ABSTRACT
We may all have some anxieties at various times but we may either give voice to them occasionally, or often, or hardly ever. There are difficulties inherent both in excessively frequent voicing, and in ‘bottling up’ these emotions, and the difficulties exist both for the older and for the younger persons. For a start, the elderly do not have a monopoly on fears and anxieties. The ‘management generation’ may have them aplenty, though theirs may be of a somewhat different character. Without, however, going into any specific problems or anxieties, there are two central questions. If we are in contact with older persons who tend to keep quiet about their fears, should we encourage them to voice these? If we are dealing with people who are given to talking about their fears and anxieties, is it better to tell them to ‘buck up’ and curb their outpourings, or is it better to provide a safety valve for their inner pressures, and to listen to them?
