title: Ageism in care.
abstract: I'm often struck, but no longer surprised, at the number of older people whose lives were defined by the events of 60 years ago during the Second World War. So often, following an unsuccessful resuscitation, a grieving wife would comment that her husband had fought in the war. Like many of that generation, including my own father, they speak about what happened matter of factly rather than vainly, yet quite literally without their sacrifices we almost certainly would not have the freedoms we take for granted.