Transcript

INTERVIEWER

The first time I was looking at was Woodland House in Torquay. It is a dimension nursing home for 24 residents. It's privately owned, funded mostly by the local authority. It's typical of the kind of home perhaps, half of us will end up in.

Are you interested in the birds?

MAN

There's some there.

INTERVIEWER

Oh, yeah.

CAREGIVER

Doris, head this way, my love.

INTERVIEWER

When I got to Woodlands, the residents had just had breakfast. And what struck me straight away was that people were just sitting there and not doing anything.

Are you all right? What's your name?

This lady is very troubled. That's better.

Were you a soldier?

LES

No.

INTERVIEWER

What were you?

LES

I might have flew a Spitfire.

INTERVIEWER

Did you?

LES

Yeah. And shot six down.

INTERVIEWER

Did you?

LES

I did. You see, I was very proud of it.

INTERVIEWER

Was that frightening, being a part of a Spitfire?

LES

No. It was exhilarating.

INTERVIEWER

Was it?

LES

Yes.

INTERVIEWER

So the home had one of our country's Spitfire heroes amongst them. And although Les's life is now spent in the corner of this lounge, he still remembered his extraordinary past.

And alongside Les were doctors, caterers, company directors-- all sorts of people with interesting pasts. But it felt as though nothing that had happened in their lives mattered anymore. Here they were like broken vessels sitting in this room with absolutely nothing to do.

Thelma, What did you do when you were younger? What was your job?

THELMA

I can't tell you.

INTERVIEWER

No?

THELMA

No, I can't.

INTERVIEWER

Can you remember what you used to do at all when you were a young girl? Do you remember?

THELMA

Yeah. I can remember all right.

INTERVIEWER

What did you do?

THELMA

Oh dear. I don't tell lies. I didn't tell lies.

INTERVIEWER

No.

I've just been talking to Thelma, who obviously I'm not getting very much from.

Are you wanting through here? There we go.

Do you-- do you ever-- do you have a sense of her personal history at all?

CAREGIVER

No, I don't. I know she used to-- actually, her husband told me she used to cook. But that's all I know really about Thelma.

INTERVIEWER

Do you know has there ever been a time where you thought if I knew a a little bit more it would be helpful or does that not seem--

CAREGIVER

I suppose everything-- every aspect like-- well, yes, I suppose it would be. I suppose the more you know, the better really.