Hardly any of us looks forward to old age. But maybe we`re viewing this stage of life from the wrong angle. Veronika Hovorková, Head of Health Care at Sue Ryder nursing home, certainly doesn`t think that a care home is the end of the line for a person. We say that seniors don`t come here to die or merely to live out their days. They come here to live the rest of their lives. And that completely changes the way you see things, says Veronika.

Katka’s grandmother Lidka lived at home until the age of 102. With the support of her family, Sue Ryder’s personal assistance, and other services, she managed well. But in the end, old age brought her into the health-care system — and her final days, as well as the farewell after her death, took place under shocking conditions. Her story calls for profound changes in the way we care for the oldest among us.

Psychologist Lucie Simonová, who works with Sue Ryder, reflects on forming relationships in senior years, emphasising the importance of connection, sharing, and even a warm embrace at the age of eighty. As part of a multidisciplinary team, her mission is to ensure that clients experience the final stage of life with dignity, fulfilment, and purpose. She also considers it her responsibility to challenge stereotypes about ageing, dying, and death.