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Much can be done to prepare people for retirement and old age, steps can be taken
to prevent unnecessary illness and the community can be alerted to its responsibility
towards the increasing number of senior citizens. The co-operation and Co-ordination
of all agencies, statutory and voluntary, concerned with the elderly and also the goodwill
of individuals is needed to help the elderly maintain their independence and enjoy
reasonable health.
A group adviser for the elderly and geriatric health visitors maintain liaison with
family doctors, hospitals and clinics and the old in their homes and make certain that
the services which are available are known and used. The Home Help, Night Sitters
and Home Nursing Services are particularly active in this field.

*12 sessions only. Patients now seen at the Maddison Clinic, Teddington.
The purpose of these clinics is the prevention of unnecessary ill health, too often
accepted as an inevitable part of growing old.
As well as a complete physical examination, advice is given on all aspects of
keeping fit. One of the health visitors runs an obesity clinic, a physiotherapist gives
advice on suitable exercises, e.g. how to sit and stand correctly and most important for
those with locomotor disorders, how to get in and out of a chair with the minimum of
effort.
Dr. Alfred Torrie, Consultant Psychiatrist, has been working as a member of the
medical team at the Kings Road Clinic since November, 1967, and at the Maddison
Clinic, Church Road, Teddington. I am grateful to him for the following report:—
During the year, two of the clinics had the services of the Consultant Psychiatrist.
A new speciality has arisen with the rather ugly sounding name of psychogeriatrics.
Research has proved that half of the elderly patients admitted to mental
hospitals are suffering from a treatable disability — endogenous depression, masked
by many physical symptoms and wrongly diagnosed as senility. Detected early
and given modern specific medication, the development of this illness can be
arrested and hospitalisation avoided.
At the age of 55, patients can be helped to prepare for retirement and develop
substitute activities and so prevent the depression that loss of status and income
brings about.
The psychological and emotional reactions of the elderly take some time to
reveal themselves and are masked by all kinds of other symptoms so that a reasonable
time is required for the interview to reach the heart of the matter.
When the conversation leads to the subject of a philosophy of life, both
doctor and patient can agree with Browning—
"Grow old along with me,
The best is yet to be".
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