About this site
Information about this website and its author
I'm Jerry Livings, a fully qualified counsellor in the UK.
My experience is in supporting adults through a wide range of life challenges, including bereavement, loneliness, anxiety, retirement and major life transitions.
As an older person myself, I understand how those changes can affect confidence, connection and peace of mind.
Although this website is not a counselling service, my experience informs my style of writing: simple, respectful, practical and compassionate.
My aim is to make useful information easier to access, especially for older people who prefer straightforward written guidance.
Experience
I've worked with Ellenor Hospice, Shaw Trust and MIND, supporting people through loss, adjustment and emotional wellbeing.
At MIND in Maidstone, I worked with the team providing a low-cost counselling service to adults in the community.
At Ellenor Hospice in Gravesend, I provided bereavement counselling to terminally ill patients and their adult relatives.
At Shaw Trust, I provided counselling support to people enrolled in employability programmes.
As a self-employed counsellor, I've been in practice since 2018, working with adult clients from a range of backgrounds, ages and cultures.
Now semi-retired, I founded Older People in 2025 and continue to improve this website.
Qualifications
Level 5 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling Practice - AIM Awards 2020
Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling - AIM Awards 2019
Level 4 Diploma in Counselling Skills & Theory - AIM Awards 2018
Accreditation
Accredited Member, National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (MNCPS)
Registered Member, British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP)
OlderPeople.co.uk is written for older people and those who support them. Some visitors may arrive after searching for terms such as “elderly people”, “pensioners” or “old people”. I generally use the terms older people, older adults and people in later life because they are more respectful and better reflect the language used throughout the site. Whatever terminology brings someone here, the aim is the same: to provide clear, practical emotional wellbeing information for later life.