Dr Bill Thomas is a Harvard-trained physician who is on a radical crusade to change how we think about aging. The message that he wants to share with the world is simple: Growing older can be a good thing. His mission is to change prevailing attitudes about aging, and encourage people to think of “post-adulthood” as a time of enrichment. He believes that our society has brainwashed us to believe that aging is something to be feared. This is so pervasive that it has become a self-fulfilling prophecy leading to isolation, loneliness and lack of autonomy.

When Dr Thomas first became the medical director of a nursing home in New York, he found the place to be “a depressing repository for old people whose minds and bodies seemed dull and dispirited.” He decided to transform it by changing the environment. He brought in numerous animals including dogs, cats, rabbits and 100 parakeets. He also added hundreds of plants in gardens that grew both flowers and fresh vegetables. Another great innovation was adding a day-care centre for the staff’s children. Not only did this make the staff happier, but it also gave the residents a chance to interact with the children.