0:00:02 > 0:00:04For the first time in Britain,
0:00:04 > 0:00:08there are more people over the age of 60 than 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 in their 80s and 90s.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17But what does growing older mean for you?
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Difficult, sometimes more than other times.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23- I don't think you should be nervous about getting old.- Yeah.
0:00:23 > 0:00:24It's a wonderful state.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26Our team is getting to the bottom of
0:00:26 > 0:00:29the key ageing concerns that you'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 > 0:00:42Or the cost of happiness.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46And, even if you haven't yet reached your golden years,
0:00:46 > 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 > 0:00:56as we lift the lid on holding back the years.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12Time makes you think about
0:01:12 > 0:01:15how you've changed and how you've stayed the same.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18I'm Arlene, and I'm an OAP.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20How did that happen?
0:01:20 > 0:01:22It's incredible to think that if
0:01:22 > 0:01:24I'd been born earlier in the 20th century
0:01:24 > 0:01:27I probably wouldn't even have made 70.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31But longer life expectancy throws up
0:01:31 > 0:01:34some big issues and questions that affect us all.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38What are you meant to look,
0:01:38 > 0:01:42feel and act like now as a pensioner living in the 21st century?
0:01:44 > 0:01:47Well, I have to say, being who you want to be
0:01:47 > 0:01:49is the key to holding back the years.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52And, in this episode, I'll be introducing you to some people
0:01:52 > 0:01:57who can offer us new ways of approaching later life.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00'Whether it's by taking control of the way they look...'
0:02:00 > 0:02:02Oh, my gosh!
0:02:02 > 0:02:03Oh, dear!
0:02:03 > 0:02:05'..fighting for grey power...'
0:02:05 > 0:02:09My voice is now so strong and so clear
0:02:09 > 0:02:11in a way that it's never been before.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13'..or how a new experience could
0:02:13 > 0:02:16'actually help keep you young at heart.'
0:02:16 > 0:02:17What was it that Angela said?
0:02:17 > 0:02:20The most fun you can have with your clothes on.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23First, let me tell you why
0:02:23 > 0:02:25this subject has personal interest for me.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31Welcome to Manchester.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34This place has the honour of being
0:02:34 > 0:02:37the UK's first-ever age-friendly city,
0:02:37 > 0:02:41according to none other than the World Health Organization,
0:02:41 > 0:02:43which means it's recognising that
0:02:43 > 0:02:46senior citizens need to be front and centre
0:02:46 > 0:02:49when it comes to facilities, access and things to do.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53But more of that later. First and foremost,
0:02:53 > 0:02:57I'm proud of coming from here, because this is where I started life
0:02:57 > 0:03:0173 years ago as a chubby little girl.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05I lived in the Manchester area for the first 22 years of my life,
0:03:05 > 0:03:08and it's a place I'll always call home.
0:03:08 > 0:03:13Back in the 1940s and '50s, however, it looked quite a bit different.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17'Manchester - big and black.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21'Often, a pall of smoky mist hangs over its maze of mean streets.'
0:03:21 > 0:03:24It was a typical northern industrial city back then,
0:03:24 > 0:03:28coming out of depression, war and industrial decline.
0:03:28 > 0:03:33Life expectancy was barely above 60, making old people a rarity.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35Those who did live into old age,
0:03:35 > 0:03:39meanwhile, often did so in ill health,
0:03:39 > 0:03:41having to be looked after by their family or neighbours.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43And they were the lucky ones!
0:03:43 > 0:03:46For others, life was pretty miserable.
0:03:46 > 0:03:51I, on the other hand, have very fond memories of these old days.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53We were a family of five -
0:03:53 > 0:03:56my parents, brother, Ian, and my sister, Karen.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00I lived in Prestwich, and eventually moved to Didsbury,
0:04:00 > 0:04:02where my father opened a barber shop.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04This is him.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06And this is my mother standing outside the shop,
0:04:06 > 0:04:11sadly, before she passed away when I was 15 years old.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15But, for me, here in the middle, the person I became
0:04:15 > 0:04:19is really down to the times in which I did most of my growing up -
0:04:19 > 0:04:20the '60s!
0:04:20 > 0:04:23- # People try to put us down - Talkin' 'bout my generation... #
0:04:23 > 0:04:26We all know this was an age of great music and fashion,
0:04:26 > 0:04:31but it was also a decade of massive social and cultural change, too.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34It's when we fought for our civil rights
0:04:34 > 0:04:35and we weren't afraid to shout about it.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39It helped inject into us a certain attitude,
0:04:39 > 0:04:41one that I certainly brought to my choreography
0:04:41 > 0:04:44after forming the dance troupe Hot Gossip.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48You've been described as the woman who put the bump and the grind
0:04:48 > 0:04:50back into seductive dancing. What's a bump and a grind?
0:04:50 > 0:04:52Oh, that's two hip moves.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55A bump goes bump and a grind goes around.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58Um, yeah, you could say that.
0:04:58 > 0:05:03Decades later, my generation has carried on its rebellious spirit
0:05:03 > 0:05:06into our old age. We're just not ready to conform
0:05:06 > 0:05:08to the stereotypes of being a senior citizen.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12Well, today I want to introduce you to some people who are role models,
0:05:12 > 0:05:14not just for people of a certain age
0:05:14 > 0:05:16but for everyone of any age.
0:05:16 > 0:05:21First up, a group of ladies who you could say have found the light,
0:05:21 > 0:05:24because they believe in G-O-D.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27But not that sort of God you're thinking of.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31No, in this case, G-O-D stands for Growing Old Disgracefully.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34And they have groups spreading all over the country.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36Every group has their own activities,
0:05:36 > 0:05:38from dancing to treasure hunts,
0:05:38 > 0:05:42and if it's something they've never done before, even better!
0:05:42 > 0:05:44I like the sound of it.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47You're called Growing Old Disgracefully.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50So, what is your philosophy on life?
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Just to live life to the full, really.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56Make the best we can of the rest of our lives,
0:05:56 > 0:05:59and...willing and ready to try new things.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01We want to do things for ourselves,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04experience the most out of life.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08And that's what Growing Old Disgracefully is all about.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10Why did you want to be part of the group?
0:06:10 > 0:06:13I joined about ten years ago, I think,
0:06:13 > 0:06:15and I was introduced by a friend.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18And, at the time, life was pretty tough for me,
0:06:18 > 0:06:21I had a husband who had been ill for many years,
0:06:21 > 0:06:24and I found the friendship and support of this group
0:06:24 > 0:06:26just what I needed at the time.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29I was a carer for my husband, and I felt I wanted to get out
0:06:29 > 0:06:31somewhere I could meet likeminded people
0:06:31 > 0:06:34for support and friendship.
0:06:34 > 0:06:39It's lovely to be with so many likeminded women, and if you're
0:06:39 > 0:06:41a bit worried about getting older
0:06:41 > 0:06:43the oldest person in our group is 95.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47- Whoa!- And she is a role model for everybody.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49So, that's G-O-D, I think, in a nutshell.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54It's the opposite of how old people behaved in the days gone by,
0:06:54 > 0:06:57when we were expected to take to our rocking chairs
0:06:57 > 0:06:59to do our knitting and smoke our pipes.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03Maybe occasionally getting the odd day out with our chums!
0:07:03 > 0:07:07Old age was thought to be nothing more than God's waiting room,
0:07:07 > 0:07:09until it was your time to kick the bucket.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12Today, however, research shows that
0:07:12 > 0:07:15learning new skills and doing new stuff
0:07:15 > 0:07:18might actually be the key to holding back the years.
0:07:18 > 0:07:23Some even say that having a bucket list filled with new experiences
0:07:23 > 0:07:24could put years on your life
0:07:24 > 0:07:27by releasing the sort of endorphins and hormones
0:07:27 > 0:07:30that give a good old-fashioned jolt to the system.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35And what adventures, what things do you try?
0:07:35 > 0:07:39Oh, wow, these days I spend a lot of time doing advanced driving.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41I took the course and really enjoyed it,
0:07:41 > 0:07:43and it improved my driving.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45So I decided to become a tutor.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49And now quite a lot of the people who come to us are elderly
0:07:49 > 0:07:51people who are losing their confidence
0:07:51 > 0:07:55and afraid that they might not be able to drive any more.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57So, helping them to regain confidence,
0:07:57 > 0:08:01it's just wonderful to see them so pleased with themselves.
0:08:01 > 0:08:02I took part in a flash mob
0:08:02 > 0:08:06a few months back, and they had the same thing done in each city
0:08:06 > 0:08:07throughout Europe on the same day,
0:08:07 > 0:08:09and I was part of the Manchester one.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13- And your dance was exercises to help you...- Balance.- ..not fall over!
0:08:13 > 0:08:16- Balance.- Yeah, which obviously, as you grow older, is important.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18It was all to the tune of...
0:08:18 > 0:08:21# It ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it
0:08:21 > 0:08:24# It ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it
0:08:24 > 0:08:27# And that's what gets results! #
0:08:27 > 0:08:28- Woo! - APPLAUSE
0:08:28 > 0:08:31But, yeah, that was good.
0:08:31 > 0:08:32What would your advice be
0:08:32 > 0:08:35if anyone's worried about embarrassing themselves
0:08:35 > 0:08:37if they join a group like this?
0:08:37 > 0:08:39Oh, for goodness' sake!
0:08:40 > 0:08:41Who cares?
0:08:41 > 0:08:43It really doesn't matter, does it?
0:08:43 > 0:08:45Somebody else's opinion,
0:08:45 > 0:08:49if they don't like what you're doing it's their problem, isn't it?
0:08:49 > 0:08:51'Hear, hear. Sisters doing it for themselves.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54'And talking of sisters, why no brothers here?'
0:08:54 > 0:08:58A question - why are there no blokes in this group?
0:08:58 > 0:09:01If we did have men in the group, it would affect the dynamics.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04And we want to be ourselves.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07We want to experience life for ourselves and not be
0:09:07 > 0:09:12marginalised by men pushing their way in and trying to organise us.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14We want to do our things.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16And that's basically why.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20We're not misogynist, we just want to do things for ourselves.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24'OK, enough of the chitchat. Time to get moving.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27'One of the mission statements of these ladies is that you're
0:09:27 > 0:09:30'never too old to try something for the first time.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34'And, so, today, that's exactly what I'm going to witness them do.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37'First up, a quick instructional video.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43'Although I think all the ladies prefer the personal approach.'
0:09:43 > 0:09:45My name's Josh, I'm going to be your instructor.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47When you want to get in, you want to be as big as you possibly can,
0:09:47 > 0:09:50so what you're looking for is like a big star shape, yeah?
0:09:50 > 0:09:52Could we all do a big star shape?
0:09:52 > 0:09:56'What's clear is that by learning a brand-new skill like this,
0:09:56 > 0:10:00'it's the mind as well as the body that's being put through its paces.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03'And research shows this keeps the brain sharper than doing
0:10:03 > 0:10:05'familiar things like, say, the crossword.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11'Hand signals memorised, it's now time to get suited and booted,
0:10:11 > 0:10:15'but will the experience be heaven or hell for the gals from GOD?
0:10:18 > 0:10:20'No backing out now.'
0:10:21 > 0:10:24- Are you good? Are you in?- I'm in. - You're in. There we go. Perfect.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26LAUGHTER
0:10:27 > 0:10:30You're not going out to play until you've got your coat fastened!
0:10:30 > 0:10:31LAUGHTER
0:10:35 > 0:10:38- So, how are you all feeling? - Excited.- Excited.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42- Are you ready to fly? - Yes.- Yes.- Let's do it.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45MUSIC: Glad All Over by The Dave Clark Five
0:10:45 > 0:10:48# Glad all over, yes I'm-a
0:10:48 > 0:10:51# Glad all over, baby I'm
0:10:51 > 0:10:54# Glad all over, so glad you're mine... #
0:10:56 > 0:10:58I really admire these ladies.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02They are prepared to give it a real go.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06'If all this doesn't get the adrenaline and endorphins flowing,
0:11:06 > 0:11:08'then I don't know what will.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11'And that, ultimately, can help the immune system and give us
0:11:11 > 0:11:12'a real health boost.'
0:11:12 > 0:11:15# Glad all over, yes I'm-a... #
0:11:15 > 0:11:17You might even get a free face-lift out of it.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22Talk about blowing your face in the wind.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25Looks like your face is about to be blown apart.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29'But even apart from the health benefits, it's showing the old adage
0:11:29 > 0:11:33'that you can't teach old dogs new tricks is totally wrong.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36'And you can forget about keeping our feet on the ground.'
0:11:39 > 0:11:41This is not just about skydiving.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45This is about taking on challenges in later life and doing
0:11:45 > 0:11:49things that you have never done before.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51And that's why I admire these ladies.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56Of course, you don't have to go to the extremes of skydiving to
0:11:56 > 0:11:59get the benefits of trying something new.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03Psychologists say that older people can get the same buzz from
0:12:03 > 0:12:04even small things,
0:12:04 > 0:12:07whether it's trying a new food for the first time,
0:12:07 > 0:12:12taking up a hobby or travelling the world and seeing brand-new places.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16Put another way, boredom is bad for your health.
0:12:16 > 0:12:17Increasing the risk of loneliness,
0:12:17 > 0:12:20depression and even physical ill-health.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26So, just get on your bike and get out there.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31An added bonus of trying something new is that you might also
0:12:31 > 0:12:32inspire others.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38And that's certainly happened today,
0:12:38 > 0:12:41because I'm going to give indoor skydiving a goal.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45WIND BLOWS
0:12:45 > 0:12:49'Not my most flattering look, but I don't care. It's worth it.
0:12:50 > 0:12:56'Well, the verdict's in. Looks like they've reached seventh heaven.'
0:12:56 > 0:12:58- Oh, fabulous.- Brilliant.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03It was just so exhilarating, wasn't it? It went up to the top.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07And, you know, my knee, it just doesn't hurt. It just doesn't hurt.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10Yeah, it felt light, though, when you were in there. Yeah, very good.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13Well, I didn't sleep at all last night worrying about it.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16And I shouldn't have done, because it was fabulous!
0:13:16 > 0:13:17What was I worrying about?
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Oh, what was it that Angela said?
0:13:20 > 0:13:22Most fun you could have with your clothes on.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24THEY LAUGH
0:13:24 > 0:13:25Brilliant.
0:13:25 > 0:13:30'Well, when it comes to GOD, I'm ready to say hallelujah.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34'For me, these ladies show that just because we're older,
0:13:34 > 0:13:39'the Baby Boomer generation hasn't lost its edge or get-up-and-go.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43'In fact, the sky is very much the limit.'
0:13:43 > 0:13:46I think we should be really proud of ourselves.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50'Of course, for some, when it comes to holding back the years,
0:13:50 > 0:13:53'how they look is as important as how they behave.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55'And "look good, feel good"
0:13:55 > 0:13:59'is a motto I can certainly empathize with.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02'But how far would or should you take it?
0:14:02 > 0:14:04'Enough to go under the knife?
0:14:04 > 0:14:07'Cosmetic surgery has been around for years,
0:14:07 > 0:14:11'but hasn't always been held in the highest regard.'
0:14:11 > 0:14:14- ARCHIVE FOOTAGE:- Not many British doctors carry out these operations,
0:14:14 > 0:14:18as they're generally regarded by the Medical Association as frivolous.
0:14:18 > 0:14:23Today, however, it's big business, raking in around three billion a
0:14:23 > 0:14:28year with approximately 30,000 Brits choosing to go under the knife.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32And one of the main reasons for doing so
0:14:32 > 0:14:35is to counter the outward signs of ageing.
0:14:35 > 0:14:37But why the seeming obsession?
0:14:39 > 0:14:42I've come to one of Cheshire's leading cosmetic surgery
0:14:42 > 0:14:46clinics, where I'm meeting consultant Mr Gary Ross.
0:14:46 > 0:14:52OK, now, that really should start working almost instantly, all right?
0:14:52 > 0:14:55'He performs around 400 procedures a year,
0:14:55 > 0:14:58'with spending totalling over £1.5 million.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00'Today, it's a minor procedure,
0:15:00 > 0:15:02'moving a lesion from a patient's eyelid.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06'And it leaves me thinking more about the sort of patients who come
0:15:06 > 0:15:08'into his operating theatre.'
0:15:08 > 0:15:09- All done. OK.- Excellent.
0:15:10 > 0:15:15Is cosmetic surgery a growing trend for ageing women -
0:15:15 > 0:15:17and, indeed, for men?
0:15:17 > 0:15:22In my personal practice, I've seen about a 200% increase
0:15:22 > 0:15:25from around five years ago - and that's both men and women.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28There are more over-60s around.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32I think that the over-60s are a golden generation,
0:15:32 > 0:15:35with pensions, good pensions.
0:15:35 > 0:15:40They've got more disposable income, in order to spoil themselves.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44I think, also, in terms of diet and lifestyle,
0:15:44 > 0:15:47they have looked at that and taken it on board.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50They're fitter than they were ten years ago,
0:15:50 > 0:15:53and there's more to live for.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57I'm curious to know, what is the most requested procedure
0:15:57 > 0:16:01- that you get asked for? - Certainly in the 60s-plus,
0:16:01 > 0:16:04almost invariably it's face, eyelids -
0:16:04 > 0:16:09so, in terms of, you know, what ages first in that area,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12it's the areas of the body that are in the sun.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16Do you think that cosmetic surgery is giving in
0:16:16 > 0:16:19to society's obsession with youth?
0:16:19 > 0:16:23I think we're all scared, in a way, of getting older,
0:16:23 > 0:16:26we're all scared of what will happen,
0:16:26 > 0:16:30but there's no harm in feeling better about oneself,
0:16:30 > 0:16:32or improving one's own quality of life -
0:16:32 > 0:16:34and cosmetic surgery might be part of that.
0:16:34 > 0:16:40I think, as long as one understands what one is getting into,
0:16:40 > 0:16:42understands the risks, the complications,
0:16:42 > 0:16:46and is able to weigh that up and empower oneself to make a decision -
0:16:46 > 0:16:49I think cosmetic surgery can improve quality of life,
0:16:49 > 0:16:52and it's something that more and more people are looking to do.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54OK, Gary, if I came to see you,
0:16:54 > 0:16:58what would you recommend for me? I'm 73.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00Er... I would say you don't need anything.
0:17:00 > 0:17:05- You're being very kind!- Enjoy your life, have a nice holiday, and...
0:17:05 > 0:17:07Yeah. That's what I would say, initially.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09- I'm going to come back to you.- Yeah.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12OK, that was very nice, but I'd like a bit of this...
0:17:14 > 0:17:16Could you do that?
0:17:16 > 0:17:19Well, I think, just for that area, it probably is surgical.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23We need to go through the pros and cons, but, certainly,
0:17:23 > 0:17:28age is not... There is no limit in terms of age.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30- It's just your fitness for an anaesthetic.- I'm fit!
0:17:31 > 0:17:33I might be seeing you soon!
0:17:35 > 0:17:36For some, of course,
0:17:36 > 0:17:40the subject of cosmetic surgery provokes mixed feelings.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44Isn't it just an expensive hobby for those who can afford it,
0:17:44 > 0:17:46and are vain enough?
0:17:46 > 0:17:50Instead, shouldn't we be proud of the way we look as we get older,
0:17:50 > 0:17:52and celebrate our wrinkles?
0:17:52 > 0:17:55To help answer these questions, I've been granted permission
0:17:55 > 0:17:59to sit in on a consultation with 64-year-old Barbara Lewis.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02- Hello, Barbara.- Hi, Gary. - Nice to see you again.- Hi, yes.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05- Come on through. So, it's been a while.- Yes, it has.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08Five years ago, Barbara had cosmetic surgery on her arms,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11followed by reconstructive surgery on her stomach after various
0:18:11 > 0:18:13abdominal operations.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17Since then, she has had cosmetic surgery on her upper eyes
0:18:17 > 0:18:20and is now considering further facial procedures.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22How have they been - how have the scars been?
0:18:22 > 0:18:24- Fantastic, fantastic.- Great.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26What brings you back now?
0:18:26 > 0:18:27Right, well, um...
0:18:27 > 0:18:32- I thought I needed something round here.- OK.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36Going a bit...round my neck and jowls, and things like that.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38- I'm very happy with the way I look...- Mm.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42..but I just feel that it's going a bit here, now.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44There are many different options here, and, you know,
0:18:44 > 0:18:47they range from nonsurgical all the way through to surgical,
0:18:47 > 0:18:51and the most traditional is Botox and fillers.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Botox tends to knock out the muscles, reduce the lines.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58There are minimal access options, where that means a small incision,
0:18:58 > 0:19:00but "small incision" usually means
0:19:00 > 0:19:03a small amount of surgery and small result.
0:19:03 > 0:19:10I think, surgically, the best way to be able to help this area
0:19:10 > 0:19:12would be a face and a neck left.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15The neck needs to be tightened,
0:19:15 > 0:19:18which invariably raises the tissue higher.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21We're looking to raise the tissue of the lower jaw
0:19:21 > 0:19:25higher into the mid-face, and then the lower face, in essence,
0:19:25 > 0:19:28- gets moved up onto the mid-face.- OK.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32'All of which could cost around £10,000 -
0:19:32 > 0:19:33'but, as part of the price,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36'Barbara can use the latest in virtual technology
0:19:36 > 0:19:39'to give an indication of what she could look like.'
0:19:40 > 0:19:41Oh, my God!
0:19:42 > 0:19:43Oh, dear!
0:19:45 > 0:19:47Oh, wow. Scary!
0:19:47 > 0:19:48THEY LAUGH
0:19:49 > 0:19:51- That is scary.- OK?
0:19:51 > 0:19:52Fantastic.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56'Even if Barbara decides to go ahead with surgery,
0:19:56 > 0:19:59'there will be a compulsory two-week cooling off period
0:19:59 > 0:20:01'to give her time to change her mind -
0:20:01 > 0:20:06'but I must say she seems pretty determined from where I'm sitting.
0:20:06 > 0:20:07'So, the big question for me
0:20:07 > 0:20:11'is why she continues to go through with it -
0:20:11 > 0:20:13'and what can we learn from her experience?'
0:20:13 > 0:20:16Barbara, why are you considering having more plastic surgery
0:20:16 > 0:20:18for cosmetic reasons?
0:20:18 > 0:20:23Well, because I think, as a woman, as you get older,
0:20:23 > 0:20:27you lose confidence and your self-esteem goes down,
0:20:27 > 0:20:28if you look in the mirror
0:20:28 > 0:20:31and you don't like what's looking back at you.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35I've always looked after myself and I've always looked after my skin
0:20:35 > 0:20:38and everything, and I think, as you get older, you know,
0:20:38 > 0:20:40unfortunately, it happens, doesn't it?
0:20:40 > 0:20:43Ageing, things drop, and things like that,
0:20:43 > 0:20:46and I think that it's all about feeling good about yourself,
0:20:46 > 0:20:49and if you look good, you feel good.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53Would you recommend plastic surgery for cosmetic reasons to others?
0:20:53 > 0:20:58Yes, I would recommend it, and I have recommended it. I think that...
0:20:58 > 0:21:01I understand if people don't want to do it,
0:21:01 > 0:21:05and are frightened of having it done, but I think, in the long run,
0:21:05 > 0:21:08it helps you as a lady getting older -
0:21:08 > 0:21:10and some people say, "Well, I don't need that,
0:21:10 > 0:21:13"I'm happy with the way I am," and that's fine,
0:21:13 > 0:21:17that's absolutely fine, but I think, from my point of view,
0:21:17 > 0:21:20- it's helped me enormously.- Mm.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22So, I definitely would recommend it.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24So, arms down by your sides, stand up nice and straight
0:21:24 > 0:21:26and just tuck your hair behind your ears...
0:21:26 > 0:21:27'Well, Barbara seems convinced
0:21:27 > 0:21:31'that it's something she's doing for herself, not for other people -
0:21:31 > 0:21:34'so, I can't resist the chance to get my face profiled
0:21:34 > 0:21:37'for the virtual reality goggles,
0:21:37 > 0:21:39'to get an idea what I could perhaps look like
0:21:39 > 0:21:41'with a little nip and tuck.'
0:21:43 > 0:21:44- Here we go!- Here we go.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50Oh, my God, it's so strange!
0:21:50 > 0:21:53I can see my entire face!
0:21:53 > 0:21:55And neck.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57This is incredible.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00It's amazing to see what you could possibly look like.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03- You can see the future! - Yes, definitely.- Yeah.- Definitely.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07- Are you excited?- Very excited. - So am I!- Very excited!
0:22:08 > 0:22:12Looking at the 3-D technology was incredible,
0:22:12 > 0:22:14seeing the way you could look.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18But, at the end of the day, it's entirely up to the individual
0:22:18 > 0:22:22whether they do or they don't have cosmetic surgery.
0:22:28 > 0:22:29Sometimes, of course,
0:22:29 > 0:22:33it doesn't matter what you look like or what your attitude is,
0:22:33 > 0:22:37if you feel that the place you live or work doesn't welcome you.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41Which brings us back to Manchester and its pioneering status
0:22:41 > 0:22:44as Britain's first age-friendly city,
0:22:44 > 0:22:46joining some of the world's greatest cities,
0:22:46 > 0:22:49like Sydney, Tokyo and New York.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53But what does it all mean?
0:22:53 > 0:22:57I'm meeting a man who has been instrumental in making it happen -
0:22:57 > 0:23:00Paul McGarry from the Greater Manchester Ageing Hub.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07So, Paul, tell me, what is an age-friendly city?
0:23:07 > 0:23:09Well, an age-friendly city
0:23:09 > 0:23:12means rethinking how we think about cities,
0:23:12 > 0:23:18and it means redesigning cities for people as they get older.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22So, we think about housing, transport, our health service,
0:23:22 > 0:23:25the physical design of cities.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27We have to think about the cultural services,
0:23:27 > 0:23:29local communities and so on,
0:23:29 > 0:23:32so, it's a really big job that we've got ahead of us.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38We've come a long way from when reaching a certain age
0:23:38 > 0:23:41meant you were expected to pack up your bags
0:23:41 > 0:23:43and move to the coast or countryside,
0:23:43 > 0:23:47when the city was a place for the young and trendy.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49Today's considerable number of older people
0:23:49 > 0:23:52want to stay in the heart of where the action is.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54But Paul's ambitions aren't just about things
0:23:54 > 0:23:57like improving work opportunities and parks.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00He's thinking about older people's social lives.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03He's even got a nightclub opened.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05Have you been to the nightclub, or are you too young?
0:24:05 > 0:24:07Like all the members of my team,
0:24:07 > 0:24:09I've been to the age-friendly nightclub.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13Had a great time with people from across Greater Manchester
0:24:13 > 0:24:15because one of the things that they said
0:24:15 > 0:24:19was that they'd love to go out in the city centre in the evenings,
0:24:19 > 0:24:21like they did when they were listening to the Beatles
0:24:21 > 0:24:24and the Stones, and once every couple of months,
0:24:24 > 0:24:29the My Generation nightclub has live bands, live music,
0:24:29 > 0:24:32people dance the night away and have a great time,
0:24:32 > 0:24:37and reclaim part of the city centre that was always theirs.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41How can older people engage with the process?
0:24:41 > 0:24:46Well, in 2004, we set up our first Older People's Board,
0:24:46 > 0:24:49which is a representative group right across the city.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51The other thing that we have each year
0:24:51 > 0:24:54is an older people's parliament,
0:24:54 > 0:24:57where over 100 community organisations gather together
0:24:57 > 0:25:00in this building and tell us what they think
0:25:00 > 0:25:03about the progress that we've made.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07When you see older people stand up at meetings and say,
0:25:07 > 0:25:09"This work has transformed my life,"
0:25:09 > 0:25:11or when you get letters from people
0:25:11 > 0:25:14who say, "I haven't spoken to anybody for a month,"
0:25:14 > 0:25:16and they say, "The work that you're doing
0:25:16 > 0:25:19"is making a brilliant difference," then it's fantastic.
0:25:19 > 0:25:23So, why do age-friendly cities matter
0:25:23 > 0:25:27not just to the old, but everyone?
0:25:27 > 0:25:29The changes and the progress that we make now
0:25:29 > 0:25:31will benefit everybody eventually,
0:25:31 > 0:25:34and if you think that the progressive gains
0:25:34 > 0:25:38that people in the '60s, '70s and '80s have made,
0:25:38 > 0:25:40over the last 50 years,
0:25:40 > 0:25:43whether it's women's equality, race equality,
0:25:43 > 0:25:44lesbian and gay equality,
0:25:44 > 0:25:49adding age equality to that would be a fantastic success.
0:25:49 > 0:25:50# Highs and lows
0:25:50 > 0:25:52# Stops and goes
0:25:52 > 0:25:55# Drawing maps with you
0:25:55 > 0:25:56# Lefts and rights
0:25:56 > 0:25:58# Days and nights
0:25:58 > 0:26:00# Sharing it with you... #
0:26:00 > 0:26:03That tolerance is one of the things I love about Manchester -
0:26:03 > 0:26:08its openness and diversity helps make it the great city that it is.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11There is every type of person in this place,
0:26:11 > 0:26:14living their lives exactly as they want to.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16For those of a certain age, however,
0:26:16 > 0:26:20maybe brought up in different times, under different circumstances,
0:26:20 > 0:26:23this freedom is something they've missed out on,
0:26:23 > 0:26:25and the result is often an old age
0:26:25 > 0:26:29filled with regret and unhappiness, and even anger.
0:26:29 > 0:26:30So, what should you do?
0:26:30 > 0:26:34Well, the person I'm meeting next has a life-changing attitude
0:26:34 > 0:26:36to how she wanted to grow older.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41Jenny-Anne was born as Paul in 1946,
0:26:41 > 0:26:44and spent her younger years living a very run-of-the-mill life...
0:26:44 > 0:26:49Yes, that was me as a youngster - and then when I went to university.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52..but it was only when she reached the age of 62
0:26:52 > 0:26:54that she felt able to tell the world
0:26:54 > 0:26:57a secret she had been keeping all her life.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01The person many knew as a "he" was actually a "she,"
0:27:01 > 0:27:07and, in 2007, she began to live the life she'd always wanted.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11And then that's the first group I went to in Surrey, actually.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14- A gaggle of girls. - A gaggle of girls, yeah.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18In a society where older people struggle to have their voices heard,
0:27:18 > 0:27:21Jenny-Anne is using her story to make a real difference,
0:27:21 > 0:27:24and, thankfully, people are wanting to listen.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27People like the Manchester police force,
0:27:27 > 0:27:30where today Jenny-Anne is giving an interactive Q&A
0:27:30 > 0:27:35to highlight the importance of organisations listening to everyone.
0:27:35 > 0:27:40There's gender identity, the way you present yourself,
0:27:40 > 0:27:42and it's the way people see you
0:27:42 > 0:27:46and the way you send the message of who you are
0:27:46 > 0:27:48and how you want to be seen...
0:27:48 > 0:27:50While Jenny-Anne finishes her presentation,
0:27:50 > 0:27:53I'm speaking to Divisional Commander Rich Jackson,
0:27:53 > 0:27:56who values Jenny-Anne's role in teaching his officers
0:27:56 > 0:27:58a new way of looking at the world.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01I feel that it's so important to get people such as Jenny in
0:28:01 > 0:28:07to speak from their first-hand views, where they've, obviously,
0:28:07 > 0:28:09they've gone through a journey themselves,
0:28:09 > 0:28:13they've experienced all sorts of negativity and hostility
0:28:13 > 0:28:18through a transition period, and they can explain, themselves,
0:28:18 > 0:28:20exactly what they've gone through,
0:28:20 > 0:28:22so that the officers and staff that are present
0:28:22 > 0:28:25can have a real empathy with the journey that they've been on.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29Jenny isn't just speaking on behalf of the transgender community,
0:28:29 > 0:28:33she's also a representative of Manchester's senior citizens,
0:28:33 > 0:28:36who also need to build bridges with the police.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39Up to half a million people over 65
0:28:39 > 0:28:42are believed to be victims of crime each year,
0:28:42 > 0:28:47such as abuse, neglect and street crime - yet many go unreported.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50But, now, I want to find out more about how Jenny-Anne
0:28:50 > 0:28:52can be an inspiration for us all
0:28:52 > 0:28:55when it comes to holding back the years.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58It's fair to say your story is pretty unusual,
0:28:58 > 0:29:03but do you think it has wider lessons for older people, too?
0:29:03 > 0:29:09I think it does, because it means you can be whoever you want to be
0:29:09 > 0:29:15in older life, and you can do whatever you feel you want to do.
0:29:15 > 0:29:19It's very important just to be yourself, whatever that is.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21You said it, Jenny!
0:29:21 > 0:29:25How did growing older help you come to terms with your decision,
0:29:25 > 0:29:28and did this decision help you hold back the years?
0:29:28 > 0:29:30Yes.
0:29:30 > 0:29:36I delayed being myself for family reasons,
0:29:36 > 0:29:40for work reasons - I lost my job lots of times -
0:29:40 > 0:29:44and when I got older, it meant I could please myself.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46The kids were grown up,
0:29:46 > 0:29:51we looked after my parents, and, unfortunately, they died,
0:29:51 > 0:29:55so I really had that freedom to do what I wanted to do
0:29:55 > 0:29:56and to be myself,
0:29:56 > 0:30:01and, by doing that, it made me feel so much younger.
0:30:01 > 0:30:06- I behave like I'm 30!- So, you certainly held back the years!
0:30:06 > 0:30:10Yes - but, unfortunately, every so often,
0:30:10 > 0:30:12- my body says enough is enough!- Yeah.
0:30:12 > 0:30:16Do you find it more difficult being old or being a woman?
0:30:16 > 0:30:21Oh, being a woman is easy, because that's who I am.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24Being older, sometimes, is annoying,
0:30:24 > 0:30:27because it limits your physical energy,
0:30:27 > 0:30:30but I try not to let that worry me,
0:30:30 > 0:30:34because I just have so much left in my life to do.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37I have enough left for ten lifetimes!
0:30:37 > 0:30:39What message would you like to give
0:30:39 > 0:30:43to anyone who is a similar age to you
0:30:43 > 0:30:47about what life they should live?
0:30:47 > 0:30:53Oh, my message is just be yourself, do what you want to do,
0:30:53 > 0:30:56because it will make you so much happier,
0:30:56 > 0:31:01so much more confident, and it'll help you live longer, as well.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05I hope I've shown you that when it comes to holding back the years,
0:31:05 > 0:31:07my home town of Manchester
0:31:07 > 0:31:10is definitely setting the pace for role models...
0:31:11 > 0:31:14..but what about the rest of the country?
0:31:14 > 0:31:16Well, it's getting there.
0:31:16 > 0:31:1911 urban centres have followed the Manchester lead
0:31:19 > 0:31:21in becoming age-friendly cities,
0:31:21 > 0:31:24thereby creating a nationwide network
0:31:24 > 0:31:27to influence policy and practice -
0:31:27 > 0:31:30from Belfast to Brighton, Glasgow to Cardiff,
0:31:30 > 0:31:34it feels like old people are finally being listened to.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38Ultimately, of course, as with most things,
0:31:38 > 0:31:41it is often what happens in the capital
0:31:41 > 0:31:43that sets the agenda for the rest of the country.
0:31:48 > 0:31:50One woman, however,
0:31:50 > 0:31:53is determined that those inside hear her voice,
0:31:53 > 0:31:54and, in all weathers,
0:31:54 > 0:31:58she is prepared to stand up for what she believes in.
0:31:58 > 0:32:02I don't mind being out in the cold - it keeps me young, somehow.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05It's a little sense of some power in my hand.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10I'm meeting veteran campaigner Anne Power
0:32:10 > 0:32:13at a place she knows only too well - Westminster.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16At the age of 85, she is passionate
0:32:16 > 0:32:20about the need for all of us to be more environmentally aware,
0:32:20 > 0:32:23and not to shirk from challenging authority.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25Anne, you're 85 years old -
0:32:25 > 0:32:31what makes you so passionate about getting your voice heard?
0:32:31 > 0:32:33Well, it's anger, basically.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36I realise, now, I've been angry all my life.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39Margret Thatcher made me join the Green Party.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42So, that was a big turning point in my life.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45Do you ever see yourself slowing down,
0:32:45 > 0:32:47or are you going to keep fighting on?
0:32:47 > 0:32:49I hope I'm going to keep fighting,
0:32:49 > 0:32:51because the thing that happened to me
0:32:51 > 0:32:56was, four years ago, when fracking came to 6 miles from my house,
0:32:56 > 0:32:58I had to get down there.
0:32:58 > 0:33:02I saw people setting up camps. It was very cold indeed.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05All kinds of people were there, sleeping in tents,
0:33:05 > 0:33:07getting out every morning,
0:33:07 > 0:33:09walking in front of lorries to slow them down.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11So, I had to join them,
0:33:11 > 0:33:18but I also met a community of people who were so...inspiring.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22You seem like you're a voice that needs to be heard.
0:33:22 > 0:33:24Well, that's how I feel.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27My voice is now so strong and so clear,
0:33:27 > 0:33:29in a way that it's never been before.
0:33:29 > 0:33:34There's rich people, and the rest of us.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37Do you think that sometimes the voices of older people
0:33:37 > 0:33:39struggle to be heard?
0:33:39 > 0:33:42I find that people are very diffident -
0:33:42 > 0:33:47as I was - would not express an opinion too much,
0:33:47 > 0:33:49or would think that they couldn't -
0:33:49 > 0:33:51what could they do, if they had an opinion?
0:33:51 > 0:33:53And now I would say, you can do something.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57There's always something that you can do, and that you can say.
0:33:57 > 0:33:59I have felt myself so empowered.
0:33:59 > 0:34:02Would you say, no matter what your age,
0:34:02 > 0:34:05- it's never too late for your voice to be heard?- Oh, yes, I would.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07Absolutely true.
0:34:07 > 0:34:09Most people have children and grandchildren,
0:34:09 > 0:34:12and you can be a tremendous influence there -
0:34:12 > 0:34:15and sometimes you can be an influence in the school,
0:34:15 > 0:34:17through your children and grandchildren.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19It's just sort of the journey I've been on,
0:34:19 > 0:34:22of discovering the strength that is in there
0:34:22 > 0:34:25that I didn't realise was sitting there, you know?
0:34:25 > 0:34:28Do you know, I even stood for Parliament two years ago?!
0:34:28 > 0:34:30Oh, dear!
0:34:30 > 0:34:32Whatever made you do that?
0:34:32 > 0:34:34Well, I must be a lunatic, obviously,
0:34:34 > 0:34:38- but, you know, I didn't quite expect to get in...- Mm.
0:34:38 > 0:34:39..but I wanted to fight,
0:34:39 > 0:34:43and I wanted a platform to talk about the fracking,
0:34:43 > 0:34:47primarily, but it was so rewarding,
0:34:47 > 0:34:51because I found I could speak at hustings -
0:34:51 > 0:34:53- I didn't know I was going to be able to do that.- Yes.
0:34:53 > 0:34:57I thought, "I don't carry facts in my head, I'm not good at that,
0:34:57 > 0:35:00"they'll ask me questions and I won't know what the answers are,"
0:35:00 > 0:35:06but I found it wasn't necessary to produce all the facts and figures -
0:35:06 > 0:35:09it was important to win people's enthusiasm,
0:35:09 > 0:35:11and I found I could do that.
0:35:11 > 0:35:17I surprised myself. It was really quite enjoyable!
0:35:17 > 0:35:21Do you think you'd like more older people to take on the challenges
0:35:21 > 0:35:23- that you've taken on? - I would love that.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25Yes, I would love that.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28By believing in yourself more, you know,
0:35:28 > 0:35:30grey power could be phenomenal,
0:35:30 > 0:35:33because we've got all that experience,
0:35:33 > 0:35:37we've got all that knowledge, and we've nothing to lose.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39- We've nothing to lose, have we? - Absolutely.
0:35:39 > 0:35:44You know, it's the end of the days, we should try and leave a mark.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47It's nearly time for me to dance off into the sunset,
0:35:47 > 0:35:50but, before I do, I want to take you somewhere
0:35:50 > 0:35:53that I consider my spiritual home from home.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56A place they can teach the rest of the country a few moves
0:35:56 > 0:36:00when it comes to how old and young can mix in perfect unison.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03London's West End theatre district.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06When I first came to London, back in the 1970s,
0:36:06 > 0:36:10I was an ambitious dancer looking to make my mark,
0:36:10 > 0:36:12and it was this place that took me in.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16Here, the naive and ambitious mix with the seasoned professionals -
0:36:16 > 0:36:18young hopefuls with old luvvies.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21It's a recipe that's still working to this day,
0:36:21 > 0:36:25and nowhere more so than my old dancing stomping ground,
0:36:25 > 0:36:27Pineapple Studios.
0:36:29 > 0:36:31It's a place where the next generation
0:36:31 > 0:36:34of young, brilliant dancers learn their craft
0:36:34 > 0:36:36but which has been built by a woman
0:36:36 > 0:36:40who continues to inspire and lead into her 70s.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46Her name is Debbie Moore, and she built this place from scratch.
0:36:48 > 0:36:50- How are you?- OK!
0:36:50 > 0:36:52- I'm going to talk to you! - Come on, come on!
0:36:52 > 0:36:54In her time, Debbie has been a real pioneer
0:36:54 > 0:36:58when it comes to the arts, business, and women's place in both,
0:36:58 > 0:37:01but she has always had one overarching philosophy
0:37:01 > 0:37:02when it comes to life.
0:37:02 > 0:37:04Age doesn't matter.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08People all over the world for generations have loved to dance.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11Everybody loves to dance, whatever age they are, or what have you,
0:37:11 > 0:37:15and we cater, here, for children from three years old to...
0:37:15 > 0:37:18our eldest member's 84, so, there's something for everyone here,
0:37:18 > 0:37:20and there always will be.
0:37:20 > 0:37:24So, now, she, too, is in her 70s, I'll be interested to hear
0:37:24 > 0:37:27what she has to say on the matter of getting older.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30First, though, she's got out the old photo album.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33I've got something here to show you that might help us!
0:37:33 > 0:37:37- Cos, look, I've had it blown up, look.- Oh, my...!
0:37:37 > 0:37:43- Well, there you are.- And I look at me, and I think...- Gorgeous!
0:37:43 > 0:37:48- I can't really remember dressing like that, really!- Debbie, you did.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50Leopard skin.
0:37:50 > 0:37:55- And, then, you're here!- Look at me! - Yeah.- I'm looking very serious.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58We were young, ambitious, driven.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01There's been a lot of years since then to now.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03Were we different people then?
0:38:03 > 0:38:06I'm quite sure we're the same people.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09We've always had this kind of fighting spirit,
0:38:09 > 0:38:12- and I think part of that's cos we were born in Manchester.- Yeah!
0:38:12 > 0:38:14We were brought up with,
0:38:14 > 0:38:16- "There's no such thing as a free lunch, darling."- No.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19You know, we were just always happy to work hard,
0:38:19 > 0:38:20and we'd be lost if we didn't.
0:38:20 > 0:38:22It's like people say, you know,
0:38:22 > 0:38:25"Aren't you going to ease off, or give up, or retire?"
0:38:25 > 0:38:27Like, "You're kidding, it would kill me."
0:38:27 > 0:38:30I don't feel that I'm getting old.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33You know, I have as much energy, if not more.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37Do you feel, today, we live in a society that is obsessed with youth?
0:38:37 > 0:38:41There is an overconfidence I see in youth that worries me,
0:38:41 > 0:38:43- that has no basis, actually.- Yeah.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46You know, our daughters still come to us for advice, don't they?
0:38:46 > 0:38:49- My daughters...- Or does she...? She doesn't know it all, does she?
0:38:49 > 0:38:53- My daughters do not know it all! - Right! Good.- Far from it.
0:38:53 > 0:38:57I was brought up in a time when the older generation was respected,
0:38:57 > 0:39:02and, now, I find it much harder for people to stop and listen.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06Older people are being told to sit there, watch TV,
0:39:06 > 0:39:08and don't be a nuisance,
0:39:08 > 0:39:10and it is a kind of bullying.
0:39:10 > 0:39:14All our lives, we've been told to stand up for ourselves,
0:39:14 > 0:39:17but, as we get older, that weakens that resolve,
0:39:17 > 0:39:20but they've got to stand up for themselves more.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22But, with Debbie,
0:39:22 > 0:39:26it's more than just about words. She's also about actions,
0:39:26 > 0:39:28and in the studios today,
0:39:28 > 0:39:31there are golden oldie dancers shaking their booty
0:39:31 > 0:39:35as enthusiastically as the young professionals next door.
0:39:35 > 0:39:39It's all about expressing who you are, no matter what your age,
0:39:39 > 0:39:42which leads me to my final question.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45Do you think older people should follow their dreams?
0:39:45 > 0:39:49We've been telling people since forever, you and I,
0:39:49 > 0:39:50to follow your dreams,
0:39:50 > 0:39:54and, so, when you're older, basically, it's the last lap.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58So, if you've not done it yet, cos you're too shy,
0:39:58 > 0:40:01or you haven't, you know, had the courage to,
0:40:01 > 0:40:04"Come on, follow that dream," and...
0:40:04 > 0:40:09- "Not a rehearsal." - "Get on with it!"- Yes.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11And that's as good a motto as any
0:40:11 > 0:40:15when it comes to holding back the years - get on with it!
0:40:15 > 0:40:17I totally agree with Debbie.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20Older people shouldn't allow themselves to be pushed aside.
0:40:20 > 0:40:26It's about being seen, being heard, keeping fit and fabulous.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28So, how to sum up?
0:40:28 > 0:40:31Well, there can be no doubt that we live in a world
0:40:31 > 0:40:34that is obsessed with being young, sexy and beautiful.
0:40:34 > 0:40:39And, let's be honest, that ain't going to change any time soon,
0:40:39 > 0:40:42which is why it's important to find role models of our own,
0:40:42 > 0:40:45but they don't have to be famous.
0:40:45 > 0:40:49I hope I've introduced you to some everyday folk
0:40:49 > 0:40:52who might inspire or encourage you to fight back.
0:40:52 > 0:40:56- Cos it was fabulous!- Fabulous! - Yeah, what was I worrying about?
0:40:56 > 0:40:59People who are refusing to be invisible,
0:40:59 > 0:41:01who are determined for their voice to be heard...
0:41:01 > 0:41:05It was important to win people's enthusiasm,
0:41:05 > 0:41:08and I found I could do that.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11..and leading the sort of life they've always wanted to.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14So, before I give you one last little surprise,
0:41:14 > 0:41:17let's find out, how well do they think are doing?
0:41:17 > 0:41:19On a scale of 1 to 10,
0:41:19 > 0:41:23how successful have you been in holding back the years?
0:41:23 > 0:41:269, because I think there's always something else
0:41:26 > 0:41:27that I could be doing.
0:41:27 > 0:41:289.
0:41:31 > 0:41:32Oh, a 10, definitely.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35Er, a definite 10, but I'm aiming for 11.
0:41:35 > 0:41:36THEY LAUGH
0:41:36 > 0:41:38I'd like to say 10.
0:41:38 > 0:41:40There is obviously something else I could do,
0:41:40 > 0:41:43but I'm doing my best about the years, so, I'll say 10.
0:41:43 > 0:41:44I think definitely 10,
0:41:44 > 0:41:47but, hopefully, I'll carry on for a lot longer.
0:41:47 > 0:41:49Oh, at least 10.
0:41:49 > 0:41:5011!
0:42:02 > 0:42:06But I can't possibly end without doing the one thing in life I love -
0:42:06 > 0:42:08dancing.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11I'm going to surprise a group who sum up everything
0:42:11 > 0:42:15I've seen and heard on my journey in a way close to my heart.
0:42:15 > 0:42:20The Saracens Sport Foundation dance group has over 250 members,
0:42:20 > 0:42:22from those in their 50s to their 90s.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25They live life to the full by just going for it.
0:42:25 > 0:42:27So, let's put that to the test,
0:42:27 > 0:42:31as they don't know who their guest instructor is today.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38Well, the lovely Holly, here,
0:42:38 > 0:42:41told me that I could take your class today.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45So, here we go. Let's use our hips.
0:42:45 > 0:42:49MUSIC: Adventure of a Lifetime by Coldplay
0:42:56 > 0:42:59Here we go. Hips.
0:42:59 > 0:43:00Whoo!
0:43:04 > 0:43:06'That was fun!
0:43:06 > 0:43:08'I'd dance with those ladies any day,
0:43:08 > 0:43:11'and perhaps I'm doing OK at holding back the years, too.'
0:43:12 > 0:43:15On my journey, I've met some truly inspirational people
0:43:15 > 0:43:18who are determined to make their voice heard.
0:43:18 > 0:43:22For me, that's the key to holding back the years.