Over 65 and feeling fine

And while the proportion of people aged over 75 and 85 is a lot smaller, at 7.1 per cent and 1.7 per cent respectively, these percentages are rising at an even higher rate.

As people get older, physical activity is one of the most important things they can do to stay healthy in mind and body, according to the experts.

Some of the older generation in Worcestershire and Herefordshire would appear to have grasped this notion with a vengeance, engaging in everything from weight training to abseiling, yoga to line dancing.

Lesley Rowberry, manager of Nicola's Gym in Henwick Road, Worcester, said around one third of the members at the ladies-only venue were over 60.

"We have ladies in their 80s attending the gym who want to keep fit and healthy and active.

"Some participate in classes, others prefer the toning tables which are particularly good for people with Parkinson's, MS or arthritis as there's no stress and strain on the joints," she said.

The social side is also important, with older members enjoying a coffee and chat together in the relaxation area afterwards.

One on One Fitness in the city's St John's area also enjoys the patronage of a lot of men and women in their 60s and 70s.

"With the ageing process, you get atrophy, which is muscle wastage, and posture starts to get worse," said manager Phil Sutton.

"Bone density also decreases and the metabolic rate slows."

He said all of this could be combated with weight training.

"The use of weight training can help maintain bone density and it can make joints stronger and improve their mobility. It makes muscles stronger and more flexible and helps to improve posture."

Mr Sutton said his older clients also liked to use the cardiovascular equipment to try and maintain stamina, improve circulation and make their heart stronger.

One 71-year-old client who asked not to be named - "not all my friends know I do this" - said she felt the effects immediately when she started training three years ago.

"I feel much better for it," she said. "I still get tired but I don't need to take medicine for my blood pressure any more, as long as I'm doing the exercises."

The keen reader and crossword fan said she did a one hour 10 minute session two to three times a week using the treadmill, the bike, the rowing machine and weights.

She said she always slept better after a session and that she felt more mentally alert and had better muscle tone since she started exercising.

"You just feel better about yourself.

"I feel more confident."

CONFIDENCE is very important, especially to older people who perhaps feel that certain activities are beyond their capabilities.

Derek Coxall, who teaches "mature" people canoeing, kayaking, sailing and sail boarding, thinks confidence is the most significant benefit experienced by those undertaking the watersports at Worcestershire Outdoor Education Centre at Upton Warren, near Bromsgrove.

"A lot of people our age look at these things and they've never done them, but then they have a crack at them and they get a lot of satisfaction," said Mr Coxall, who is 68 and quite often finds himself teaching people in their 70s on the Worcester College of Technology Adult Education Course.

"When they have a successful day it gives them confidence to try other things. Quite often they're inspired to start a new hobby. It's gives them a new interest and shows them they have the ability to do things."

One person who would wholeheartedly agree is 85-year-old George Morey from Yates Court in Evesham.

Mr Morey has attended three outdoor pursuit holidays, organised by the ExtraCare Charitable Trust which runs Yates Court, taking part in canoeing, abseiling, horse riding, and riding the zip wire.

"I took part in all the activities and it was great fun watching fellow ExtraCare residents from other homes taking part," he said.

Manager of Yates Court, Vicky Byrd, said ExtraCare's philosophy was to keep the elderly as active as they want to be for as long as they want to be.

"The main point about the outdoor pursuit holidays is that age need not be a barrier to having an active life," she said.

"We've even had people in wheelchairs doing abseiling."

OF course, exercise does not have to be that strenuous and there are plenty of places to go for something a little less arduous.

David Randle, who runs the Age Concern Ageing Well project, said exercise did not need to be "all grunting and groaning".

"We train our activity leaders to provide exercise in very many different forms," he said.

"It could be walking, swimming or cycling - the key is for people to do whatever they feel comfortable doing. We've one group who do 10 minutes of exercise and then sit down and chat for a while before doing another 10 minutes."

Mr Randle said the Ageing Well project was all about helping older people to lead an active later life.

"Each activity leader identifies a local need and organises his or her exercise sessions around that. It could be in sheltered housing, in a private nursing home or some volunteers are setting up fitness classes for the general public."

A less strenuous, although still challenging, form of exercise with great benefits for older people is yoga.

Patricia Davidge, who is "in her 60s" has been doing yoga for three years with the Association for the Retired and Persons Over 50.

"Yoga's more than just external, with a lot of the movements designed to improve internal organs like the heart and lungs," she said.

"We do a lot of breathing exercises and movements to improve posture. It also keeps your joints flexible and tightens the muscles in the bowel and bladder area."

"You're encouraged to go at your own pace and our teacher is very good at designing the lessons to cater to people's particular weak spots."

Of course, if rhythm is your thing, exercise can also take the form of dancing.

Gillian Westcott, 63, has been doing line dancing at the St Swithun's Institute in The Trinity for four years.

"Our class is practically entirely retired ladies," she said. "Some of the girls are quite old - they're marvellous, quite lively - but they take it more gently."

Mrs Westcott said line dancing toned her muscles and gave her increased mental clarity.

"It's great fun. The music's really good - we have Latin American, waltzes and poppy stuff - it's not all Country and Western."

Keeping up with hi-tech

THE fear of being left behind in the age of technology can be the turning point in encouraging older people's interest in becoming computer literate. One pensioner who has taken advantage of the growing number of computer courses is Gillian Westcott. At the end of July, the 63-year-old, who lives at Bevere, near Worcester, enrolled on a course with LearnDirect, a learning centre in the city's St Nicholas Street. The internet training course is free and enables her to learn at times that are convenient to her. "I'm finding it very interesting but a bit technical," said Mrs Westcott. "I enrolled because I thought I was being left behind in this day and age." She said that she was now considering buying herself a computer so she could use it at home. "I've got a son and daughter in Trinidad and now I can e-mail them, it's a lot cheaper than a phone call. "The course has also taught me to be more confident, even though it's like learning a foreign language." Fred Stone, who is 70, started a word-processing course at the turn of the millennium. Now, the record collector, of Littleworth, near Norton, is thinking of learning about the internet. "I decided to buy a computer and I needed to know how to use it," he said. "I started with word-processing and I've been writing letters with it, but I want to be able to use the internet. Worcester College of Technology's Adult Education Unit has noticed the increase in popularity of people interested in becoming switched on to computers. In the past eight years the number of courses has risen from a handful to more than 30. "We get many people over the age of 60 who are interested in updating their computer skills," said Natalie Bowghtflower, acting head of the unit. "They don't want to be left behind. It can be advantageous in keeping contact with friends and family across the world." Anyone interested in finding out more can call the Adult Education Unit on 01905 762002.

New sites for the benefit of 'silver surfers' KEEPING in touch with family overseas and finding a local gym are just two of the things that can be done on the internet. Two leading charities are today launching websites especially for "silver surfers" who are fast becoming the new internet generation. Age Concern and Help The Aged have recognised the increasing numbers of people in their retirement years becoming technologically aware and have developed sites that will help people live in their Third Age. Both www.achw.org.uk and HelpTheAged.org.uk have been developed to cater for the needs of the older population and provide them, their relatives and carers, with information on all aspects relating the older person. "This is part of a new project to get older people online," said Helen Garnett of the Herefordshire and Worcestershire branch of Age Concern. "It's encouraging when you get members being so keen to learn." The new Age Concern site features sections on gardening and DIY help, day trips and holidays and other information and advice. "It's unlike any other site as it is totally local, everything is focussed with the two counties." Worcester MP Mike Foster officially launched the Age Concern site at the centre in The Trinity this morning. There are currently more than one million regular internet users over the age of 55 in the United Kingdom. As well as private users hundreds of day centres are also connecting up to provide thousands of low-income pensioners with ready access to internet sites.

Steps can be taken to beat the criminals

LAST February the Evening News reported how a brave 79-year-old from Worcester had smashed a burglar in the face with his walking stick as he made off with his £1,500 life savings. The pensioner, who asked not to be named, confronted two intruders at his Diglis Lane home. They made off with his late wife's jewellery, but fled after the pensioner lashed out. In this case it was probably instinct which took over, but there are many ways of avoiding crime and, if it happens, there are many sources of help. Bogus salesmen or repair men can be a problem particularly for the elderly and the Home Office is keen to stress how to avoid a crime occurring in this situation. "Always be on your guard as crooks come in many disguises," a Government spokes-man said. "Bogus officials may be smartly dressed and claim to be from the council, Gas Board, or the health authority, when they really want to get in to see what they can steal. "Bogus workmen may say they need to come in and check something or make urgent repairs. "But genuine callers will normally make an appointment first and carry identification with their photograph on." Steve Birch, of Worcestershire County Council Trading Standards Service, said elderly people could feel pressurised to agree to things they did not want or need. "They could be selling anything from dodgy tiles to bits of spare tarmac," he said. "They can ask for money in advance and either do a poor job or simply disappear. "If you feel as though you have been pushed we are happy to receive calls on our Consumer Advice Line on 01905 765373." Angela Webber, from Worcester and District Age Concern, said the organisation was also trying to get the message across about unwanted callers. "Elderly people must be aware of window locks, security devices and using passwords, which can be arranged with organisations," she said. "Because they might not always be able to rely on their memories, we advise putting a card by the door reminding the person of procedures to go through before opening the door. "We also have a handy-man service to ensure legitimate practice which people can join by calling our Worcester Office." 6 Anyone interested in learning more about computer courses featured in yesterday's Third Age feature should call the Adult Education Unit on 01905 726002.

Don't be afraid to shut the door PENSIONERS in Droitwich were warned this week after burglars posing as servicemen stole cash from an elderly man's home. He was distracted at his house in The Dale, Chawson, by a man offering gardening services. The pensioner chatted in his garden and a few hours later discovered a "substantial" amount of cash was missing from his home. Pensioners can help themselves by following these simple guidelines when someone calls at the door: 6 Check the caller's identity through a spyhole or front window. 6 Always put the chain on - they are a good idea and don't cost much. 6 Look at the caller's clothing - check for a uniform or organisation's name or symbol. 6 Ask to see their identity card and check it - close the door while you do this. 6 Some services operate a password system - contact your local branch for details. 6 If you are still not sure ask them to come back later and check their story with the organisation they claim to represent. 6 Bogus callers sometimes work in pairs - beware of being distracted while the other steals your property. 6 Watch out for anyone who says they are in a hurry - if in doubt call a neighbour or friend. 6 If you have any suspicions at all, don't let them in. If you are still not happy dial 999.

Edith's chilling tale will strike a chord

THIS week the chilling story of how Stockport pensioner Edith Chapman fell victim to an attempted robbery will have struck a chord with many. The 87-year-old's heavily-battered face serves as a reminder of the vulnerability of the elderly and will surely only reinforce their fear of crime. Mrs Chapman was blinded and almost killed by a man who broke into her home, but fled without taking a penny. She was left with multiple fractures and had two of her fingers almost severed as she confronted the intruder at the top of her stairs. Surprisingly, elderly people are not as vulnerable as such stories suggest - statistically people over 60 suffer less at the hands of criminals. But for many getting older goes hand in hand with a heightened sense of vulnerability. Fiona Harrison, of Worcester police, said research in the division - which includes Worcester, Malvern, Droitwich, Evesham, Pershore and Upton-upon-Severn - shows that the elderly make up just 14.1 per cent of all crime victims. "Elderly people tend to have a perceived personal vulnerability," said Mrs Harrison. "But they are statistically at least risk." Mrs Harrison said violent crimes were feared most by society, but the elderly made up just 3.36 per cent of such victims. When it comes to burglary of homes, the elderly feature more in the statistics with 25.9 per cent becoming victims. "Generally this is because their property presents an opportunity, rather than burglars preying on the elderly," said Mrs Harrison. "This is usually due to a lack of security." But becoming slower and less aware can lead to a fear of being burgled, mugged or attacked. Combine this with an "alien" 21st Century youth culture and the elderly may well become over suspicious. But Angela Webber, of Worcester and District Age Concern, said some older people had gained confidence thanks to a host of organisations set up especially for them. Mrs Webber believes a lot depends on life experiences but older people who live alone feel especially intimidated. "If you are unable to get out much or are widowed and alone, you will feel more scared," she said. "But I think people over 60 are more confident than 10 years ago due to the surge in clubs and societies."

Uphill struggle coping with change

ONE organisation that is working very hard to redress the issues of isolation and estrangement among elderly ethnic people is Age Concern Herefordshire and Worcestershire, which has recently launched the Ethnic Minority Elders' Project. Project development officer Tahira Kosar said ethnic minority elders were a "minority within a minority". "Older people from ethnic minorities face double discrimination on account of their age and their race," she said. "A lot of the older ethnic people grew up with very different attitudes to old age than the ones they see now. The younger generation may have different attitudes and lifestyles to their parents and the older generation find it hard to cope with the erosion of values and belief system they hold so dear." Ms Kosar said marginalisation among ethnic elders was a continuing problem. "Many ethnic minority elders get caught in a trap, where they cannot access services and so have to rely on their own family and community, but this in turn isolates them further from mainstream society. "Historically there has been a low take-up of social services by ethnic minority elders. Research has shown that this is not due to lack of need, but a lack of culturally sensitive and appropriate services and the lack of information in the relevant languages." In an attempt to counter these problems, Ms Kosar's job is to research the needs of ethnic minority elders and then provide relevant services and activities. "For example, one small step would be to provide day centres which have interpreters, and which provide appropriate food and culturally specific activities," she said. "It is especially hard for the women to socialise as they are less likely to go out to work, but appropriate recreational facilities are few and far between." In order to try and pinpoint the needs of elderly ethnic people, the Ethnic Minority Elders Project employs Nazrul Haque, who works directly with customer inquiries in his role as Information and Advice Officer. "The main problem is the language - they can't explain what their needs are," said Mr Haque, who speaks Bengali. "There is also a lack of knowledge about the existing services that could help them. What we do is find out what their needs are and advise them as to the appropriate course of action." Mr Haque said the Age Concern Ethnic Minority Elders Project had very strong links with benefit agencies and housing departments, as well as with the Worcester Racial Equality Council and Ethnic Access Link. To find out more about the Age Concern Ethnic Minority Elders Project call 01905 726652 or to speak to Ethnic Access call 01905 25121.

Inability to speak English a major problem

OT being able to speak English is one of the major disadvantages faced by ethnic minority elders living in England. Many have arrived in this country as mature adults and, whereas younger family members are able to learn English at school and through discourse with their peers, it is much more difficult for older people, who might only socialise with other ethnic people. Ethnic Access Link is a Worcester-based scheme providing an interpreting advisory service for people who do not have English as a first language. Most importantly, it provides ethnic people with access to services. "The idea of Ethnic Access is to provide people with access to services which might otherwise be denied them," said Gail Grinnell, director of Ethnic Access Link. Mrs Grinnell said that understanding the systems, such as the benefits system and the health system, was difficult for people who did not speak the language. "We take for granted a lot of the services on offer but it's difficult for ethnic people to know how they work. "It's about helping them find their way around the organisational systems." Mrs Grinnell said that a lot of services were not "culturally sensitive". "At some day centres, for example, elderly people are offered massages but this could be quite inappropriate for people from certain ethnic backgrounds. "Also, there is a fine line between being sensitive, caring and thoughtful, and being patronising, but it's difficult for people to know." Mrs Grinnell said the answer lay in education. "Further education of organisations and staff is needed so they become aware of what's needed. "A lot of statutory organisations, such as the police, have done a lot of work in this area."

AS people grow older they are faced with new and challenging issues. Lack of mobility can lead to increased isolation and dependency on others. Decreased economic resources can lead to a heightened need for social services and benefit agencies. All of these problems are magnified for elderly people who come from ethnic backgrounds. An inability to speak the language and a lack of knowledge regarding the services and agencies available to help them, mean feelings of isolation, loneliness and helplessness are exacerbated for ethnic minority elders. Community development officer with the Worcestershire Racial Equality Council, Zahoor Ahmad, said the major issue was being able to access services. "It's difficult no matter what race you are but if you're from an ethnic minority there are added barriers," said Mr Ahmad. "The smallest thing, like going to a doctor's appointment, can become a big issue when you don't speak the language. But they may not feel comfortable taking their son or daughter with them." Mr Ahmad said a lot of ethnic minority elders lived with their families but when the younger ones went off to work and school, they were left alone at home. "What we need are day centres, where they can go and chat with others and get involved in communal activities," said Mr Ahmad. Councillor Nurul Haque, of St Nicholas Ward, agrees. "We need day centres that are sympathetic to the needs of ethnic minority elders, where different languages are catered for and where prayer facilities and halal food are provided," said Mr Haque. Mr Haque said the language barrier was a problem but it was also a lack of education about the services available and how to use them. "It's about building their confidence enough to use the facilities available and also teaching them how to use them." Religious beliefs can set ethnic people apart. Within their own community, however, worship is an opportunity to mix and socialise with one another. At the Al-Madina Islamic Centre in the Aboretum, Worcester, members meet for prayer up to five times a day, seven days a week. "It's an opportunity to socialise and chat with each other, as well as for prayer," said Mr Haque.

COMPANIONSHIP, friendship, understanding - these are the words which seem to be the key to love that little bit later in life. An increasing phenomenon, many late marriages have sprung up from the surge in social clubs and societies which now cater for the elderly. On the other hand there are couples like 78-year-old Bert and 73-year-old Vera Hancox, of Lowesmoor, Worcester, who have known each other for years and were friends with each other's first husband and wife. "I went to Sunday School with Vera's husband Joe," explained Bert. "And he was the first person I saw aboard ship as an able seamen in 1944." When they came back, Bert married Doris, Vera married Joe, and the four honoured their vow "till death do us part". Doris died after battling with cancer for 21 years. Bert became very depressed and found comfort in Vera's company. "I used to take her to ship reunions and we would go for walks, which became more and more frequent," he said. "One of our first dates was to the pictures with tickets I won in the Berrow's Journal Starsearch competition. "After a while we realised that we wanted to be together and decided to get married last year." The couple were married in front of 124 people at Sansome Walk Baptist Church. The congregation included their combined eight children - who are between 38 and 56 years old themselves - and nine grandchildren. "Our families thought what we did was great," said Bert. "It's very different to a marriage when you're young. The most important thing is the wonderful companionship we found." "There's no wild ecstasy," adds Vera. "But we're very happy. We pull each other's legs and have never argued. "We have no secrets about our past marriages," Vera said. "We're very open with each other." And both strongly believe the commitment is for life. "In a way it's better because we're not struggling with money and our children are grown up. "We enjoy travelling, going to church and have a great social life with the Association of Retired People."

A WORCESTER couple who married after meeting at a club for the retired have endorsed marriage in later life. Dennis and Doreen Cook-Hopkins tied the knot at St Martin's Church in London Road two years ago, at the age of 67. The happy pair, from Barbourne, are the oldest couple to have been married by vicar Michael Lewis, and neither was doing it for the first time. But as their second anniversary approaches they both say there are plentiful rewards in being together. "The difference is when you're very young you're looking to the future and thinking about having children," said Doreen. "When you get to our age all that excitement and romance has gone, but we're not without romance."The romance is a quiet thing. There's love there but we're more interested in companionship." Doreen had joined the Odd Fellows club eight years ago after losing her husband John Cook. And Dennis came along, despite initial reservations, after losing his second wife Margaret Hopkins in January 1993. "My son said it would be a grab-a-granny club," he said. "In my wedding speech I said we'd got married because we depended on each other and she needs me to drive her to the shops. "It's all about companionship and neither of us is trying to replace the partners we've lost because you can't do that." The Stephenson Road couple, who celebrate their anniversary next week, have decided to start their own club for bereaved couples in the hope other people can experience their happiness. "We want to help people come through the tunnel," said Doree