Mary Contini column: The start of a ‘maturing society’

Our monarch, having experienced a century’s history first-hand, had invaluable experience.

Throughout dramatic and shocking life experiences, she always remained stoic and steadfast, steering us to have confidence in our abilities to survive and to prosper.

She worked till the end, ‘died in her boots’, never pushed to retire, step back from her duties or service to Crown and country. In her final actions, she has changed, irreversibly, our understanding of ageing.

As a newbie ‘old-age pensioner’, I am struck with the different attitude we have had as a nation to Her Majesty as she aged compared to the rest of the population. She has remained in post, true to her role, three decades more past the time when our older people in society are set aside, encouraged to retire and be airbrushed quietly out of the workplace.

We spend a lifetime planning and saving to stop working, only to find those pensions and savings, contributed from taxed income, are further taxed!

We have accumulated experience and wisdom but gaining suitable employment in later life is often denied to us. Try getting an interview for a skilled job if you are over 59!

Our society’s current attitude to ageing is of providing a minimal stipend with barriers subtly put in place to sideline and even impoverish those whose lives are still valuable and useful.

Working from home, flexi working and advisory positions are opportunities that should be available to those who want to contribute with a more targeted use of their time. Many wouldn’t choose to return to an operational role but do have skills, experience and wisdom, saving expensive errors being repeated.

The Queen’s working till the last illuminates a talented, experienced workforce lying dormant. Given the impressive start to our new King’s rein, leading by example, the second Caroline era could be the start of a maturing, not ageing, society.