Utilising the knowledge of old people.
Discussion
Watching the news about (possible) interest rate rises, the sky news reporter was in what looked like an old folks home trying to worry retired people about the rate decision.
The old folks were very switched on and answered eloquently questions posed to them. I noted though that they were making Lego and doing some other rubbish craftwork.
My wife used to visit some (posh) old folks homes in a previous job and said she often met ex CEOs and other interesting and highly qualified people. A wealth of experience sitting around painting and maybe visiting garden canters.
I know that cultures that value their old much more and find useful roles in society like in Japan and Guam in particular have much healthier old people and longer life expectancy. Should we be doing more to harness this wealth of knowledge and know how?
Could there be schemes where you could submit business proposals to retirement homes for their perusal or for students to get help with their essays or course work. Perhaps some kind of skills apprenticeships involving engineering etc? They could be passing on all kinds of fantastic experience knowledge and at the same time keeping them feeling useful and connected to society.
Seems a bit of a sad waste that they’re aparently not up to much when many are probably still quite sharp?
The old folks were very switched on and answered eloquently questions posed to them. I noted though that they were making Lego and doing some other rubbish craftwork.
My wife used to visit some (posh) old folks homes in a previous job and said she often met ex CEOs and other interesting and highly qualified people. A wealth of experience sitting around painting and maybe visiting garden canters.
I know that cultures that value their old much more and find useful roles in society like in Japan and Guam in particular have much healthier old people and longer life expectancy. Should we be doing more to harness this wealth of knowledge and know how?
Could there be schemes where you could submit business proposals to retirement homes for their perusal or for students to get help with their essays or course work. Perhaps some kind of skills apprenticeships involving engineering etc? They could be passing on all kinds of fantastic experience knowledge and at the same time keeping them feeling useful and connected to society.
Seems a bit of a sad waste that they’re aparently not up to much when many are probably still quite sharp?
Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 2nd November 11:34
Setting aside any medical issues, there's no reason to suppose an intelligent young person wouldn't become an intelligent old person, & therefore be more than able to contribute to society at any age. An awful lot do already, & will continue to do so.
Bear in mind, though, that the same applies to stupid young people becoming stupid old people...
Bear in mind, though, that the same applies to stupid young people becoming stupid old people...
MarkwG said:
Setting aside any medical issues, there's no reason to suppose an intelligent young person wouldn't become an intelligent old person, & therefore be more than able to contribute to society at any age. An awful lot do already, & will continue to do so.
Bear in mind, though, that the same applies to stupid young people becoming stupid old people...
You could have interested and capable old people (in homes maybe) forming groups who want to do it. Kind of like an old folks think tank. Maybe retired maths teachers helping with tuition or ex business leaders advising young hopefuls on business matters. There has to be all kinds of knowledge in these places. Bear in mind, though, that the same applies to stupid young people becoming stupid old people...
The Moose said:
I have thought for a long time now that it’s a bit sad all the stories that get lost when people die.
Both my grandfathers lead fascinating lives for different reasons and yet when they both died, so much was lost.
We won't be passing on "war stories" like my grandparents were able to do to me and my siblings etc, as they all lived through it. But my parents were born in the 50s, so my own children won't have the same passed on to themBoth my grandfathers lead fascinating lives for different reasons and yet when they both died, so much was lost.
It’s going depend greatly on subject matter - leading tech experts now will likely be irrelevant in terms of tech detail when they are at the point of being in a home environment.
Whereas banking, finance, startup, health (to some degree) will remain static - relatively speaking
There’s definitely an infinite amount more that could be done to keep people’s minds active and still contribute
Whereas banking, finance, startup, health (to some degree) will remain static - relatively speaking
There’s definitely an infinite amount more that could be done to keep people’s minds active and still contribute
I can think of one organisation where they have an exit plan for retirees.
Their knowledge is so specialist and unlikely to be recalled electronically that for the 3 months the before they go, they sit them down and have videoed conversations with them about specific projects and technologies, currently obsoleted that may be useful in future.
My company's part in the process was to index the videos, as the engineers looking for a nugget would be presented with a stack of 3 hour tapes to take home and watch sequentially looking for the nugget. Our tech digitised the video, indexed the speech and provided a contextual search of the digitised tape which would take you straight to the time point where the subject was discussed.
I also saw another example at my local garage. I was asked if I knew anyone who could help with advice on a conversion from Lucas driver-set 2 brush dynamo dashboard regulator wiring set up to a more modern automated 3 brush dynamo charging circuit - a bit before my time. My dad has masses of experience here, and although retired for some time could draw out the wiring diagram for this and many other old cars from his head. So I just gave him a bell, passed the phone over where he explained everything and the car was working inside 30 minutes...
Old knowledge can sometimes be sorely missed.
Their knowledge is so specialist and unlikely to be recalled electronically that for the 3 months the before they go, they sit them down and have videoed conversations with them about specific projects and technologies, currently obsoleted that may be useful in future.
My company's part in the process was to index the videos, as the engineers looking for a nugget would be presented with a stack of 3 hour tapes to take home and watch sequentially looking for the nugget. Our tech digitised the video, indexed the speech and provided a contextual search of the digitised tape which would take you straight to the time point where the subject was discussed.
I also saw another example at my local garage. I was asked if I knew anyone who could help with advice on a conversion from Lucas driver-set 2 brush dynamo dashboard regulator wiring set up to a more modern automated 3 brush dynamo charging circuit - a bit before my time. My dad has masses of experience here, and although retired for some time could draw out the wiring diagram for this and many other old cars from his head. So I just gave him a bell, passed the phone over where he explained everything and the car was working inside 30 minutes...
Old knowledge can sometimes be sorely missed.
El stovey said:
Seems a bit of a sad waste that they’re aparently not up to much when many are probably still quite sharp?
Equally, many may not want or need to do any more 'work'.(In principle I agree, but you're missing the willingness part of the equation - some old people would love the 'challenge' of being involved again, others probably couldn't care less post-retirement...)
As a more general point though, yes - in this country you're often deemed to be past-it, work-wise, before you hit 60 (and in some professions well before that). Which is nonsense, and is probably more linked to ability/willingness to work silly hours, which is only ever going to be a young person's game...
MarkwG said:
Setting aside any medical issues, there's no reason to suppose an intelligent young person wouldn't become an intelligent old person, & therefore be more than able to contribute to society at any age. An awful lot do already, & will continue to do so.
Bear in mind, though, that the same applies to stupid young people becoming stupid old people...
True, and they more than outnumber the bright ones at any age. Sorting the wheat from the chaff is the problem. Bear in mind, though, that the same applies to stupid young people becoming stupid old people...
I agree entirely.
Reminded me of this:
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and...
Brilliant idea for the interaction it facilitates, not just the accommodation solution.
Reminded me of this:
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and...
Brilliant idea for the interaction it facilitates, not just the accommodation solution.
Shakermaker said:
The Moose said:
I have thought for a long time now that it’s a bit sad all the stories that get lost when people die.
Both my grandfathers lead fascinating lives for different reasons and yet when they both died, so much was lost.
We won't be passing on "war stories" like my grandparents were able to do to me and my siblings etc, as they all lived through it. But my parents were born in the 50s, so my own children won't have the same passed on to themBoth my grandfathers lead fascinating lives for different reasons and yet when they both died, so much was lost.
motco said:
True, and they more than outnumber the bright ones at any age. Sorting the wheat from the chaff is the problem.
I have a standing joke with my folks whenever something gets passed them; if they suggest it's their age, I reply with something along the lines of, "no, you've always done that" or "no, it's because you're stupid!" 
TartanPaint said:
I agree entirely.
Reminded me of this:
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and...
Brilliant idea for the interaction it facilitates, not just the accommodation solution.
Yes I saw that at the time and also thought it was a great idea. Reminded me of this:
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and...
Brilliant idea for the interaction it facilitates, not just the accommodation solution.
My sister works during the evenings in a high end local sheltered accommodation place, one of the ladies she "looks after" has family who have emigrated and so don't come to see her...
She's bright as a button though slowly sinking into alzheimers and spent most of her life as an exploratory research chemist, she holds various patents and by all counts was an incredibly intelligent lady... sad to think of the knowledge and experiences that will be lost when she passes on.
We really do undervalue our elders in this country, it's such a shame
She's bright as a button though slowly sinking into alzheimers and spent most of her life as an exploratory research chemist, she holds various patents and by all counts was an incredibly intelligent lady... sad to think of the knowledge and experiences that will be lost when she passes on.
We really do undervalue our elders in this country, it's such a shame
Back in the days when this country actually used to make things for a living, we had these things called apprenticeships.
Not only were work skills passed on, but the youngsters used to learn that older folks were actually people just like them, and had been there and done that long before.
A sad aspect of modern society is the ignorance and contempt many young people hold towards old people, with whom they have never actually had any contact.
Incidentally, I have written an illustrated family history for the benefit of my children and grandchildren. There are too many good stories to let die. When you grow up unable to place your life even in the context of a single generation before you, then you will find it hard to respect the rest of the world.
Not only were work skills passed on, but the youngsters used to learn that older folks were actually people just like them, and had been there and done that long before.
A sad aspect of modern society is the ignorance and contempt many young people hold towards old people, with whom they have never actually had any contact.
Incidentally, I have written an illustrated family history for the benefit of my children and grandchildren. There are too many good stories to let die. When you grow up unable to place your life even in the context of a single generation before you, then you will find it hard to respect the rest of the world.
My father who died this year aged 93, had an elderly friend in the 1970's who was the son of elderly parents who also had had elder parents.
He rembered his grandfather telling him as a small boy of his childhood, in the depths of winter, when people banged on their door in the middle of the night.
They daren't open it, but in the morning removed the dead bodies.
Napoleon's retreat from Moscow 1812
He rembered his grandfather telling him as a small boy of his childhood, in the depths of winter, when people banged on their door in the middle of the night.
They daren't open it, but in the morning removed the dead bodies.
Napoleon's retreat from Moscow 1812
A 90+ year old friend of my mum (who is herself 88 and still capable of running a small country, albeit it would have to be a benign dictatorship) is a retired Physics professor. I believe he ran the Physics dept at Kent University. Last time I saw him he was physically struggling a bit, but was sharp as a pin and still knew more maths, physics and astronomy than I will ever have a chance of knowing.
On the other hand, a now deceased friend of hers was the most stupid, rude and bovine woman I've ever met of any age. And was married to a former letters editor of the Times. I have no idea what they ever talked about.
On the other hand, a now deceased friend of hers was the most stupid, rude and bovine woman I've ever met of any age. And was married to a former letters editor of the Times. I have no idea what they ever talked about.
Roofless Toothless said:
Back in the days when this country actually used to make things for a living, we had these things called apprenticeships.
There still are apprenticeships, in many trades, and taught all over the country; they've never gone away. Those that I'm aware of locally (from barbering to car restoration) are taught by time served experts, keen to share their knowledge and experience.Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff