For almost 30 years I’ve had the privilege of talking to thousands of older people about what matters most in life. I’m Dr Lucy Pollock, an NHS doctor in Somerset, a geriatrician. Most of the people I look after are in their 80s and 90s, with a fair scattering of centenarians. 

I love my job because old people are interesting. They have complicated things wrong with them, so it’s a real challenge getting the art of medicine right. But one of the things I like the most is that a lot of my patients have attitude. They’re not afraid to tell me things or give me advice about how to live a healthy, happy life.  

Over the years, so many patients who are nearing the end of their life have told me they can finally see what’s important. I’ve included some of their advice in my new book, The Golden Rule: Lessons in living from a doctor of ageing. I’ve been told to “take each day as it comes” and “stop worrying”. I’ve also been told to go on holiday, to get to grips with new technology, and, more poignantly, “make peace with old enemies” and “try to be easy to help”. 

But one of the most common bits of advice I’ve heard is simply to help others. It’s one of the reasons I recently signed up for Our Future Health at my local clinic in Taunton. As a doctor, I want to help improve healthcare. As a geriatrician, I know that volunteering will do this. It can help everyone.

A gift to others and to yourself

Very often, older people tell me that the thing that makes them happiest is being part of their community. In hospital, I’ve noticed how patients often look out for other patients. I love it when patients start chatting with the person in the adjacent bed, when they’re kind to each other, offering support and a sympathetic ear.  

This desire to help other people is a strong thread of human personality, although one that’s often under-recognized. People give back because they want to help. I meet people who do their bit by working in a local charity shop, or by volunteering in hospitals to help patients navigate the corridors. They’ve often got to know the hospital during a difficult time there – perhaps their own or that of a loved one.  

In her book Breaking The Age Code, Dr Becca Levy says that older people often work or volunteer in order to make a meaningful contribution to society. They are engaging in legacy thinking, wanting to create a better world for future generations. That’s why I wasn’t surprised to hear that the top reason people give for volunteering at Our Future Health is altruism. When asked, 92% of volunteers say they decided to take part in the programme because they want to improve the health of future generations.  

That’s not to say that volunteering doesn’t do good for the person volunteering, too. I’ve seen how doing something for others – like volunteering for Our Future Health – makes a person feel better. It gives a sense of purpose, and of community. The other day, a woman was telling me so fondly and radiantly about a tea party that some neighbours had organised in her village. I suddenly realised it had taken place several months previously, but the memory was still doing her good. 

Often, older people really are up against it, with multiple medical problems. You can’t underestimate the difficulties that, for example, chronic pain can bring. And yet, we also know that for a lot of conditions, including chronic pain and low mood or anxiety, the best treatment is to go out in the world and do something. Professor Rose Anne Kenny, who’s run The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing since 2009, says in her book Age Proof that there’s “an abundance of evidence that volunteering and altruistic behaviour has beneficial effects on depression and on quality of life.”

Leaving a legacy to make you proud 

As a geriatrician, I can see that the legacy of volunteering for Our Future Health is a valuable one, for the person who’s volunteering but also for everyone. And that’s a big part of why I’m joining the programme. We know that many of the conditions that often make life tough for older people, such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke, can be prevented by changing behaviours or offering treatments earlier in life.  

I approach my job in the spirit of giving power to patients, such as understanding their medications, and giving them a choice about investigations, so that they can make the big decisions about their treatment. Our Future Health will empower patients with knowledge too –on a grand scale. The studies that will come out of the programme will help create a healthcare system where people can discover what’s personally most important for them to maintain their health from a younger age. This will help each individual to maintain their independence later in life and allow them to live well, as well as to live long.  

Our Future Health is also giving millions of people a voice in the future of healthcare. Each volunteer is taking a stake in the future, contributing as an individual to a wider purpose. You could think of it like a pot-luck community event, where everybody brings their special dish to share. One person brings her coleslaw and another person brings his chicken recipe. With Our Future Health, you’re bringing your blood donation and your permission for your medical information to be shared.  

When we contribute together, we all play our part – and we all benefit, too. 

Dr Lucy Pollock is author of two books on ageing well, The Golden Rule: Lessons in living from a doctor of ageing and The Book About Getting Older: The essential comforting guide to ageing with wise advice for the highs and lows.