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Later life has been neglected by psychoanalysis. However, this situation is changing and there is growing interest on both sides in how psychiatry and psychoanalysis relate to each other in relation to older people. This has been reflected in the recent contents of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, for example, Evans (2008, 2010), Malloy (2009), Davenhill et al. (2003) and Ardern et al. (1998). A flourishing group centred around London and the Tavistock Centre course on ‘Psychodynamic Approaches to Old Age’ have nurtured the interest of many. Interested readers have turned to Evans and Garner (2004), Quinodoz (2009) and the book published by the Tavistock group (Davenhill, 2007) for illumination.
Until recently there has been similarly little interaction between old age psychiatry and psychoanalysis in Scotland but this has been recognized and is changing. Therefore a group from the Scottish Institute of Human Relations started meeting regularly in 2008 to think about this topic. These discussions led to a study day entitled ‘Inside Story: Thinking about Human Relations in Older Age’ held on 23 April 2010 at the Gillis Centre in Edinburgh. Seventy-five people from across the UK, from the public, private and voluntary sectors, gathered together to think about how psychoanalysis could shed light on working with older people.
The day started with a conversation between a young psychiatrist (TR) and an older psychodynamic counsellor, Chris McGregor. A psychodynamic perspective was outlined to frame the rest of the day including Gabbard's (2005) call for bilingualism, integrating a biological and psychological approach. Next the possible medicalization of emotional distress in later life was discussed, and the consequent paucity of referrals of the over-65s to counselling and psychotherapy services, despite a willingness to see these patients. This was linked to ageism, societal pressures and the patient's and the clinician's expectations of what one should be able to cope wit