Patricia Gogay was born in 1942. Her working life included a nurse in training, laboratory technician and croupier. Finally, as a mature student, she studied for two years at college to qualify as a social worker and probation officer.
By her mid-thirties, Patricia had built her own houseboat, could change a fuse and was a happily confirmed spinster. Then she met Ken.
Working together, they built a 42-foot yacht and sailed it around the world for fifteen years. Shortly after returning to England, Ken suffered a catastrophic stroke. For the next fifteen years, Patricia cared for him at home as he made a prognosis-defying recovery. She could not have managed dependent care alone. It was made possible by the immaculate help and support they both received from his carers.
Almost every country in the so-called developed world is facing the paradox of ageing. Thanks to science, more effective medication and higher living standards, more and more of us are exceeding the “three score years and ten” theoretical limits of the past despite the physical and mental impai...
