it is still astounding how she carries on year after year, with a determined stoicism, in the service of her country. 

The Queen clearly has a strong sense of duty and purpose, and it is my belief that this is a major factor in keeping well as we approach old age. If our lives lose meaning, we can then find that we feel somehow useless and detached from the community around us.  It is my great privilege to have some older clients, and I find that I am endlessly inspired by them, and the circumstances that they have encountered in their lives.  Depression is actually quite common and little recognised in old age (as it can be mistaken for other conditions), and it is usually a result of a number of factors which can include bereavement, poor physical health, loneliness and loss of purpose.

In my view, the greatest of these is loss of purpose, although some would argue against this.  However I really feel that if somebody has a purpose in life, however trivial this may seem (looking after a beloved pet would count) then this tends to lessen the negative affect of the other difficulties.

Us baby boomers know that we will still be working till a ripe old age, but I do not necessarily think this is a bad thing.  As long as we are able to work, I think we should be allowed to continue.  Obviously a balance needs to be struck, and we should be mindful that we may not be able to do the same hours as we did in our 20s, but there is no reason to stop at 65 if we still feel able to carry on.

Society is changing, people are generally healthier and living for longer and the old days of getting the gold watch and then settling down in slippers to watch the snooker are well and truly over.  Many retired people are finding that, even if they have their health and the support and companionship of a partner, unless they still feel a sense of usefulness (whatever form this may take) then something seems to be missing from their lives.

Evidently, the important thing is to strike a balance – to have time to relax and do those things that are enjoyable for us, and we know that in the case of the Queen it is her family and her love of her dogs and horses – but also to feel that we are still able to contribute to society in some way.

Best wishes to you all,
Wendy x