The humorous television series on BBC, Waiting for God, is about the relationship between two residents of the Bayview Retirement Home, Diana and Tom. They depict the life changes and adjustments faced by many older adults who can no longer live independently. They cannot live with family and the retirement home is the only option at this stage of their lives. Tom escapes reality by retreating into movie fantasies. Diana is a well educated, strong willed, cynical feminist who spent her life traveling the world as a reporter. She appears to be depressed at times, does not hesitate to speak her mind, and enjoys unsettling other people with her thoughts and behaviors. The staff and family members of the residents depict some of the commonly held stereotypes that younger people often expect to see in older adults. Diana and Tom delight in shocking, educating, and embarrassing these younger people whenever possible.

These characters use humor and exaggeration as ways of coping with some very serious issues experienced in later life, such as depression resulting from major life changes. Laughter can be healing and used as an effective treatment. I see using this series to help older clients understand and normalize their feelings and fears. I would recommend this series to counseling students or anyone who would like to better understand the life transitions faced by older adults. It might also help younger adults understand the offensiveness of some of the unconscious attitudes and behaviors sometimes exhibited toward older adults.