Volunteer Celebration Event October 2022

On Friday 7^th October we spent the afternoon at St Mary de Crypt Church celebrating our wonderful volunteers, to thank them for their invaluable support. We were lucky enough to be joined by doctor and author Lucy Pollock, who shared a talk based on her experience and recent book, The Book about Getting Older. It was wonderful to be able to bring together many of the Age UK Gloucestershire team and wider partners to be able to enjoy this event. Thank you to all who attended and those who helped us to make the afternoon so special. A big thank you to St Mary de Crypt Church for welcoming us, The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop for supplying copies of Lucy’s Book and Churchdown Community Centre for the fantastic cakes!

Lucy’s talk, as well as her book, spoke true to many of the things we at Age UK Gloucestershire are striving towards. A community where people are informed, included and comfortable, no matter their age, is our aim. As her book cover suggests, many of the topics she covered were ones which we often choose to avoid as much as possible. Talking about ageing can feel very daunting, no matter what your age is currently. Lucy is trying to change that, to empower people to have those tricky conversations, to plan for their future and, most importantly, to enjoy ageing as much as possible.

All of those who attended were so grateful for Lucy’s time, and many of us have taken away inspiration from the afternoon. One of the main takeaways for us was the importance of asking ourselves ‘’what matters most to me?’’. As we grow older we do tend to become faced with different situations and decisions which can feel quite overwhelming or difficult. A simple way to start, Lucy suggests, is to ask this question to make sure our choices reflect our priorities as best as possible. It could be a fury friend, family members, a favourite pastime, but each answer will be connected to us as individuals. The answer to this can be a helpful way to make decisions, conversations and plans tailored to us, even if the answer changes over time!

Within healthcare specifically, Lucy suggested how asking ‘what matters most?’ could be used to help both patients and healthcare professionals. Your answer may mean your loved ones prioritise bringing a good book to your bedside during a hospital stay, or that you receive pictures of your lovely cat as she waits for you at home. It could also help simplify overwhelming decisions by making sure patients’ views are known and included when considering treatments or long-term health plans. Your answer could also help make more challenging decisions, such as future care arrangements and treatment options. When supporting loved ones, this question can also help to make sure you are prioritising their feelings without becoming too distracted by your own thoughts. Feeling heard and respected can make a real difference to how we view ourselves. Asking this question and sharing the answer with those around us could allow us to feel more involved and comfortable.

It’s an unavoidable fact that we are all ageing. Challenging the stereotypes surrounding older age and making conscious efforts to question the way we do things are both key in making sure we see ageing as a positive, comfortable and enjoyable experience!

Some further pictures of the event - 

Left, the amazing venue for the afternoon, St Mary de Crypt Church.
Middle, Luck Pollock and some of the Age UK Gloucestershire Team.
Right, some of the delicious cakes from Churchdown Community Centre.