0:00:02 > 0:00:05Today there are more people over the age of 60
0:00:05 > 0:00:07than under 16...
0:00:08 > 0:00:09You're 83.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11100 years on this earth.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14We've got some amazing volunteers here - 80s and 90s.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17..but what does growing older mean for you?
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Difficult, um, sometimes more than other times.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22I don't think you should be nervous about getting old.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24- Yeah.- It's a wonderful stage.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27Our team is getting to the bottom of the key ageing concerns
0:00:27 > 0:00:29YOU'VE told us about.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31Deciding WHEN to retire.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35Being more sociable.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37Keeping healthy.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Making your voice heard.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42- AINSLEY:- Or the cost of happiness.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45And even if you haven't reached your own golden years,
0:00:45 > 0:00:48it's never too early to start planning.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51So whether you're an old dog or a young pup,
0:00:51 > 0:00:53get ready to learn some new tricks...
0:00:53 > 0:00:54- Oh!- ..as we lift the lid
0:00:54 > 0:00:56on holding back the years.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03Coming up, Angela Rippon investigates pensioner poverty
0:01:03 > 0:01:07and how to find out what YOU'RE entitled to.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11If you're on an income of less than £155 a week,
0:01:11 > 0:01:12come to us, get in touch.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16Actress Maureen Lipman celebrates the anniversary of a club
0:01:16 > 0:01:20that's been helping older folks stay connected and combat loneliness
0:01:20 > 0:01:22for 75 years.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24We've got two tins of baked beans -
0:01:24 > 0:01:27don't eat them all at once cos you know what will happen.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30Arlene Phillips discovers the revolutionary way
0:01:30 > 0:01:33that modern cities are dealing with their ageing population.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37When you see older people stand up at meetings and say,
0:01:37 > 0:01:40"This work has transformed my life," then it's fantastic.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42- It's champagne time!- Ooh!
0:01:42 > 0:01:46And Ainsley Harriott uncovers the secrets of how to live to 100.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50100 years on this earth.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52That is remarkable.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56- But first, perhaps I should tell you how- I- fit into all this.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Well, as a journalist for almost 40 years myself,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02I can't help wondering if we, in my profession,
0:02:02 > 0:02:06haven't contributed to all this doom and gloom about getting older.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09So I thought it might be time to balance things up a bit.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11I've also got a bit of a personal reason.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15I turned 60 myself last year and it led me to think a bit more
0:02:15 > 0:02:17about staying in shape,
0:02:17 > 0:02:19looking after myself and the state of my health,
0:02:19 > 0:02:22and what the process of ageing holds in store for me.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26So this is a perfect journey for me to be going on.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30OK, let's get this show on the road.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33And I want to start, as we journalists often do,
0:02:33 > 0:02:35with a bit of an exclusive.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39I'm about to show you a place that is unique.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45The Centre for Cognitive Ageing at Edinburgh University
0:02:45 > 0:02:48studies the minds of old people - quite literally -
0:02:48 > 0:02:53all in an effort to understand what causes good ageing and bad ageing
0:02:53 > 0:02:55in the human brain.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58I'm meeting some octogenarians who've come in to get
0:02:58 > 0:03:01their fundamental cognitive skills tested today.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03Or, to put that in everyday language,
0:03:03 > 0:03:06seeing just how well their minds are working.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08First up, Margaret,
0:03:08 > 0:03:11who's using a piece of equipment that's checking her reaction skills.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14- Excellent.- I'm scared to blink.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16TESTER LAUGHS
0:03:17 > 0:03:19- You try very hard, don't you, Margaret?- I do.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21I mean, you do take it very seriously.
0:03:21 > 0:03:22- LAUGHING:- I do!
0:03:22 > 0:03:25- I try to second-guess, so you're thinking, two must be...- Uh-huh.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27- Oh! Four.- Cos you want to do as best... As well as you possibly can.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29- Yeah, and you get a bit... - How is she doing?
0:03:29 > 0:03:31Splendid. That's a very good time.
0:03:31 > 0:03:32- Is it?- Yeah.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36Patrick is completing a test on his spatial awareness,
0:03:36 > 0:03:39something we use every day to get ourselves around.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46OK, that's your time up, so we stop there.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48- Nearly!- That's fiendishly difficult, that one.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50- Yeah.- Particularly difficult one.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52Yeah!
0:03:52 > 0:03:56That last one caused a wee bit of a problem, I knew it would,
0:03:56 > 0:03:59but, um, I think I did not too bad.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04And George is having what we all worry about losing in later life -
0:04:04 > 0:04:06memory - put through the mangle.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11- Great.- It's confusing, George, isn't it?
0:04:13 > 0:04:14Terrible.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16If you can't lock on...
0:04:17 > 0:04:20- ..with the image, you lose it.- Yes.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23To you or me, this may look like
0:04:23 > 0:04:26a few pensioners doing some puzzles,
0:04:26 > 0:04:29but it's actually producing some interesting scientific insights
0:04:29 > 0:04:31about how the older mind works.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33- Hi.- Hi, Ian. - Mr Turnbull. Hi, I'm Ian Deary.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36To explain more about this research and what it could mean for us,
0:04:36 > 0:04:39I'm meeting Professor Ian Deary.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43What we're trying to find out is, why is it that some people get to
0:04:43 > 0:04:46a particular age, the same as others, but are actually different?
0:04:46 > 0:04:49They're healthier or they can think better.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52So is ageing more a thing of the mind than the body,
0:04:52 > 0:04:53does it work like that?
0:04:53 > 0:04:57For me and my team, we don't think of them as separate.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00The brain is another organ of the body and it does stuff.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03It does thinking stuff and other stuff as well.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06And think about it, the brain has a blood supply,
0:05:06 > 0:05:10it's got cells and tissues that age like other aspects of the body,
0:05:10 > 0:05:12and, of course, that's reflected in our results.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16We're finding that people who have healthier bodies tend,
0:05:16 > 0:05:17it's not a strong association,
0:05:17 > 0:05:20but tend also to have healthier thinking skills.
0:05:20 > 0:05:21So we don't separate them.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26Perhaps the most important piece of research they do here
0:05:26 > 0:05:29is an experiment that uses a unique set of senior citizens
0:05:29 > 0:05:31to analyse the effect of ageing
0:05:31 > 0:05:35on the human mind, and its origins are fascinating.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40In 1947, something happened in Scotland
0:05:40 > 0:05:42that was quite extraordinary.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44A national intelligence test
0:05:44 > 0:05:47was carried out on all 11-year-old children
0:05:47 > 0:05:50and the results survive to this day.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54Those children are now in their 80s and they've been tracked down
0:05:54 > 0:05:57and recruited to be part of something called
0:05:57 > 0:05:59the Lothian Birth Cohort.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02By contrasting how their brains work today
0:06:02 > 0:06:04compared to when they were kids,
0:06:04 > 0:06:07the professor and his team have discovered some interesting things
0:06:07 > 0:06:11about how our minds age and perhaps what can be done to preserve them.
0:06:13 > 0:06:14We've looked at everything,
0:06:14 > 0:06:18from genetic factors to health and medical factors,
0:06:18 > 0:06:22biochemical factors and social ones as well,
0:06:22 > 0:06:24and in each of those different areas, we have found things that are
0:06:24 > 0:06:29interesting with respect to whether people are ageing well or less well
0:06:29 > 0:06:31compared to their colleagues.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35So, for example, we found one or two little genetic effects -
0:06:35 > 0:06:38some of the genes that appear to affect whether or not
0:06:38 > 0:06:42one gets dementia also affect normal cognitive ageing.
0:06:42 > 0:06:47We've also found that the people who don't smoke are ageing in thinking
0:06:47 > 0:06:49skills slightly better than others.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51As are the people who are fitter
0:06:51 > 0:06:55and those people who also take more exercise.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58We also found some interesting more social things,
0:06:58 > 0:07:01so, for example, people with more education,
0:07:01 > 0:07:05people in more professional jobs and people who can speak more than one
0:07:05 > 0:07:09language have small advantages in this cognitive ageing.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Their thinking skills are slightly better
0:07:11 > 0:07:13than we'd otherwise expect in older age.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17So don't smoke, get some exercise and even learning a language
0:07:17 > 0:07:19seem to be key pieces of advice.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22And the reason is because all these things can affect the way
0:07:22 > 0:07:24the brain connects together,
0:07:24 > 0:07:26as the professor is showing me now.
0:07:26 > 0:07:32This is an anonymised brain from the Lothian Birth Cohort of 1936
0:07:32 > 0:07:35and what this shows are the brain's connections.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37So most people have heard of the grey matter of the brain
0:07:37 > 0:07:40and broadly speaking, that's on the outside of the brain,
0:07:40 > 0:07:41the thinking stuff.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44But the thinking stuff works because it's connected
0:07:44 > 0:07:47with what's called the white matter, which lies underneath,
0:07:47 > 0:07:48and what we've found is that
0:07:48 > 0:07:52the people whose white matter is healthier, more intact,
0:07:52 > 0:07:55tend to have better thinking skills than other people.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57What's so exciting about a place like this
0:07:57 > 0:07:59is that the research they're doing here
0:07:59 > 0:08:03could one day help lead to cures for the illnesses
0:08:03 > 0:08:07that often accompany old age, like Alzheimer's.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09But I get the feeling there's a lot more to learn
0:08:09 > 0:08:11from the golden oldie guinea pigs,
0:08:11 > 0:08:13so I've gathered them together
0:08:13 > 0:08:16to conduct my own somewhat less scientific survey.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19Well, may I say, you're all looking marvellous?
0:08:19 > 0:08:21ALL LAUGH I hope I look as good as you
0:08:21 > 0:08:24when I get to be the age of 80, if I actually get that far.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28First of all, are you all happy to be at the age that you are?
0:08:28 > 0:08:30- ALL:- Yes.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32Yes. 80's a good year?
0:08:32 > 0:08:33- Yeah.- A great year.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36When you're 80, in your head you're never more than 50.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39- You're not frightened of what other people might think about you.- Yeah.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42You're... You're free, you're more independent,
0:08:42 > 0:08:44you can say and do what you like.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46So you're special people, aren't you?
0:08:46 > 0:08:50Because you're part of the Lothian Birth Cohort.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52Have you enjoyed the process?
0:08:52 > 0:08:54- ALL:- Yes. - Oh, yes. Very much so. Yes.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56What's been the best part of it?
0:08:56 > 0:09:00- Resitting my 11-plus. - ALL LAUGH
0:09:00 > 0:09:04- And getting more marks for it.- Yes! - Getting very good marks!
0:09:04 > 0:09:05I found out that I wasn't as stupid
0:09:05 > 0:09:07as my big brother always told me I was.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09LAUGHTER
0:09:09 > 0:09:13I got a free MOT at the hospital.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16- Health.- Health check. - Health check. Marvellous.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20To think that the group I'm talking to now were the kids who took
0:09:20 > 0:09:24the national intelligence test 70 years ago is truly remarkable.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27But while their minds and bodies may have changed quite a lot,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30inside they are the same people,
0:09:30 > 0:09:34who must have learned a great deal over the course of their lives.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36So what better way to end our conversation
0:09:36 > 0:09:39than by getting some top tips.
0:09:40 > 0:09:45Now, for younger people...
0:09:45 > 0:09:48got any tips about how they might age as gracefully as you have?
0:09:48 > 0:09:51To be confident and to enjoy
0:09:51 > 0:09:53the times in which you're living.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56- I think it's important to continue to learn.- Yes.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59I think it's important to be looking around ourselves at the world
0:09:59 > 0:10:02and the people of the world, obviously,
0:10:02 > 0:10:04and to be learning and asking yourself questions.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06It's probably helped, though,
0:10:06 > 0:10:09hasn't it, taking part in the study, hasn't it?
0:10:09 > 0:10:11- ALL:- Yes. - Oh, yes.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14I've thoroughly enjoyed it. I found it very, very interesting.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18And it's quite humbling, in a way, that we're being able,
0:10:18 > 0:10:21through our brains, to do good for other people in the future.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24Hear, hear. But I suppose while I'M here,
0:10:24 > 0:10:26I, too, should lend my brain to science.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30So I'm having a go at the dreaded memory test.
0:10:30 > 0:10:31Wish me luck.
0:10:33 > 0:10:34Hmm.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39- Great. That's brilliant. - Was that good?
0:10:39 > 0:10:41I wouldn't want to try doing that when I'm 80 years old.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43I don't think I'd do nearly so well.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45HE CHUCKLES
0:10:45 > 0:10:47Still, it's good to know that my brain is doing OK.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51And this place has brought us the good news that perhaps we shouldn't
0:10:51 > 0:10:53worry quite so much about getting older.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55It's really lovely to see
0:10:55 > 0:10:57some of the smiling faces from these photographs
0:10:57 > 0:11:01still bright and engaged here 70 years later.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04Ageing is such a complicated subject
0:11:04 > 0:11:06but the work they're doing here in Edinburgh
0:11:06 > 0:11:08gives us great hope for the future.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13From Edinburgh, we head now down the coast to Hull,
0:11:13 > 0:11:15where Maureen Lipman has arrived just in time
0:11:15 > 0:11:18for a very special anniversary.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22Now, don't laugh,
0:11:22 > 0:11:25but the stop I'm taking you on our grand day out
0:11:25 > 0:11:27is a place that provides an invaluable service
0:11:27 > 0:11:29for older people who want to get out of the house
0:11:29 > 0:11:31and have a bit of company -
0:11:31 > 0:11:36the Darby and Joan Club, which has been around for a while.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40- NEWSREEL:- The grand old people of Streatham,
0:11:40 > 0:11:42the old-age pensioners of the district,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45have been provided with a snug little refuge all their own
0:11:45 > 0:11:47with the opening of the Darby and Joan Club,
0:11:47 > 0:11:49believed to be the first of its kind in Great Britain.
0:11:50 > 0:11:55Today, these clubs are run by Her Majesty's Royal Voluntary Service,
0:11:55 > 0:11:59helping over 100,000 people a month to have a lovely time.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04But here's the twist - the volunteers are almost as old,
0:12:04 > 0:12:07if not older, than those they serve.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09So I'm meeting a few of them,
0:12:09 > 0:12:12like 81-year-old Jennifer, who's in charge.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16She's been a volunteer for an incredible 39 years.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Well, I get a lot of pleasure from meeting all the people
0:12:19 > 0:12:20and I also find it really...
0:12:20 > 0:12:22The structure of my week, if you follow me.
0:12:22 > 0:12:23- Yes.- The Friday.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27- Yeah.- And, yes, it's... It gives me a purpose in life.
0:12:27 > 0:12:28- Yes.- Yes.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31I notice, of course, that the ratio of women to men is a bit staggering.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34- Yes.- I've counted six men so far.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36- Yes.- Do they get mobbed?
0:12:38 > 0:12:40No.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45Dorothy, meanwhile, has been here even longer.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48Dorothy, I know that you're... just over 90.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52- Yes.- And that you've been here for how long?
0:12:52 > 0:12:55- 40 years.- In a way, it's a panacea.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58- It is a sort of a therapy, isn't it? - Yeah.- Yeah.
0:12:58 > 0:13:03Yes, well, you realise that you may have problems but they're not nearly
0:13:03 > 0:13:05as bad as a lot of the people that come here.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09And Joyce even longer still!
0:13:09 > 0:13:10May I ask how old you are?
0:13:10 > 0:13:12I'm 92.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15So a lot of people might think,
0:13:15 > 0:13:18"She should be sitting there having her dinner brought to her,"
0:13:18 > 0:13:20but you're doing the work.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24But these three are only the tip of a very big iceberg.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26At last count, the Royal Voluntary Service
0:13:26 > 0:13:30boasted over 35,000 volunteers,
0:13:30 > 0:13:34dedicated to helping senior citizens remain independent
0:13:34 > 0:13:36whilst staying social.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38And whether it's visiting them in hospital,
0:13:38 > 0:13:41going down the shops or popping around for a cuppa,
0:13:41 > 0:13:44every year they make some 90,000 journeys
0:13:44 > 0:13:46on behalf of Britain's elderly.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49But get this - it benefits them, too,
0:13:49 > 0:13:51because there is evidence to suggest
0:13:51 > 0:13:53that volunteering is good for your own health,
0:13:53 > 0:13:57as the Royal Voluntary Service's national boss is keen to stress.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00I mean, you've got some amazing volunteers here today,
0:14:00 > 0:14:02- but they're, like, 80s and 90s. - They are.
0:14:02 > 0:14:03You think, "They should be sitting down,"
0:14:03 > 0:14:05but they're not, they're serving others.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08Well, they're not, but I'm not sure I agree that the answer is young
0:14:08 > 0:14:14volunteers cos, for me, the people who are in their 70s and 80s and 90s
0:14:14 > 0:14:16that are coming here and volunteering,
0:14:16 > 0:14:20- that's as important as those people who are being served lunch...- Yes.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24..by our volunteers, cos there's very, very clear evidence, uh,
0:14:24 > 0:14:28from a professor in Manchester, that being a volunteer
0:14:28 > 0:14:33helps you live longer, be physically better and mentally better.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36# Don't let's be beastly to the Germans
0:14:36 > 0:14:39# When our victory is ultimately won... #
0:14:39 > 0:14:42There is something of a wartime spirit about this place
0:14:42 > 0:14:45and that's no real surprise given its history.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48The Royal Voluntary Service started off
0:14:48 > 0:14:52as the Women's Voluntary Service, back in 1938
0:14:52 > 0:14:55and it was part of keeping the home front going.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59Their first line of defence - a good cup of tea.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05Wherever men work over here, it's tea they want.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08The WVS brings the tea to them.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11Next to blood, it's Britain's most precious liquid.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18Over the years, they've evolved into an organisation that helps
0:15:18 > 0:15:20older people stay in touch with wider society,
0:15:20 > 0:15:24especially through its pioneering meals on wheels service.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28There is a private, as well as a public conscience,
0:15:28 > 0:15:31about old people who live alone.
0:15:31 > 0:15:36For the few the short-handed meals on wheels volunteers can visit,
0:15:36 > 0:15:40the brief company of someone they know and a meal ready to eat
0:15:40 > 0:15:42are a double godsend.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44Today, using food as a way into people's lives
0:15:44 > 0:15:47is a philosophy that David believes
0:15:47 > 0:15:49is still at the heart of their mission.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52About five years ago, we started the campaign to end loneliness
0:15:52 > 0:15:55because it's a kind of hidden disease.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58We know there are very clear medical stats
0:15:58 > 0:16:01that say chronic loneliness
0:16:01 > 0:16:04is as bad for you as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07And that sounds slightly strange, but if you think about it,
0:16:07 > 0:16:12we're sociable people, we are programmed to be with others.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14There's a lot of talk at the moment
0:16:14 > 0:16:17about the NHS and social care and funding,
0:16:17 > 0:16:21but the reality is, most older people don't need nurses,
0:16:21 > 0:16:24they don't need social workers, they don't need care homes,
0:16:24 > 0:16:26they need somebody to talk to.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29They need a reason to get out of the house in the morning.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35OK, well, I think it's time I stopped chatting and got serving.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37Who knows, it might take a few years off me as well.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41- AMERICAN ACCENT:- My name is Maureen and I'm really happy to serve you.
0:16:41 > 0:16:42Oh, lovely.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45- And...- I don't think I'm supposed to be eating here, am I?- Yes, you are.
0:16:45 > 0:16:46Have a nice day!
0:16:48 > 0:16:50At last, it's time for me to take the weight off my feet
0:16:50 > 0:16:52and have a natter...
0:16:52 > 0:16:54which is the REAL reason for being here.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56So, come on, gang, tell me,
0:16:56 > 0:16:59what do you get out of coming here every Friday?
0:16:59 > 0:17:00It means it's somewhere
0:17:00 > 0:17:02I can bring my wife out to
0:17:02 > 0:17:04because I'm more concerned about HER
0:17:04 > 0:17:06mixing with people.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08Right, which one of these gorgeous women is your wife?
0:17:08 > 0:17:10- No, she's sat at the next table. - Oh, she's...
0:17:11 > 0:17:14So you want her mixing with people but not with you?
0:17:14 > 0:17:16Do you come here, Edna,
0:17:16 > 0:17:18for the food or the company or both?
0:17:18 > 0:17:20Both. Yes.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22You have a feeling when you're here,
0:17:22 > 0:17:24you're being well looked after
0:17:24 > 0:17:25during that period of time
0:17:25 > 0:17:27that you're here.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29Do you think it's harder to make friends when you're older?
0:17:29 > 0:17:34Yes. I think it is and if you're in a flat on your own, um,
0:17:34 > 0:17:35it can get a bit lonely
0:17:35 > 0:17:39and I don't like to say it in front of these gentlemen,
0:17:39 > 0:17:41but you can get a bit fed up with television.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43LAUGHTER
0:17:44 > 0:17:46Lunch over, time for the dishes to be done,
0:17:46 > 0:17:49which, not having brought my rubber gloves with me,
0:17:49 > 0:17:52I'm quite keen to avoid, if you don't mind!
0:17:52 > 0:17:55So give me the microphone, there's a raffle to be run!
0:17:55 > 0:17:56Number 16.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01Ladies and gentlemen, I am your raffle drawer for the day.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03- ALL:- Ooh! - Ooh!
0:18:03 > 0:18:08We've got tuna chunks and we've got a packet of biscuits
0:18:08 > 0:18:10and what's that blue tin over there?
0:18:10 > 0:18:12- Some pork.- Oh, a tin of pork?
0:18:12 > 0:18:14Oh, I'm not talking about that, I don't do pork.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17Ooh, you can feel the anticipation in the room!
0:18:18 > 0:18:23Right, and the winner of any of these fabulous prizes is 188.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27While my glamorous assistant, Veronica, hands out the prizes,
0:18:27 > 0:18:31strangely, not even the lucky winners seem to want the sardines.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33She doesn't want the sardines.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35She's going to give her the sardines whether she wants them or not.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41I think my presentation skills have won them over, you know?
0:18:41 > 0:18:44Someone even wants my autograph.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46I do hope they don't think I'm Angela Rippon.
0:18:53 > 0:18:54But do you know something?
0:18:54 > 0:18:58This has been an afternoon I really won't forget for a long time.
0:18:59 > 0:19:00That was so enjoyable.
0:19:01 > 0:19:07Um, volunteers, some of whom are older than their guests,
0:19:07 > 0:19:10who go away feeling as if they've contributed...
0:19:11 > 0:19:15..to society, as if they've had a laugh.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18It's quite wonderful what they're doing
0:19:18 > 0:19:22and I just wonder who are the next set of volunteers?
0:19:22 > 0:19:25Where are they going to come from? Because we're all working longer and
0:19:25 > 0:19:28longer hours just to stay where we are in life.
0:19:28 > 0:19:33And how do you put it across to people
0:19:33 > 0:19:37that Darby and Joan used to be Jack and Jill?
0:19:41 > 0:19:44Thanks to Maureen and all the gang at the Darby and Joan.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46From Hull, it's over to Devon now,
0:19:46 > 0:19:48where Angela Rippon has the lowdown
0:19:48 > 0:19:51on how to find out what YOU are entitled to.
0:19:52 > 0:19:57For most people, affording luxury retirement simply is not an option.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00Indeed, for those living on the basic state pension,
0:20:00 > 0:20:02survival is the name of the game.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06I'm meeting up with former nurse Julie Ellis, who,
0:20:06 > 0:20:08despite having worked for over 55 years,
0:20:08 > 0:20:11at the age of 78 lives on her own
0:20:11 > 0:20:15without any occupational or private pension.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21How difficult is it for you to manage on your money?
0:20:21 > 0:20:25It is difficult, um, sometimes more than other times,
0:20:25 > 0:20:28depending when all the bills come in.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31And sometimes it's four months at a time, each quarter.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35How anxious are you about your financial situation?
0:20:35 > 0:20:39Um... I do get anxious, but I try not to.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43Um... So I think,
0:20:43 > 0:20:46"Well, if I haven't got it, they'll have to wait."
0:20:46 > 0:20:49And if I've got it, I pay it straightaway
0:20:49 > 0:20:51cos they put on the bills -
0:20:51 > 0:20:54"Please pay this by such and such a date."
0:20:54 > 0:20:58So I pay it bang on the date, but if I haven't got it, they have to wait.
0:20:58 > 0:20:59- Yeah.- You know.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01So you just live on your old-age pension,
0:21:01 > 0:21:03you have no other income at all?
0:21:03 > 0:21:07- No.- Do you not have any of the other benefits that you're due or not?
0:21:07 > 0:21:10No, cos there's no other benefits, Angela. None at all.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12Um, as far as I know...
0:21:12 > 0:21:17you've got the state pension and that's it.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19- That's it, really.- Have you ever looked to see whether or not
0:21:19 > 0:21:21you're eligible for other money?
0:21:22 > 0:21:25- No, I haven't, actually. No.- Really?
0:21:25 > 0:21:28- Yeah.- So there might be more money out there that you could have.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30- There might be, yeah.- Yeah.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33I've...I've not gone into it, put it that way.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37You know, cos nobody's ever asked me that before, so I wouldn't know.
0:21:37 > 0:21:38Yeah.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41And Julie is NOT alone.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43According to official figures,
0:21:43 > 0:21:45there are up to 1.6 million pensioners
0:21:45 > 0:21:48currently living in poverty throughout the UK.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51That's a shocking one in seven,
0:21:51 > 0:21:55with a further 1.2 million living just above the poverty line.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59I want to get beneath the statistics to see what this means in stark
0:21:59 > 0:22:02day-to-day terms for people like Julie.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07When you've paid all of your bills, how much are you left with?
0:22:09 > 0:22:11Well, they all come at different times.
0:22:11 > 0:22:12So your bills are what?
0:22:12 > 0:22:15- Um...- Your rent?
0:22:15 > 0:22:18The rent, the water rates, the council tax...
0:22:18 > 0:22:20um...
0:22:20 > 0:22:23the electricity and I think that's about it.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25Yeah, that's about it.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28But how much are you left with when you've paid all your bills?
0:22:31 > 0:22:33About £50.
0:22:33 > 0:22:34£50 a week.
0:22:34 > 0:22:35£50 a week?
0:22:35 > 0:22:38- Something like that, yeah. - That's not very much, is it?
0:22:38 > 0:22:39- No, no.- No.
0:22:39 > 0:22:46So, you know, I try to be careful with my shopping etc,
0:22:46 > 0:22:48and going to charity shops for my clothes.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50Just gently stretch the arm...
0:22:50 > 0:22:54The idea of pensioners like Julie being able to afford Pilates classes
0:22:54 > 0:22:57or swimming lessons is clearly fanciful,
0:22:57 > 0:23:00but it's also the basics that she struggles to afford,
0:23:00 > 0:23:04things as fundamental to health and wellbeing as food and warmth.
0:23:06 > 0:23:07Now, what about food?
0:23:07 > 0:23:10Because that's just as important as everything else.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13- You don't want to go without food, do you?- No, no.
0:23:13 > 0:23:18I, um... I go to the cheapest places, supermarkets,
0:23:18 > 0:23:22and I buy food for one and if it's food for one,
0:23:22 > 0:23:26like beef,
0:23:26 > 0:23:33then I get a dish of mashed swede and carrots for £1
0:23:33 > 0:23:35and that lasts me two days.
0:23:35 > 0:23:40I have, like, pork tongue,
0:23:40 > 0:23:44that's £1, and you get six slices and I have that with Italian pasta,
0:23:44 > 0:23:49but that lasts for a few days, so I buy like that all the time.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54It's another reminder that the quality of your retirement
0:23:54 > 0:23:57is fundamentally affected by what you can afford.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59But what's also extraordinary about Julie
0:23:59 > 0:24:01is that she doesn't feel sorry for her situation.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05In fact, she's even come up with some rather unique tips
0:24:05 > 0:24:06for saving money!
0:24:06 > 0:24:09Well, first of all, I don't have a washing machine.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12I wash by hand and if I have sheets and duvets,
0:24:12 > 0:24:16I put them in the bath and put hot water on
0:24:16 > 0:24:18and sometimes I stamp up and down.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20If people saw me they'd think I'm crazy.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23Anyway, I dry them in the bathroom
0:24:23 > 0:24:26and if it's the summer and the spring,
0:24:26 > 0:24:28I put them outside on the clothesline.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32I always buy uncreasable so I don't have to iron them,
0:24:32 > 0:24:33so I don't have to use the iron.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37Obviously, a couple of things in my wardrobe I have to iron,
0:24:37 > 0:24:39but not very much.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42About once a year, if that!
0:24:42 > 0:24:45If I run out of shampoo and I need to wash my hair,
0:24:45 > 0:24:47I use washing-up liquid and it's great.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52I keep my electric lights off
0:24:52 > 0:24:55and I've got the light from the television and the street light.
0:24:55 > 0:24:56- JULIE LAUGHS - So...
0:24:56 > 0:25:00When I... I bring my bedding,
0:25:00 > 0:25:05pyjamas and dressing gown in here and I change when it's warm,
0:25:05 > 0:25:07and as I've only got to go next door,
0:25:07 > 0:25:08I run in and go straight into bed.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12I've got no... I've got a duvet, I've got no electric blanket,
0:25:12 > 0:25:15I've got no hot water bottles...
0:25:15 > 0:25:17I just get in there and cuddle up and that's it,
0:25:17 > 0:25:19and I don't even put the light on in my bedroom
0:25:19 > 0:25:22cos I can see the lights from outside coming in.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24- JULIE LAUGHS - So...
0:25:24 > 0:25:26I'm saving all the time, yeah.
0:25:26 > 0:25:32- You do live a very frugal life with everything that you do.- Mm.
0:25:32 > 0:25:37Are you constantly aware that you just don't have enough money
0:25:37 > 0:25:39to live life the way you might want to?
0:25:40 > 0:25:42I try not to think about it.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46I'd like to do more, but I can't and it's no use worrying about it,
0:25:46 > 0:25:48cos you'd get ill.
0:25:48 > 0:25:53So I try and do what I can through the week and through the months
0:25:53 > 0:25:55and I leave it at that.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57I try not to dwell on it.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59That's the word I'm looking for - dwell.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03Pensioner poverty, of course, is nothing new and, in many ways,
0:26:03 > 0:26:06is a lot less prevalent than it once was.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10Back in the really bad old days,
0:26:10 > 0:26:13if senior citizens couldn't afford to look after themselves
0:26:13 > 0:26:15or have family to do it for them,
0:26:15 > 0:26:19they were often put in the poorhouse or poor farms in rural areas.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23Thankfully, these are now a thing of the distant past.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27And yet, meeting Julie has shown that the situation
0:26:27 > 0:26:28is far from perfect.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32So I want to know if anything can be done to help her and those like her.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37So I'm meeting Martin Rogers, who's head of Age UK in Exeter.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43And right away, he seems to have some good advice
0:26:43 > 0:26:45for pensioners like Julie.
0:26:45 > 0:26:51- And, of course, the old-age pension is round about £119 a week.- Yeah.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54Now, the Government has a top-up system
0:26:54 > 0:26:56to bring everyone up to a level
0:26:56 > 0:27:00so that no-one should have less than £155 a week coming in.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04But the problem is, so many people don't claim that,
0:27:04 > 0:27:08so nearly 40% of people who are eligible for pension credit
0:27:08 > 0:27:10don't claim it
0:27:10 > 0:27:12and the difference that could make for people, on average,
0:27:12 > 0:27:14is something like £42 a week.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18So a huge thing that Age UK is doing is saying,
0:27:18 > 0:27:23if YOU think, if you're on an income of less than £155 a week,
0:27:23 > 0:27:25come to us, get in touch.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28We can easily do a benefits check - it's very simple -
0:27:28 > 0:27:31and we can find out whether you can improve your income
0:27:31 > 0:27:33and therefore, your standard of living
0:27:33 > 0:27:35and the choices you can make in your life.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38Well, that will be music to Julie's ears
0:27:38 > 0:27:40and to anyone else who didn't know
0:27:40 > 0:27:42there were top-up benefits to be claimed.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44But why aren't they applying?
0:27:44 > 0:27:48I think we're talking about a group of people who have been
0:27:48 > 0:27:51self-sufficient, very self-sufficient in the past.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55They are proud, they're not used to asking for things and they certainly
0:27:55 > 0:27:57worry, I think, about saying,
0:27:57 > 0:27:59"I think I should have this," and then getting knocked back
0:27:59 > 0:28:01and almost being seen as though
0:28:01 > 0:28:03they're trying to get something they shouldn't have.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07And when you add that into sometimes...
0:28:07 > 0:28:10Even in this day and age, there's something of a stigma, maybe,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13about going to a charity to get advice,
0:28:13 > 0:28:14even though it could be, you know,
0:28:14 > 0:28:18Citizens Advice, it could be Age UK...
0:28:18 > 0:28:22There's still a barrier and that's what we have to get over.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26We have to be much better at communicating to people
0:28:26 > 0:28:30that this is not a luxury for you, this is your right,
0:28:30 > 0:28:33this is how the Government's been set up, because at the moment,
0:28:33 > 0:28:38every year, we have something like £3.5 billion of unclaimed benefits
0:28:38 > 0:28:40- for older people.- Mm.
0:28:40 > 0:28:413.5 billion! It's crazy!
0:28:42 > 0:28:46All of which is great advice, but, for Martin,
0:28:46 > 0:28:48the ultimate lesson to be learned
0:28:48 > 0:28:51is for tomorrow's generation of pensioners.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53We've got an ageing population.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56Things, presumably, can not only, perhaps not get better,
0:28:56 > 0:28:57they might even get worse,
0:28:57 > 0:28:59so what is the challenge for the future?
0:28:59 > 0:29:04I think one of the worries is now that it feels as though we've gone
0:29:04 > 0:29:06beyond occupational pension schemes.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08They can't... If they can't be afforded,
0:29:08 > 0:29:11we all need to take more responsibility ourselves
0:29:11 > 0:29:12for putting money into a pension pot.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15But annuities aren't paying very much,
0:29:15 > 0:29:18interest rates are very low, so that is a worry for people.
0:29:18 > 0:29:20We don't know quite how that's going to play out,
0:29:20 > 0:29:24about whether people are going to be in a better or a worse place
0:29:24 > 0:29:26in the future.
0:29:26 > 0:29:28So, what I'd say to people is,
0:29:28 > 0:29:32you need to start thinking about this now, whatever your age,
0:29:32 > 0:29:33and plan ahead,
0:29:33 > 0:29:36because you're not suddenly going to be somebody different when you hit
0:29:36 > 0:29:4065, it's you and you're going to want to do the same things.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44So think about how you can make provision.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47Get advice, think about...
0:29:47 > 0:29:51Look at your finances and see how much can go into that pot
0:29:51 > 0:29:54that is going to give you the quality of life that you want
0:29:54 > 0:29:56when you decide to retire.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59It's going to be really difficult to get over to a 20 or 30-year-old
0:29:59 > 0:30:02that if they want to maintain their lifestyle into their 70s,
0:30:02 > 0:30:04their 80s and maybe their 90s,
0:30:04 > 0:30:07that they're going to have to start thinking about it now...
0:30:07 > 0:30:09- I know.- ..not when they're 64½.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11I know, and I think about my own kids
0:30:11 > 0:30:13and how difficult it is for them.
0:30:13 > 0:30:17And they're struggling at the moment, never mind thinking 40, 50,
0:30:17 > 0:30:1960 years ahead.
0:30:19 > 0:30:24But the really problematic thing is, I think, if people think, "Oh, well,
0:30:24 > 0:30:27"it's so gloomy, it's not worth doing anyway, cos who knows?"
0:30:27 > 0:30:29and they don't make any provision,
0:30:29 > 0:30:31then I think we are riding for a fall,
0:30:31 > 0:30:34and I think that could be very difficult.
0:30:35 > 0:30:37So here's the news -
0:30:37 > 0:30:40there are top-up benefits out there for the likes of Julie.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44And back on the high street,
0:30:44 > 0:30:48I'm meeting up with her again at the local charity shop,
0:30:48 > 0:30:51where she's undoubtedly the queen of spotting a bargain.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00Did you get that lovely coat here?
0:31:00 > 0:31:02Yes, £1.50.
0:31:02 > 0:31:03- What?!- £1.50, yeah.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06Blimey! That's the bargain of the year. What about anything else?
0:31:06 > 0:31:10Yeah, the trousers was, I think, 50p or £1.
0:31:10 > 0:31:11I'm not absolutely sure on that one.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15- Yes.- And the scarf was...
0:31:15 > 0:31:19- 50p, but not from here, it was from another charity shop.- Yes.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22I try and shop and get all my clothes from charity shops,
0:31:22 > 0:31:23cos they're cheaper.
0:31:23 > 0:31:28- You are a star of the charity shops, clearly!- I know, eh?
0:31:28 > 0:31:30It's a jolly nice coat, that, isn't it?
0:31:31 > 0:31:34Places like this, of course, have always been vital in
0:31:34 > 0:31:37filling in the gap that's left in some pensioners' finances,
0:31:37 > 0:31:40between those with a private pension and those who rely solely on the
0:31:40 > 0:31:44state pension, which is why I guess they're called the third sector.
0:31:44 > 0:31:49Indeed, charities are absolutely vital for the estimated 26%
0:31:49 > 0:31:52of over-60s who claim to be just getting by,
0:31:52 > 0:31:56and, since I'm here, well, I've been roped into doing a shift.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59- Isn't that beautiful? Have you got somewhere special to wear it?- Yeah.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02Thank you very much. Do you need a bag for that?
0:32:03 > 0:32:06- Are you looking for a bargain there? - Yeah!
0:32:07 > 0:32:09Well, yes.
0:32:09 > 0:32:11That was going to be for you, was it, Pauline?
0:32:11 > 0:32:12Yes, yes...
0:32:12 > 0:32:17- A belt with leggings underneath it would look magnificent.- Oh, wow.
0:32:17 > 0:32:19How long have you two been volunteering here?
0:32:19 > 0:32:2013 years.
0:32:20 > 0:32:22- Wow.- Five.
0:32:22 > 0:32:26- Five years?- I couldn't cope with more than one afternoon a week.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28With all these women!
0:32:28 > 0:32:29True.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33It's enjoying being here, and being with people,
0:32:33 > 0:32:36and really having a good time, and it's fun.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39Well, I suppose we should keep on going filling up the book shelves,
0:32:39 > 0:32:42- cos we've got rather a lot of books here, haven't we?- Yes, please.
0:32:42 > 0:32:43It's clear that places like this
0:32:43 > 0:32:45offer not only bargains to older people,
0:32:45 > 0:32:49but also a place where they can feel useful and, yes, work,
0:32:49 > 0:32:51which I guess is why I'm having such a great time.
0:32:51 > 0:32:53- I'll put them there as well.- Hello.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56And pretty soon it becomes clear that I'm helping in
0:32:56 > 0:32:58more ways than one.
0:32:58 > 0:33:00Where did all these come from?
0:33:00 > 0:33:03- What? Oh, look at that! - ANGELA LAUGHS
0:33:03 > 0:33:05Now, what price may I put on that one?
0:33:05 > 0:33:07- £1.50.- Thank you.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12- CASH REGISTER CHIMES - There you go.- Thank you very much.
0:33:12 > 0:33:13Thank you.
0:33:15 > 0:33:18Of course, it's not just personal finances that influence
0:33:18 > 0:33:20how we can hold back the years -
0:33:20 > 0:33:24money spent by Government and local councils does, too.
0:33:24 > 0:33:28One place that's leading the way in this is Manchester,
0:33:28 > 0:33:31a city Arlene Phillips knows and loves.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36This place has the honour of being the UK's first-ever
0:33:36 > 0:33:38age-friendly city,
0:33:38 > 0:33:42according to none other than the World Health Organization,
0:33:42 > 0:33:46which means it's recognising that senior citizens need to be front and
0:33:46 > 0:33:51centre when it comes to facilities, access and things to do,
0:33:51 > 0:33:53but more of that later.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57First and foremost, I'm proud of coming from here,
0:33:57 > 0:34:01because this is where I started life 73 years ago,
0:34:01 > 0:34:03as a chubby little girl.
0:34:03 > 0:34:07I lived in the Manchester area for the first 22 years of my life,
0:34:07 > 0:34:10and it's a place I'll always call home.
0:34:10 > 0:34:15Back in the 1940s and '50s, however, it looked quite a bit different.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18Manchester - it's big and black,
0:34:18 > 0:34:22and often a pall of smoky mist hangs over its maze of mean streets.
0:34:22 > 0:34:26It was a typical northern industrial city back then.
0:34:26 > 0:34:30Coming out of the Depression, war and industrial decline,
0:34:30 > 0:34:35life expectancy was barely above 60, making old people a rarity.
0:34:35 > 0:34:39I, on the other hand, have very fond memories of these old days.
0:34:39 > 0:34:41We were a family of five -
0:34:41 > 0:34:44my parents, brother Ian and my sister Karen.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48I lived in Prestwich and eventually moved to Didsbury,
0:34:48 > 0:34:51where my father opened a barbershop.
0:34:51 > 0:34:53- CAR HORN HONKS - This is him,
0:34:53 > 0:34:55and this is my mother standing outside the shop,
0:34:55 > 0:34:59sadly, before she passed away when I was 15 years old.
0:35:01 > 0:35:02But for me, here in the middle,
0:35:02 > 0:35:06the person I became is really down to the times in which
0:35:06 > 0:35:09I did most of my growing up, the '60s.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11# People try to put us down Talkin' about my generation... #
0:35:11 > 0:35:15We all know this was an age of great music and fashion,
0:35:15 > 0:35:19but it was also a decade of massive social and cultural change, too.
0:35:19 > 0:35:22It's when we fought for our civil rights,
0:35:22 > 0:35:24and we weren't afraid to shout about it.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27It helped inject into us a certain attitude -
0:35:27 > 0:35:30one that I certainly brought to my choreography
0:35:30 > 0:35:33after forming the dance troupe Hot Gossip.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36You've been described as the woman who put the bump and the grind
0:35:36 > 0:35:37back into seductive dancing.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39What's a bump and a grind?
0:35:39 > 0:35:41Oh, that's two hip moves.. The bump goes...
0:35:41 > 0:35:43A bump goes bump and a grind goes around.
0:35:43 > 0:35:47- LAUGHTER - Yeah. Yeah, you could say that.
0:35:47 > 0:35:51Decades later, my generation has carried on this rebellious spirit
0:35:51 > 0:35:52into our old age.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55We're just not ready to conform to the stereotypes of
0:35:55 > 0:35:57being a senior citizen,
0:35:57 > 0:36:01which brings us back to Manchester and its pioneering status
0:36:01 > 0:36:04as being Britain's first age-friendly city,
0:36:04 > 0:36:07joining some of the world's greatest cities, like Sydney,
0:36:07 > 0:36:09Tokyo and New York.
0:36:11 > 0:36:12But what does it all mean?
0:36:12 > 0:36:17I'm meeting a man who has been instrumental in making it happen -
0:36:17 > 0:36:20Paul McGarry from the Greater Manchester Ageing Hub.
0:36:24 > 0:36:28So, Paul, tell me, what is an age-friendly city?
0:36:28 > 0:36:30Well, an age-friendly city means rethinking
0:36:30 > 0:36:32how we think about cities,
0:36:32 > 0:36:38and it means redesigning cities for people as they get older,
0:36:38 > 0:36:42so we think about housing, transport, our health service,
0:36:42 > 0:36:45and the physical design of cities.
0:36:45 > 0:36:47We have to think about the cultural services,
0:36:47 > 0:36:49the local communities and so on,
0:36:49 > 0:36:52so it's a really big job that we've got ahead of us.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58We've come a long way from when reaching a certain age
0:36:58 > 0:37:01meant you were expected to pack up your bags
0:37:01 > 0:37:03and move to the coast or countryside,
0:37:03 > 0:37:07when the city was a place for the young and trendy.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11Today's considerable number of older people want to stay in the heart of
0:37:11 > 0:37:12where the action is,
0:37:12 > 0:37:15but Paul's ambitions aren't just about things like improving
0:37:15 > 0:37:17work opportunities and parks -
0:37:17 > 0:37:20he's thinking about older people's social lives.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23He's even got a nightclub opened.
0:37:23 > 0:37:25Have you been to the nightclub or are you too young?
0:37:25 > 0:37:27Like all the members of my team,
0:37:27 > 0:37:29I've been to the age-friendly nightclub,
0:37:29 > 0:37:33had a great time with people from across Greater Manchester,
0:37:33 > 0:37:37because one of the things they said was that they'd love to go out
0:37:37 > 0:37:39in the city centre in the evenings, like they did when
0:37:39 > 0:37:42they were listening to the Beatles and the Stones,
0:37:42 > 0:37:44and once every couple of months,
0:37:44 > 0:37:49the My Generation nightclub has live bands, live music,
0:37:49 > 0:37:52people dance their night away and have a great time,
0:37:52 > 0:37:57and reclaim part of the city centre that was always theirs.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01How can older people engage with the process?
0:38:01 > 0:38:06Well, in 2004, we set up our first Older People's Board,
0:38:06 > 0:38:09which is a representative group right across the city.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11The other thing that we have each year
0:38:11 > 0:38:13is an Older People's Parliament,
0:38:13 > 0:38:17where over 100 community organisations gather together
0:38:17 > 0:38:21in this building and tell us what they think about
0:38:21 > 0:38:23the progress that we've made.
0:38:23 > 0:38:27When you see older people stand up at meetings and say,
0:38:27 > 0:38:29"This work has transformed my life,"
0:38:29 > 0:38:31or when you get letters from people who say,
0:38:31 > 0:38:35"I hadn't spoken to anybody for a month," and they say,
0:38:35 > 0:38:38"The work that you're doing is making a brilliant difference,"
0:38:38 > 0:38:39then it's fantastic.
0:38:39 > 0:38:43So, why do age-friendly cities matter,
0:38:43 > 0:38:47not just to the old but everyone?
0:38:47 > 0:38:49The changes in progress that we make now
0:38:49 > 0:38:51will benefit everybody eventually,
0:38:51 > 0:38:54and if you think of the, kind of, progressive gains
0:38:54 > 0:38:58that people in their 60s, 70s and 80s have made
0:38:58 > 0:39:03over the last 50 years, whether it's women's equality, race equality,
0:39:03 > 0:39:04lesbian and gay equality,
0:39:04 > 0:39:09adding age equality to that would be a fantastic success.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11# Highs and lows... #
0:39:11 > 0:39:15That tolerance is one of the things I love about Manchester -
0:39:15 > 0:39:20its openness and diversity helps make it the great city that it is.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22There's every type of person in this place,
0:39:22 > 0:39:25living their lives exactly as they want to.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27From those of a certain age, however,
0:39:27 > 0:39:31maybe brought up in different times under different circumstances,
0:39:31 > 0:39:34this freedom is something they've missed out on,
0:39:34 > 0:39:38and the result is often an old age filled with regret,
0:39:38 > 0:39:40unhappiness and even anger.
0:39:40 > 0:39:42So, what should you do?
0:39:42 > 0:39:45Well, the person I'm meeting next has a life-changing attitude
0:39:45 > 0:39:49to how she wanted to grow older.
0:39:49 > 0:39:53Jenny-Anne was born as Paul in 1946, and spent her younger years living
0:39:53 > 0:39:56a very run-of-the-mill life.
0:39:56 > 0:40:00Yes, that was me as a youngster, and then when I went to university.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04But it was only when she reached the age of 62 that she felt able to tell
0:40:04 > 0:40:08the world a secret she had been keeping all her life -
0:40:08 > 0:40:12the person many knew as a he was actually a she,
0:40:12 > 0:40:18and in 2007, she began to live the life she'd always wanted.
0:40:18 > 0:40:22In a society where older people struggle to have their voices heard,
0:40:22 > 0:40:26Jenny-Anne is using her story to make a real difference,
0:40:26 > 0:40:28and thankfully people are wanting to listen.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31People like the Manchester police force,
0:40:31 > 0:40:35where today Jenny-Anne is giving an interactive Q&A
0:40:35 > 0:40:40to highlight the importance of organisations listening to everyone.
0:40:40 > 0:40:44There's gender identity in the way you present yourself,
0:40:44 > 0:40:46and it's the way people see you,
0:40:46 > 0:40:50and the way you send the message of who you are
0:40:50 > 0:40:52and how you want to be seen.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54While Jenny-Anne finishes her presentation,
0:40:54 > 0:40:57I'm speaking to Divisional Commander Rich Jackson,
0:40:57 > 0:41:00who values Jenny-Anne's role in teaching his officers
0:41:00 > 0:41:02a new way of looking at the world.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06I feel that it's so important to get people such as Jenny in
0:41:06 > 0:41:10to speak from their first-hand views,
0:41:10 > 0:41:13where they've obviously...they've gone through a journey themselves,
0:41:13 > 0:41:18they've experienced all sorts of negativity and hostility
0:41:18 > 0:41:19through a transitioning period,
0:41:19 > 0:41:24and they can explain themselves exactly what they've gone through,
0:41:24 > 0:41:28so that the officers and staff that are present can have a real empathy
0:41:28 > 0:41:30with the journey that they've been on.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33Jenny isn't just speaking on behalf of the transgender community,
0:41:33 > 0:41:37she's also a representative of Manchester's senior citizens,
0:41:37 > 0:41:40who also need to build bridges with the police.
0:41:40 > 0:41:45Up to half a million people over 65 are believed to be victims of crime
0:41:45 > 0:41:49each year, such as abuse, neglect and street crime,
0:41:49 > 0:41:51yet many go unreported.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54But now, I want to find out more about how Jenny-Anne can be
0:41:54 > 0:41:59an inspiration for us all when it comes to holding back the years.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03It's fair to say your story's pretty unusual...
0:42:03 > 0:42:08- Yes.- ..but do you think it has wider lessons for older people, too?
0:42:08 > 0:42:09I think it does,
0:42:09 > 0:42:15because it means you can be whoever you want to be in older life,
0:42:15 > 0:42:19and you can do whatever you feel you want to do.
0:42:19 > 0:42:23It's very important just to be yourself, whatever that is.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25You said it, Jenny!
0:42:25 > 0:42:29How did growing older help you come to terms with your decision?
0:42:29 > 0:42:33And did this decision help you hold back the years?
0:42:33 > 0:42:35Yes. Erm...
0:42:35 > 0:42:41I delayed being myself for family reasons, for work reasons...
0:42:41 > 0:42:44I lost my job lots of times.
0:42:44 > 0:42:48And when I got older, it meant I could please myself.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52The kids were grown up, we'd looked after my parents,
0:42:52 > 0:42:54and unfortunately they'd died,
0:42:54 > 0:42:59so I really had that freedom to do what I wanted to do
0:42:59 > 0:43:00and to be myself,
0:43:00 > 0:43:06and by doing that, it made me feel so much younger.
0:43:06 > 0:43:08I behave like I'm 30!
0:43:08 > 0:43:11So, you certainly held back the years!
0:43:11 > 0:43:13Yes, but unfortunately, every so often,
0:43:13 > 0:43:16my body says, "Enough is enough!"
0:43:16 > 0:43:20Yeah. Do you find it more difficult being old or being a woman?
0:43:20 > 0:43:25Ah, being a woman is easy, because that's who I am.
0:43:25 > 0:43:28Being older sometimes is annoying,
0:43:28 > 0:43:31because it limits your physical energy,
0:43:31 > 0:43:34but I try not to let that worry me,
0:43:34 > 0:43:38because I just have so much left in my life to do.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41I have enough left for ten lifetimes!
0:43:41 > 0:43:45What message would you like to give to anyone
0:43:45 > 0:43:51who is a similar age to you about what life they should live?
0:43:51 > 0:43:57Oh, my message is just, be yourself and do what you want to do,
0:43:57 > 0:44:02because it'll make you so much happier, so much more confident,
0:44:02 > 0:44:04and it'll help you live longer as well.
0:44:07 > 0:44:09Thanks to Arlene and her friends in Manchester.
0:44:09 > 0:44:12Well, I hope you're seeing some of the great work being done
0:44:12 > 0:44:14right around the country to help us hold back the years,
0:44:14 > 0:44:18but, before we end, there is time for one last stop -
0:44:18 > 0:44:19in the capital,
0:44:19 > 0:44:23where Ainsley Harriott gives us the insight on how to live to 100.
0:44:25 > 0:44:29Now, I think you'll all agree that I'm a sunny-side-up type of guy.
0:44:29 > 0:44:31- APPLAUSE - Oh!- Whoa!
0:44:31 > 0:44:33Yes, I like a good laugh,
0:44:33 > 0:44:36but this year I'm turning 60, and I'll be honest -
0:44:36 > 0:44:39I'm a little bit concerned about it.
0:44:39 > 0:44:41I mean, where has all that time gone?
0:44:44 > 0:44:47Do you know? I have to say, there are so many questions in my mind,
0:44:47 > 0:44:51so many questions about whether I'm now officially old, you know?
0:44:52 > 0:44:55Will I act differently? Will I behave differently?
0:44:55 > 0:44:58What have I got to gain? What have I got to lose?
0:44:58 > 0:44:59These type of questions,
0:44:59 > 0:45:02I think the only way of resolving them, actually,
0:45:02 > 0:45:04is to go out and meet people who have been there before,
0:45:04 > 0:45:08people who have become 60 or are older than 60,
0:45:08 > 0:45:11and maybe I'm looking for some reassurances.
0:45:11 > 0:45:14- CORK POPS - According to stats,
0:45:14 > 0:45:17we might have loads more years left once we retire.
0:45:19 > 0:45:22Life expectancy today is an incredible 85 for women...
0:45:24 > 0:45:27Ho-ho! Look at them legs!
0:45:27 > 0:45:30..and 82 for men.
0:45:30 > 0:45:34That's compared to less than 60 before the Second World War.
0:45:34 > 0:45:36But how do you get to live into your very old age?
0:45:36 > 0:45:42Well, I'm going to find out from a woman who's been there and done it.
0:45:42 > 0:45:44Mum, this is Ainsley!
0:45:44 > 0:45:46- Oh, hello!- This is my mum Helen. - Hello!
0:45:46 > 0:45:48- Mwah! How are you? - It's nice to see you!
0:45:48 > 0:45:50Lovely to meet you, too.
0:45:50 > 0:45:51Lovely to meet you!
0:45:51 > 0:45:54- Do have a chair. There we are. - Oh, thank you very much.
0:45:54 > 0:45:56Helen Clare was born in Bradford in November 1916
0:45:56 > 0:45:59in the middle of the First World War.
0:46:00 > 0:46:02It was during the Second World War, however,
0:46:02 > 0:46:06that she became a real household name on BBC radio,
0:46:06 > 0:46:10and a touring star for British troops stationed all over the world.
0:46:10 > 0:46:13Today, she's 100 years young,
0:46:13 > 0:46:15but if you don't believe me...
0:46:15 > 0:46:21This is the 29th of November 1916.
0:46:21 > 0:46:23- Yes. - So, in one hand, I've got this -
0:46:23 > 0:46:27this is the birth certificate of Helen.
0:46:27 > 0:46:29And then in the other hand...
0:46:29 > 0:46:32- Ah-ha-ha-ha!- I've got a birthday card from the Queen!
0:46:32 > 0:46:36- Yes!- 100 years on this earth!
0:46:36 > 0:46:38That is remarkable.
0:46:38 > 0:46:40- Oh, can I read it out? - Of course!
0:46:40 > 0:46:45"I am so pleased to know that you are celebrating your 100th birthday.
0:46:45 > 0:46:48"I send my congratulations and best wishes to you
0:46:48 > 0:46:50"on such a special occasion."
0:46:55 > 0:47:00Of course, turning 100 used to be a slightly bigger deal than it is now,
0:47:00 > 0:47:04even making national and international news back in the day.
0:47:04 > 0:47:07It's always been a cause of great celebration.
0:47:07 > 0:47:10"It's never too late to ascend" might be the motto of
0:47:10 > 0:47:13Mrs Hannah Kettlewell, who is celebrating her 102nd birthday
0:47:13 > 0:47:14by having her first joy flip.
0:47:14 > 0:47:18There she goes on a flight she'd waited for for over 100 years,
0:47:18 > 0:47:21but the first 100 years are always the worst!
0:47:21 > 0:47:26And reporters have always turned up to see what lessons can be learned.
0:47:26 > 0:47:29Well, sir, you've reached a very great age -
0:47:29 > 0:47:31how do you feel about it all?
0:47:31 > 0:47:33Well, I can't believe it myself,
0:47:33 > 0:47:35what with all this fuss made about me.
0:47:35 > 0:47:38I don't feel old.
0:47:38 > 0:47:40There have been many scientific discoveries -
0:47:40 > 0:47:44which ones do you think have been the most useful to you?
0:47:44 > 0:47:47Television and the electric blanket.
0:47:48 > 0:47:52Throughout the decades, the number of centenarians has soared,
0:47:52 > 0:47:55creating some real national treasures along the way.
0:47:57 > 0:48:01At last count, there are over 14,000 people over the age of 100
0:48:01 > 0:48:02in the UK.
0:48:02 > 0:48:07That's an incredible four times what it was just over 30 years ago.
0:48:07 > 0:48:10But it's those little moments I'm interested in,
0:48:10 > 0:48:12and, boy, has Helen had some of those.
0:48:14 > 0:48:17This is amazing. This takes you back a bit, doesn't it?
0:48:17 > 0:48:21It does - that was in Weston-Super-Mare.
0:48:21 > 0:48:27I was staying in a hotel there one night, we heard a plane coming,
0:48:27 > 0:48:31and we rushed into the garden to see,
0:48:31 > 0:48:34and we got ourselves machine-gunned!
0:48:34 > 0:48:38You got what?!
0:48:38 > 0:48:41- He missed!- Oh, he missed? He missed?
0:48:41 > 0:48:43Oh, wow!
0:48:43 > 0:48:47I have to say, wonderfully elegant there, wonderfully elegant.
0:48:47 > 0:48:51That was taken after the war.
0:48:51 > 0:48:56It was lovely to have the lights on and...
0:48:56 > 0:48:59Mind you, for a long time, you know, after the war,
0:48:59 > 0:49:04we were still on rations, and life was still a bit difficult...
0:49:04 > 0:49:05Sure, sure.
0:49:05 > 0:49:09..but it was lovely to think we weren't being chased up the road
0:49:09 > 0:49:11- with a dive-bomb.- Yeah.
0:49:11 > 0:49:16But, of course, in Helen's long life, there have been lows too,
0:49:16 > 0:49:19like losing her husband Frederick 22 years ago.
0:49:20 > 0:49:23Yes, I miss him tremendously,
0:49:23 > 0:49:25and probably always will.
0:49:25 > 0:49:27Ah, but there's some lovely photographs of him all over.
0:49:27 > 0:49:28Oh, yes, yes.
0:49:28 > 0:49:30- A handsome man, eh?- He was, yes.
0:49:30 > 0:49:32Whoa, look at that, eh?
0:49:32 > 0:49:36- But he was a wonderful musician. - Mm-hmm?
0:49:36 > 0:49:40It's fair to say that Helen is an inspiration.
0:49:40 > 0:49:42She's living proof that you can be happy in old age
0:49:42 > 0:49:45by being a true survivor,
0:49:45 > 0:49:48but what's the secret of getting to 100?
0:49:48 > 0:49:52Well, there isn't a secret, you just...
0:49:52 > 0:49:55You have to be interested in things.
0:49:55 > 0:49:59You have to not just have your little circle -
0:49:59 > 0:50:02you've got to be interested in what's happening in the world,
0:50:02 > 0:50:06and what's happening in business and...
0:50:06 > 0:50:09- just keep your interests going... - Yeah.
0:50:09 > 0:50:13..and keep your sense of enjoyment going.
0:50:13 > 0:50:14Just be positive?
0:50:14 > 0:50:16- Yeah.- And that's the secret, is it?
0:50:16 > 0:50:19Well, if there is one, yes, it is.
0:50:19 > 0:50:22So, what can we take away from meeting Helen?
0:50:22 > 0:50:26Well, at 60, it would seem that the chances are
0:50:26 > 0:50:30we still have plenty of years and life left in us.
0:50:30 > 0:50:33But I've one last surprise for her before I go -
0:50:33 > 0:50:37it's a very rare recording of her singing in 1937.
0:50:37 > 0:50:41Now, if this doesn't put a smile on your face, nothing will!
0:50:41 > 0:50:42Take it away, Helen!
0:50:45 > 0:50:46# You like potato
0:50:46 > 0:50:48# And I like pot-ah-to
0:50:48 > 0:50:49# You like tom-ay-to
0:50:49 > 0:50:51# And I like tomato
0:50:51 > 0:50:52# Potato, pot-ah-to
0:50:52 > 0:50:54# Tom-ay-to, tomato
0:50:54 > 0:50:55# Let's call the whole thing off... #
0:51:02 > 0:51:04HE MOUTHS
0:51:11 > 0:51:14I'll tell you what, you've had the most extraordinary life,
0:51:14 > 0:51:17so there's one favour I'd love to ask you.
0:51:17 > 0:51:19Will you have a date with me?
0:51:19 > 0:51:21Oh, yes!
0:51:21 > 0:51:23Didn't have to ask much, did I?
0:51:23 > 0:51:25I didn't even have to cook you dinner!
0:51:26 > 0:51:27I'll come and see you later.
0:51:27 > 0:51:28OK!
0:51:30 > 0:51:33Do you know what? That was truly inspirational.
0:51:33 > 0:51:37To think that I might have another 40 years left in the tank...
0:51:37 > 0:51:40I'll tell you what, that woman has really given me a zest for life.
0:51:41 > 0:51:43I think I might plan a bit of a party.
0:51:45 > 0:51:48I've arranged for a very special treat in her honour.
0:51:48 > 0:51:51First, though, I'd better make myself look presentable.
0:51:52 > 0:51:55Do you know? Helen has a real zest for life,
0:51:55 > 0:51:57and I've arranged a little party for her
0:51:57 > 0:51:59that I hope is going to reflect that.
0:51:59 > 0:52:02Oh, there you go!
0:52:02 > 0:52:03Let's go get her.
0:52:07 > 0:52:10- Why, hello, Helen!- Ah!
0:52:10 > 0:52:13- What do you think? - You look fantastic!
0:52:13 > 0:52:15Oh, thank you, thank you...
0:52:15 > 0:52:19Now, I would never have been able to arrange this date
0:52:19 > 0:52:21without the help of the general manager here
0:52:21 > 0:52:23- of the Grosvenor House Hotel.- Ah!
0:52:23 > 0:52:24This is Stuart. Stuart...
0:52:24 > 0:52:27Helen, it's an absolute honour and a privilege to welcome you back.
0:52:27 > 0:52:30- It's been nearly 80 years since you've last sung here.- Thank you.
0:52:30 > 0:52:33On behalf of the team, many congratulations.
0:52:33 > 0:52:34Oh, they're beautiful!
0:52:34 > 0:52:38- Our pleasure.- Oh, they're lovely!
0:52:38 > 0:52:42Now, this might be a date, but I've also invited some others along.
0:52:42 > 0:52:46They're far from gooseberries - they're Helen's family and friends.
0:52:48 > 0:52:50Now...
0:52:50 > 0:52:51This is lovely.
0:52:51 > 0:52:55You actually performed here in this very room 71 years ago.
0:52:55 > 0:52:57You sang in this room.
0:52:57 > 0:52:59- Yes.- Your first gig in London.
0:52:59 > 0:53:02So, we thought we'd get a fabulous '30s band,
0:53:02 > 0:53:05- the Alex Mendham Band, Orchestra... - Oh, wonderful!
0:53:05 > 0:53:06..to play a little bit of something.
0:53:06 > 0:53:08- That's marvellous! - Take it away, guys!
0:53:08 > 0:53:09Ah!
0:53:09 > 0:53:14# Happy birthday to you
0:53:14 > 0:53:19# Happy birthday to you
0:53:19 > 0:53:22# Happy birthday
0:53:22 > 0:53:26# Dear Helen
0:53:26 > 0:53:31# Happy birthday to you. #
0:53:31 > 0:53:33WHISTLING AND APPLAUSE
0:53:38 > 0:53:40And here we are, Helen.
0:53:40 > 0:53:42Hey, guys, everyone seated?
0:53:42 > 0:53:44Look at that.
0:53:44 > 0:53:46I've got a lovely cake over there for you,
0:53:46 > 0:53:52and it says, "Helen, happy birthday, 100 years and three weeks!"
0:53:52 > 0:53:55And each candle - there's ten candles -
0:53:55 > 0:53:57each candle for each decade. Eh?
0:53:57 > 0:54:00How about that? Everybody going to help blow it out?
0:54:00 > 0:54:02Ready? Stand up, stand up... Ready?
0:54:02 > 0:54:05One, two, three...
0:54:05 > 0:54:06THEY EXHALE
0:54:06 > 0:54:10- Hooray! Fantastic! - CHEERING
0:54:10 > 0:54:13Everyone's getting excited now.
0:54:13 > 0:54:15- It's champagne time! - CORK POPS
0:54:15 > 0:54:19And no 100th birthday would be complete without a glass or two of
0:54:19 > 0:54:20centenary bubbles.
0:54:20 > 0:54:23Cheers, everyone. Let's clink those glasses!
0:54:23 > 0:54:25- Cheers, Helen, happy birthday! - Cheers.- Cheers.
0:54:25 > 0:54:26And there are two people here
0:54:26 > 0:54:29who are particularly excited to see Helen -
0:54:29 > 0:54:33her great-grandchildren Jeremy and Nathan, along with mum Amanda.
0:54:33 > 0:54:35Nana's 100 - what do you think of that?
0:54:35 > 0:54:37Do you think that's special?
0:54:37 > 0:54:38- Yes!- Yeah?
0:54:38 > 0:54:40- Yep.- It's very, very special.
0:54:40 > 0:54:42What do you think, more importantly?
0:54:42 > 0:54:44I... Oh, it's... It's absolutely amazing.
0:54:44 > 0:54:47It's wonderful to have reached that age,
0:54:47 > 0:54:51and for Nana to be able to see her great-grandchildren.
0:54:51 > 0:54:53- I know, isn't that amazing? - It's really wonderful.
0:54:53 > 0:54:55- Yeah.- And for them to get to know her as well...
0:54:55 > 0:54:58- Sure.- And they're actually very close to her,
0:54:58 > 0:54:59- so this is really wonderful.- Yeah.
0:54:59 > 0:55:02- It's wonderful.- Yes, yes.- Wonderful that you could all come along.
0:55:03 > 0:55:07I'll be honest - the chance of having grandchildren in the future
0:55:07 > 0:55:10is one of the main reasons I'm looking forward to turning 60,
0:55:10 > 0:55:12because, according to a recent study,
0:55:12 > 0:55:16being active with your grandkids decreases the risk of Alzheimer's,
0:55:16 > 0:55:18keeps you fitter, and - get this -
0:55:18 > 0:55:23produces a so-called love hormone that boosts your immune system.
0:55:23 > 0:55:24Oh-ho, yes!
0:55:26 > 0:55:28But the main reason I've organised this party is to
0:55:28 > 0:55:31make Helen feel young again,
0:55:31 > 0:55:35which is ultimately what holding back the years is all about.
0:55:35 > 0:55:39- Hello.- Hello.- Yeah, Helen, we've got one more treat for you here.
0:55:39 > 0:55:42- Yes?- Yeah, one more treat. This is Alex from the band.
0:55:42 > 0:55:44- And the two girls. - Hannah and Serena Dunlop.- Hello.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46Yeah, Hannah and Serena.
0:55:47 > 0:55:50And I don't know if you remember, when we were talking,
0:55:50 > 0:55:54you said that one of your favourite songs was
0:55:54 > 0:55:55Let's Call The Whole Thing Off,
0:55:55 > 0:55:58and you probably performed it in this room...
0:55:58 > 0:56:01- Probably did! - ..over 70 years ago! Yeah?
0:56:01 > 0:56:05And the band here, Alex and the girls, and the wonderful orchestra,
0:56:05 > 0:56:06they're going to perform it for you.
0:56:06 > 0:56:09- Ah, lovely!- Yeah!
0:56:09 > 0:56:11Lovely! Alex, take it away.
0:56:15 > 0:56:18MUSIC: Let's Call The Whole Thing Off by George and Ira Gershwin
0:56:29 > 0:56:31- # I say either - We say ey-ther
0:56:31 > 0:56:33- # I say neither - We say ny-ther
0:56:33 > 0:56:34- # Either - Ey-ther
0:56:34 > 0:56:35- # Neither - Ny-ther
0:56:35 > 0:56:38# Let's call the whole thing off
0:56:38 > 0:56:39# Now, I say tom-ay-to
0:56:39 > 0:56:40# And we say tomato
0:56:40 > 0:56:43- # I say potato - We say pot-ah-to
0:56:43 > 0:56:44- # Potato - Pot-ah-to
0:56:44 > 0:56:45- # Tom-ay-to - Tomato
0:56:45 > 0:56:47# Let's call the whole thing off. #
0:57:14 > 0:57:18Well, it's nearly time to wrap up our whistle-stop tour of
0:57:18 > 0:57:20ageing in Britain.
0:57:20 > 0:57:21As I look back, though,
0:57:21 > 0:57:23there's plenty of work to be done, of course,
0:57:23 > 0:57:27but there are some amazingly positive stories.
0:57:27 > 0:57:30In fact, I'm tempted to say, there's lots to look forward to!