title: From rhetoric to reality.
abstract: A consultation exercise on the future of services for older people which I undertook recently for a local authority social services committee, revealed - predictably - a wide diversity of opinions. But there were deep variations, too, in the abilities of the stakeholders we were consulting to put across their points of view, and I saw it as an important part of my role to try to compensate for these differences when listening to people who clearly had difficulties in communication. Carers and relatives, groups who often go unheard, were, in this situation, both articulate and in most cases well-organised. I had only to advertise my availability for their point of view to be expressed powerfully, by individuals and groups, orally and in writing, some of it moderately expressed, some of it put across with passion, even anger.
authors.affiliation: Specialising on older people's issues.
authors.forename: Jef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smith