Dr Sue Thompson has many years' experience as a nurse, social worker, care manager, practice teacher, distance learning tutor, researcher and writer of working in the field of eldercare. Throughout her career, her passion has been to promote eldercare practice which is driven by a desire on the part of those who support dependent older people to help them to live, as far as is possible, the life they want to be living. This passion inspired her PhD study on reciprocity in old age, where she explored whether a sense of 'usefulness' remains important to older people's self-esteem and spiritual well-being when they become significantly dependent on others, and whether this is recognised by those undertaking assessments of their care needs.