0:00:02 > 0:00:07Today, there 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 > 0:00:14You've got some amazing volunteers here, 80s and 90s.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17But what does growing older mean for you?
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Difficult and 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 state.
0:00:24 > 0:00:28Our team is getting to the bottom of the key ageing concerns
0:00:28 > 0:00:29you've told us about.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31Deciding when to retire.
0:00:33 > 0:00:34Being more sociable.
0:00:36 > 0:00:37Keeping healthy.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Making your voice heard.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43Or the cost of happiness.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45And even if you haven't reached your own golden years,
0:00:45 > 0:00:49it's never too early to start planning.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51So whether you're an old dog or a young pup,
0:00:51 > 0:00:54get ready to learn some new tricks as we lift the lid
0:00:54 > 0:00:56on Holding Back The Years.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07You can hardly open the newspapers or watch the telly these days
0:01:07 > 0:01:11without seeing some scary health story about growing old.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16But to coin a phrase, there's a lot of "fake news" out there.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21So in this episode, I want to expose some of the myths
0:01:21 > 0:01:25and discover the truth of what's really happening.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27And here are the headlines.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31There's a revolution taking place in home care for the elderly
0:01:31 > 0:01:33that's expanding life expectancy
0:01:33 > 0:01:36and saving millions of pounds for the NHS.
0:01:36 > 0:01:37It just works.
0:01:38 > 0:01:43Exciting progress is being made into why and how our minds are ageing
0:01:43 > 0:01:46that could help us cure diseases such as Alzheimer's.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50What we've found is that the people whose white matter is healthier,
0:01:50 > 0:01:53more intact, tend to have better thinking skills.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55And in technology news, well,
0:01:55 > 0:01:59there are breakthroughs happening that are out of this world.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02But first, let me explain my own reason
0:02:02 > 0:02:04for being interested in this area.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08Well, as a journalist for almost 40 years myself,
0:02:08 > 0:02:12I can't help wondering if we in my profession haven't contributed
0:02:12 > 0:02:15to all this doom and gloom about getting older,
0:02:15 > 0:02:18so I thought it might be time to balance things up a bit.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21I've also got a bit of a personal reason.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23I turned 60 myself last year
0:02:23 > 0:02:26and it led me to think a bit more about staying in shape,
0:02:26 > 0:02:28looking after myself and the state of my health
0:02:28 > 0:02:31and what the process of ageing holds in store for me,
0:02:31 > 0:02:34so this is a perfect journey for me to be going on.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40And the place I've come to do my roving reporting
0:02:40 > 0:02:43about health in old age is Edinburgh.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48It's a city that has a special meaning for me, now that I'm older,
0:02:48 > 0:02:50because this is the place I think of
0:02:50 > 0:02:53when I remember the full bloom of my youth.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57I came here to study for my degree back in the '70s.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00In those days, I didn't even think about getting old
0:03:00 > 0:03:04and like many of us, I'm sure, I may have overindulged just a bit
0:03:04 > 0:03:07in the many bars and clubs of the city.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09# And the ring from off her finger
0:03:09 > 0:03:12# She instantly drew... #
0:03:12 > 0:03:14But this is also where I did my first journalism
0:03:14 > 0:03:16writing for the student newspaper
0:03:16 > 0:03:20and my passion for separating fact from fiction was born.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24I've never looked back since, reporting all around the world
0:03:24 > 0:03:27and from behind a variety of desks with various colleagues.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29- ..and Bill Turnbull. - Hello and welcome to Breakfast...
0:03:29 > 0:03:31..with Kate Silverton... ..Susanna Reid...
0:03:31 > 0:03:34..Louise Minchin... ..Naga Munchetty and Bill Turnbull.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37Today, though, I'm out on location to bring you the good news
0:03:37 > 0:03:40about holding back the years.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42First I'm dropping in on some old friends
0:03:42 > 0:03:45to compare notes on how we've all aged.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48I haven't seen Dermott and Laurie in nearly 40 years,
0:03:48 > 0:03:50so I'm curious to catch up.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53Fingers crossed they won't look too much younger than me.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56- Oh, my goodness.- Am I late? - You're all grown-up.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59- How are you? Lovely to see you.- You too.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01You look great, yeah.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03- Hi, Bill, good to see you. - All right?
0:04:03 > 0:04:04Oh, my goodness.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08- How long has it been since we saw each other?- 38 years.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11- 38 years.- 38 years. - You look terrific.
0:04:11 > 0:04:12- You've still got your hair.- Well...
0:04:12 > 0:04:14He was just saying that you've got more hair than him.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17- You've got more!- A lot to catch up on. Shall we go get a cup of coffee?
0:04:17 > 0:04:19- Yes.- Yes.- Come on, then.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22Well, they seemed to have aged pretty well
0:04:22 > 0:04:24since the last time I saw them.
0:04:26 > 0:04:31Just to be sure, though, Laurie has brought along a few reminders.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33I've got a couple of photographs
0:04:33 > 0:04:34- which might bring back some old memories.- OK.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36- A day out at North Berwick.- OK.
0:04:36 > 0:04:37So...
0:04:39 > 0:04:41So that's...
0:04:41 > 0:04:44- That's the baby you have.- That's the baby that is now grown-up.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47- And I'm smoking a cigarette about 12 inches from its head.- Yep.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50We didn't really think about that either, did we, in those days?
0:04:50 > 0:04:51- Not at all.- Never mind getting old.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54- This one is even more perfect. - BILL CHORTLES
0:04:55 > 0:04:57Ah, that's brilliant.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01- Fantastic. And the dark glasses.- And the dark glasses.- Yeah, very cool.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05OK, enough chit-chat - time for my first killer question.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Physically, do you feel as if you're in your early 60s?
0:05:08 > 0:05:10- Yes. - THEY CHUCKLE
0:05:10 > 0:05:11- Really?- Oh, gosh, yes.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13- You look great, though.- I feel...
0:05:13 > 0:05:18Yeah, well, I'm a bit arthritic-y and I've had the replacement hip,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21so I think you are a lot slower and I think I notice too
0:05:21 > 0:05:24when I'm looking after the grandchildren,
0:05:24 > 0:05:27it really takes it out of you in a way you never thought of
0:05:27 > 0:05:31when it was your own children 30-odd years ago
0:05:31 > 0:05:34and you are aware that you're slowing down.
0:05:34 > 0:05:39Getting older, is it mostly mind, body or spirit?
0:05:39 > 0:05:42When you're buying a car, it's not the year of the car,
0:05:42 > 0:05:46it's the mileage and a lot of it is how you look after yourself.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48Look after the body.
0:05:48 > 0:05:53I think if you look after yourself better and keep active
0:05:53 > 0:05:57and keep your mind turning over,
0:05:57 > 0:06:01try and do the crosswords even if they seem more difficult -
0:06:01 > 0:06:03they've changed the setters.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05The print's got so much smaller, hasn't it?
0:06:05 > 0:06:08Oh, glasses, you do need good glasses.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10Well, I must say, we all seem pretty healthy
0:06:10 > 0:06:14and in many ways, that shouldn't be a massive surprise.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17Our baby boomer generation was after all the first to have
0:06:17 > 0:06:19the lifelong benefits of a free
0:06:19 > 0:06:23and comprehensive health care system thanks to the NHS.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27That's improved and extended our lives beyond anything our parents
0:06:27 > 0:06:29or grandparents might have experienced
0:06:29 > 0:06:31and yet, it's not all good news,
0:06:31 > 0:06:34because we're also the first generation to have spent much
0:06:34 > 0:06:37of our working lives sitting at office desks
0:06:37 > 0:06:40while eating a diet of fast food in our spare time,
0:06:40 > 0:06:43trying to cope with the stresses of the modern world,
0:06:43 > 0:06:46so not the best recipe for good health in old age.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48- So I've got a plan.- OK.- OK.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52I'm going to go away and find out the best way to approach
0:06:52 > 0:06:55- the years ahead.- Right, good.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58Possibly even discover the secret to eternal youth
0:06:58 > 0:07:00and then I'll come back and tell you all about it.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02- That would be just lovely. - Yeah, sounds good.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06OK, let's get this show on the road.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10And I want to start, as we journalists often do,
0:07:10 > 0:07:12with a bit of an exclusive.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16I'm about to show you a place that is unique.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22The Centre for Cognitive Ageing at Edinburgh University
0:07:22 > 0:07:25studies the minds of old people, quite literally,
0:07:25 > 0:07:29all in an effort to understand what causes good ageing
0:07:29 > 0:07:31and bad ageing in the human brain.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34I'm meeting some octogenarians who've come in
0:07:34 > 0:07:38to get their fundamental cognitive skills tested today.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40Or to put that in everyday language,
0:07:40 > 0:07:43seeing just how well their minds are working.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46First up, Margaret, who's using a piece of equipment
0:07:46 > 0:07:49that's checking her reaction skills.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51- Excellent.- You're scared to blink.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56You try very hard, don't you, Margaret?
0:07:56 > 0:07:58- You do take it very seriously.- I do.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02I try to second-guess. You're thinking, "Two must be... Oh! Four!"
0:08:02 > 0:08:04Cos you want to do as well as you possibly can.
0:08:04 > 0:08:09- How's she doing?- Splendid. That's a very good time.- Is it?- Yeah.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12Patrick is completing a test on his spatial awareness,
0:08:12 > 0:08:15something we use every day to get ourselves around.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23- OK, that's your time up, so stop there.- Nearly, nearly.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26- That's fiendishly difficult.- Aye.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29- A particularly difficult one. - Very difficult.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32That last one caused a wee bit of a problem.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35I knew it would, but I think I did not too bad.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41And George is having what we all worry about losing in later life,
0:08:41 > 0:08:43memory, put through the mangle.
0:08:45 > 0:08:46Great.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49It's confusing, George, isn't it?
0:08:49 > 0:08:51Terrible.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53If you can't lock on
0:08:53 > 0:08:57- with the image, you lose it.- Yeah.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00To you or me, this may look like a few pensioners doing some puzzles,
0:09:00 > 0:09:04but it's actually producing some interesting scientific insights
0:09:04 > 0:09:06about how the older mind works.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10- Hi, Ian.- Mr Turnbull.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13To explain more about this research and what it could mean for us,
0:09:13 > 0:09:16I'm meeting Professor Ian Deary.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18What we're trying to find out is
0:09:18 > 0:09:20why is it that some people get to a particular age,
0:09:20 > 0:09:23the same as others, but they're actually different -
0:09:23 > 0:09:26they're healthier, or they can think better.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28So is ageing more a thing of the mind than the body?
0:09:28 > 0:09:30Does it work like that?
0:09:30 > 0:09:34For me and my team, we don't think of them as separate.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37The brain is another organ of the body and it does stuff,
0:09:37 > 0:09:40it does thinking stuff and other stuff as well
0:09:40 > 0:09:42and think about it - the brain has a blood supply,
0:09:42 > 0:09:46it's got cells and tissues that age like other aspects of the body
0:09:46 > 0:09:48and, of course, that's reflected in our results.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52We're finding that people who have healthier bodies
0:09:52 > 0:09:54tend - it's not a strong association -
0:09:54 > 0:09:56but tend also to have healthier thinking skills,
0:09:56 > 0:09:59so we don't separate them.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03Perhaps the most important piece of research they do here
0:10:03 > 0:10:06is an experiment that uses a unique set of senior citizens
0:10:06 > 0:10:09to analyse the effect of ageing on the human mind
0:10:09 > 0:10:12and its origins are fascinating.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16In 1947, something happened in Scotland
0:10:16 > 0:10:19that was quite extraordinary.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22A national intelligence test was carried out
0:10:22 > 0:10:23on all 11-year-old children
0:10:23 > 0:10:26and the results survive to this day.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29Those children are now in their 80s
0:10:29 > 0:10:32and they've been tracked down and recruited
0:10:32 > 0:10:36to be part of something called the Lothian Birth Cohort.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39By contrasting how their brains work today
0:10:39 > 0:10:40compared to when they were kids,
0:10:40 > 0:10:43the professor and his team have discovered some interesting things
0:10:43 > 0:10:48about how our minds age and perhaps what can be done to preserve them.
0:10:49 > 0:10:54We've looked at everything from genetic factors to health
0:10:54 > 0:10:58and medical factors, biochemical factors and social ones as well
0:10:58 > 0:11:00and in each of those different areas,
0:11:00 > 0:11:02we have found things that are interesting
0:11:02 > 0:11:06with respect to whether people are ageing well or less well
0:11:06 > 0:11:09compared to their colleagues, so for example,
0:11:09 > 0:11:12we've found one or two little genetic effects.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14Some of the genes that appear to affect
0:11:14 > 0:11:16whether or not one gets dementia
0:11:16 > 0:11:19also affect normal cognitive ageing.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22We've also found that the people who don't smoke
0:11:22 > 0:11:26are ageing in thinking skills slightly better than others,
0:11:26 > 0:11:28as are the people who are fitter
0:11:28 > 0:11:32and those people who also take more exercise.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35We also found some interesting more social things.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38For example, people with more education,
0:11:38 > 0:11:40people in more professional jobs,
0:11:40 > 0:11:42and people who can speak more than one language
0:11:42 > 0:11:45have small advantages in this cognitive ageing.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47Their thinking skills are slightly better
0:11:47 > 0:11:50than we'd otherwise expect in older age.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54So don't smoke, get some exercise and even learning a language
0:11:54 > 0:11:56seem to be key pieces of advice.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59The reason is because all these things can affect the way
0:11:59 > 0:12:03the brain connects together, as the professor is showing me now.
0:12:03 > 0:12:09This is an anonymised brain from the Lothian Birth Cohort of 1936
0:12:09 > 0:12:11and what this shows are the brain's connections.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14Most people have heard of the grey matter of the brain
0:12:14 > 0:12:17and broadly speaking that's on the outside of the brain,
0:12:17 > 0:12:20the thinking stuff, but the thinking stuff works because it's connected
0:12:20 > 0:12:22with what's called the white matter,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25which lies underneath and what we've found
0:12:25 > 0:12:29is that the people whose white matter is healthier, more intact,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32tend to have better thinking skills than other people.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34What's so exciting about a place like this
0:12:34 > 0:12:36is that the research they're doing here
0:12:36 > 0:12:38could one day help lead to cures
0:12:38 > 0:12:42for the illnesses that often accompany old age,
0:12:42 > 0:12:43like Alzheimer's.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46But I get the feeling there's a lot more to learn
0:12:46 > 0:12:47from the golden oldie guinea pigs,
0:12:47 > 0:12:49so I've gathered them together
0:12:49 > 0:12:53to conduct my own somewhat less scientific survey.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56Well, may I say you're all looking marvellous.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59I hope I look as good as you when I get to be the age of 80,
0:12:59 > 0:13:01if I actually get that far.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05First of all, are you all happy to be at the age that you are?
0:13:05 > 0:13:07- ALL:- Yes.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09- 80's a good year? ALL:- Yeah.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13When you're 80, in your head, you're never more than 50.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17You're not frightened of what other people might think about you.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19You're free, you're more independent,
0:13:19 > 0:13:21you can say and do what you like.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24- I think you think, "I am who I am."- Yes.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27Finally, perhaps, we've grown-up. But not really.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30So you're special people, aren't you?
0:13:30 > 0:13:34Because you're part of the Lothian Birth Cohort.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38- Have you enjoyed the process? ALL:- Yes.- Very much so.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40What's been the best part of it?
0:13:40 > 0:13:41Resitting my 11-plus.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43THEY GUFFAW
0:13:43 > 0:13:47- And getting more marks for it. - Yes!- Getting very good marks.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49I found out that I wasn't as stupid
0:13:49 > 0:13:51as my big brother always told me I was.
0:13:51 > 0:13:52THEY CHUCKLE
0:13:52 > 0:13:54I got a free MOT.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57At the hospital.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59- Health check.- Health check. Marvellous.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03The tests, they worry me at times the ones where they ask me
0:14:03 > 0:14:05questions and I forget!
0:14:05 > 0:14:08- But I just laugh. - But you're helping science too,
0:14:08 > 0:14:12- isn't that brilliant?- Yes. And that is the bottom line.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15To think that the group I am talking to now were the kids who
0:14:15 > 0:14:20took the National Intelligence Test 70 years ago is truly remarkable.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23But while their minds and bodies may have changed quite a lot,
0:14:23 > 0:14:27inside they are the same people who must have learned
0:14:27 > 0:14:29a great deal over the course of their lives.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33So what better way to end our conversation than by getting
0:14:33 > 0:14:34some top tips?
0:14:36 > 0:14:39Now, for younger people,
0:14:39 > 0:14:44have you got any tips about how they might age as gracefully as you have?
0:14:44 > 0:14:49To be confident and to enjoy the times in which you are living.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53The important thing is to enjoy your current experiences.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56I think it is important to continue to learn.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59I think it is important to be looking around ourselves
0:14:59 > 0:15:00at the world
0:15:00 > 0:15:04and people of the world obviously and to be learning
0:15:04 > 0:15:08and asking yourself questions and re-appraising some of the perhaps
0:15:08 > 0:15:14biases that you have taken from your youth and so on and look again.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16It's probably helped, though,
0:15:16 > 0:15:20taking part in this study, hasn't it?
0:15:20 > 0:15:24I have thoroughly enjoyed it, I have found it very, very interesting.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27It is quite humbling in a way that we have been able through
0:15:27 > 0:15:32- our brains to do good for other people in the future.- Hear, hear.
0:15:32 > 0:15:36But I suppose while I am here, I too should lend my brain to science.
0:15:36 > 0:15:41I am having a go at the dreaded memory test. Wish me luck.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49- Great, that is brilliant. - Was it good?
0:15:49 > 0:15:51I wouldn't want to try doing that when I'm 80 years old.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54I don't think I would do nearly so well.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57Still, it is good to know that my brain is doing OK.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00This place has brought us the good news that perhaps we
0:16:00 > 0:16:03shouldn't worry quite so much about getting older.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07It is really lovely to see some of the smiling faces from these
0:16:07 > 0:16:11photographs still bright and engaged here 70 years later.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15Ageing is such a complicated subject but the work they are doing
0:16:15 > 0:16:18here in Edinburgh gives us great hope for the future.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22If you only read some papers,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25you might think that pensioners all over Britain are lying in
0:16:25 > 0:16:29hospital corridors being ignored by a woefully unequipped NHS
0:16:29 > 0:16:31and demoralised staff.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33Well, it is just not true.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37Of course, no-one is saying that things are perfect but there
0:16:37 > 0:16:40is also another story to tell.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44In particular, how the NHS is transforming the way in which
0:16:44 > 0:16:46older people are treated at home.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50It seems that Scotland is leading the way again.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53The Age Specialist Service Emergency Team or Asset
0:16:53 > 0:16:56is a remarkable virtual hospital
0:16:56 > 0:16:58that is using the latest in technology
0:16:58 > 0:17:03to monitor and treat patients at home all from a central HQ.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06Dr Graham Ellis is giving me a quick tour.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10This is one of our hubs for the hospital at home teams.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12What you'll see is we've got hospital at home practitioners who
0:17:12 > 0:17:15are currently working looking after patients
0:17:15 > 0:17:17who are out in their own homes.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21We have got 67 patients at home today who would otherwise need
0:17:21 > 0:17:23a hospital bed.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25The hospital at home practitioners are
0:17:25 > 0:17:29a group which composes physiotherapy, nursing, occupational
0:17:29 > 0:17:33therapy, pharmacy, mental health nurses and ambulance staff.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36So, in a sense, a rapid response team.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39If a problem crops up they make sure the treatment gets to them quickly.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42Absolutely. So most of the time during the day they are out
0:17:42 > 0:17:43on the road seeing patients.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45When we get a call in for a patient
0:17:45 > 0:17:47who is referred into hospital at home,
0:17:47 > 0:17:49we made a commitment we will be in the house within an hour,
0:17:49 > 0:17:52starting their treatment, starting their assessment just as they
0:17:52 > 0:17:54would do at the front door of a hospital.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57So this is a virtual hospital ward.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59Yes, this is our virtual ward,
0:17:59 > 0:18:03but you can think of it as exactly a hospital ward.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06You can see that we have got a system that allows us to know
0:18:06 > 0:18:08exactly what is happening with each patient,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11what their plan is for today, what we have already done
0:18:11 > 0:18:14and when they are due to be handed back to the GP.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16We still talk about discharge although actually they're
0:18:16 > 0:18:17in their own house.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20We keep an overview of that on this system
0:18:20 > 0:18:22as well as in the hospital notes.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26The other advantage of this system is it allows us to get an immediate
0:18:26 > 0:18:28overview of one of our smaller wards
0:18:28 > 0:18:31and see where our patients are at in their care.
0:18:31 > 0:18:36So we manage all of that from our hub here.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39Enabling patients to be treated at home instead of at hospital
0:18:39 > 0:18:43obviously has the potential to save the NHS millions of pounds a year
0:18:43 > 0:18:45in freed up beds.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48But the real benefit is that home recuperation might,
0:18:48 > 0:18:52in some cases, also help improve recovery rates
0:18:52 > 0:18:55and treatment options for elderly patients,
0:18:55 > 0:18:57as the nurses here know only too well.
0:18:58 > 0:18:59- Hi, Richard.- Hi.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02What is the biggest difference, do you think,
0:19:02 > 0:19:05between the treatment that you give to somebody in their home
0:19:05 > 0:19:07and somebody who might otherwise be in hospital?
0:19:07 > 0:19:10Well, ideally, there shouldn't be any difference at all.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13It should be that that is the best option for the patient.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15Not everybody needs to go to hospital and not everybody
0:19:15 > 0:19:19wants to go to hospital. So it is in the best interest of the patient.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23- And the patients appreciate that, do they?- A lot.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25Especially the elderly patients, they do because
0:19:25 > 0:19:28a lot of them are actually quite scared going into hospital.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30The fact that they are in their own homes,
0:19:30 > 0:19:32they feel more safe in their own environment.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35So the social benefit from talking to you as well as the medical.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37Yes, they are getting someone visiting them,
0:19:37 > 0:19:40someone listening to them and someone spending time with them,
0:19:40 > 0:19:43rather than just focusing on medical issues only.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46So you've got to be good at chat and patter.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49Yes, you've got to have good communication skills
0:19:49 > 0:19:50and effective listening.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54I really want to see this for myself in person
0:19:54 > 0:19:56so the Asset team have kindly allowed me
0:19:56 > 0:19:59to go out on the road with one of their team of roaming health carers.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04Nurse Sandy is certain that when it comes to health care
0:20:04 > 0:20:07for the elderly, we are headed in the right direction.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10It is a very definite pleasure to serve the community and work
0:20:10 > 0:20:12within it for so long and enjoy it.
0:20:12 > 0:20:17I think the changes have been really good for the elderly particularly,
0:20:17 > 0:20:21to live in their own homes and be supported and not have to go
0:20:21 > 0:20:23into long-term care.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25Some people used to go into long-term care
0:20:25 > 0:20:30- so early and had to stay.- You mean a care home?- A nursing home.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34- They would be there for a long time. - Yes.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37I think it is what a lot of people worry about, actually, isn't it?
0:20:37 > 0:20:40Yes, and people live so much longer now.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43We have one or two over 100, 102 now.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45It is absolutely lovely to see them still living independently
0:20:45 > 0:20:49with sometimes minimal care, minimal assistance.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51So what is the difference between what you do now and what the
0:20:51 > 0:20:54district nurse would have done?
0:20:54 > 0:20:57Years ago in the community it was the district nurses who actually
0:20:57 > 0:20:59attended to all the personal care in the community
0:20:59 > 0:21:03whereas now it has evolved and we have had joint working services
0:21:03 > 0:21:07for some time now and it means we can amalgamate much better.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11This is just the latest chapter in how the National Health Service
0:21:11 > 0:21:14has redesigned health care for older people in Britain.
0:21:14 > 0:21:15Before it was established,
0:21:15 > 0:21:19geriatrics didn't even exist as a specialism.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23Today, it is one of the largest departments in the NHS.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26But with an ageing population putting more and more
0:21:26 > 0:21:29pressure on its resources, home treatment has become essential.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32And for Sandy, it is working.
0:21:32 > 0:21:33So the system works, do you think?
0:21:33 > 0:21:36I think the system works extremely well.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39I think to live in the community in your own home is
0:21:39 > 0:21:41very admirable and it is extremely helpful.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43It frees up hospital beds.
0:21:43 > 0:21:48- Because there is an awful lot of pressure on those.- Oh, there is.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51It allows people to be in their own home environment with their
0:21:51 > 0:21:54own family and neighbours round about them.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57But, of course, the only person who can really
0:21:57 > 0:22:00tell me if the system works is the patient.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03And that is where we are off to now.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07- Sandy, where are we going today?- We are going to visit Mr Alan Snowden.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10Alan has been widowed for ten years.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13He manages to live himself now but only with the support of
0:22:13 > 0:22:16the care staff from the social work department in Lanark.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19He has a COPD which is a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
0:22:19 > 0:22:22which makes him very short of breath.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25And you are going to check up that he's OK medically.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27I keep an eye on Alan too
0:22:27 > 0:22:30because I come in and I'll do some checks on his health
0:22:30 > 0:22:34and make sure his blood pressure and his vital signs are fine
0:22:34 > 0:22:38and go over his anticipated care plan so we know what his wishes are.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44I do hope Alan doesn't mind Sandy bringing along a friend today.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50- Hello, Alan, how are you? - Fine, thank you, and you?
0:22:50 > 0:22:52I am very well indeed, nice to see you again.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56She's brought an extra guest. Hi, Alan, nice to meet you.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58- How are you?- Fine, thank you, and you?- Very well, thank you.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00You are a long way from home.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04Yes, but I am home away from home because I'm with Sandy today.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06- So this is a regular checkup you get, is it?- Yes.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08Check his blood pressure.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10I hope she has warmed her stethoscope
0:23:10 > 0:23:11because it is cold outside.
0:23:14 > 0:23:19They come in and check on me regularly which is
0:23:19 > 0:23:21a great benefit.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24Thank you very much. That's grand.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27It is very reassuring too.
0:23:27 > 0:23:32Because you know if anything goes wrong, you can get help quickly.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36Yes, I can phone Sandy any time.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40- You've been keeping all right? Not too short of breath?- Yes.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43I get short of breath particularly in the morning.
0:23:43 > 0:23:48But particularly at this time of year...
0:23:48 > 0:23:49with the cold.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51- I won't be a moment.- Fine.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56That's very good. It's coming in well.
0:23:56 > 0:23:57- Good.- 130/80.
0:23:57 > 0:24:02- Doing very well indeed.- That doesn't mean anything to me, I'm afraid.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06- For a 90-year-old you are doing really well.- Oh, thank you.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09It's nice to know with Sandy coming to see you every once in a while,
0:24:09 > 0:24:14if there are any problems, which you won't necessarily feel,
0:24:14 > 0:24:16- she'll know what is going on.- Yes.
0:24:16 > 0:24:22Not only that, when the carers come in, they help me dress,
0:24:22 > 0:24:29but the important thing is that the psychological knowledge
0:24:29 > 0:24:32of them coming every morning is great.
0:24:32 > 0:24:37If I am not well, if they think that I need medical attention,
0:24:37 > 0:24:42they'll phone either Sandy or the doctor and...
0:24:42 > 0:24:45both of whom would always respond
0:24:45 > 0:24:49and then the carers very often look back in later on
0:24:49 > 0:24:52in the day to make sure that the response
0:24:52 > 0:24:54has been there and to find out what the result is.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57But it is perhaps the peace of mind that the system offers
0:24:57 > 0:25:00Alan's family that is most important.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03His family are aware that he has support throughout the day
0:25:03 > 0:25:06- and with all your activities and daily living.- Yes.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09- The family know that we're here for you.- Yes, quite.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11Because they are a bit further away.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14They know that I am being well looked after.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19So that is a great feeling, I'll tell you.
0:25:19 > 0:25:23How important is it for you to be here in your own home?
0:25:23 > 0:25:26I've been a loner all my life.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29I wouldn't fit in to a nursing home
0:25:29 > 0:25:31or an old folks' home,
0:25:31 > 0:25:34or that sort of thing.
0:25:34 > 0:25:42But it is so important to me to be here and to be able to do
0:25:42 > 0:25:48things the way I want and live life the way I want and I am able.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51That is what is so important to me.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57Alan is going to be 91 in May and he's been living on his own
0:25:57 > 0:25:58for some years now.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02But he sees his carers every day and he gets very good medical care
0:26:02 > 0:26:04from Sandy and the other nurses.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07But the most important thing I think, for me, is that because
0:26:07 > 0:26:09he is still at home,
0:26:09 > 0:26:12he is engaged in the local community where he has been for some time,
0:26:12 > 0:26:15so he can see his friends, he can get down to the shops,
0:26:15 > 0:26:17he is still taking part in things.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20That must surely be really quite beneficial.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23I hope I am delivering on my promise to bring you some of the good news
0:26:23 > 0:26:26when it comes to getting older.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29The places I have been to seem far removed from the doom and gloom
0:26:29 > 0:26:32you often see portrayed in the media.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35None of them though compare in the so-called fake news stakes
0:26:35 > 0:26:38with the next type of story I want to touch on -
0:26:38 > 0:26:40complementary medicine.
0:26:42 > 0:26:43- NEWS REPORT:- A cure for baldness.
0:26:43 > 0:26:47This is the claim of president and founder of the club, Tony,
0:26:47 > 0:26:49who started extensive research into the subject
0:26:49 > 0:26:51after losing his own hair.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55Here is the secret weapon which puts his theories into practice.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58A powerful suction cup many times more effective than massage
0:26:58 > 0:27:01and stimulating circulation under the scalp.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07Sometimes these days it is really hard to tell which treatments
0:27:07 > 0:27:10are good for us and which are just trying to get us to spend,
0:27:10 > 0:27:13or should that be waste, our money.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16But there is one sort of therapy that does interest me
0:27:16 > 0:27:20and as your intrepid reporter, I'm going to check it out.
0:27:22 > 0:27:26This is Glasgow's Hindu Cultural Centre where the motto is
0:27:26 > 0:27:29"keep calm and do yoga."
0:27:29 > 0:27:32A piece of advice I'm going to follow
0:27:32 > 0:27:35with the help of Paul Kaushal.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39BOTH: Oohm...
0:27:47 > 0:27:50Sea breeze. Stars.
0:27:51 > 0:27:57You are sitting on the seaside and there's a very calm sea
0:27:57 > 0:28:00and that calmness bring to you...
0:28:00 > 0:28:03mind and your body as well.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07And eventually your body comes calm.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11How does yoga help people and meditation specifically?
0:28:11 > 0:28:16Yoga helps because you control your thoughts.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20Thoughts are very important in life.
0:28:20 > 0:28:25- You have to cut yourself off the rest of the world.- OK.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28Because otherwise your attention is here, there,
0:28:28 > 0:28:30everywhere - no relaxation.
0:28:30 > 0:28:37So all calm within, and you concentrate either inbetween your...
0:28:37 > 0:28:42both eyebrows or on your breath you take, up and down, OK?
0:28:42 > 0:28:45And recite "ohm."
0:28:45 > 0:28:48BOTH: Ohm.
0:28:52 > 0:28:54OK, so it is all a bit alternative,
0:28:54 > 0:28:58but there is some emerging science to back up the potential benefits
0:28:58 > 0:29:01of yoga when it comes to slowing down the ageing process.
0:29:01 > 0:29:06It's all to do with how the genes and cells react to the breathing,
0:29:06 > 0:29:10the poses and the general effects brought on by meditation.
0:29:13 > 0:29:17Of course, some kinds of yoga are a bit more intense than others,
0:29:17 > 0:29:21but this version is suiting me down to the ground.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24You have to go beyond it.
0:29:24 > 0:29:29That's called meditation where you relax your body.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31It calms you down.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34Calms you down because you control your thoughts.
0:29:34 > 0:29:42When you say "hmmm," you will see eventually your blood vibrates up.
0:29:42 > 0:29:46If there's any small blockage, that clears it.
0:29:46 > 0:29:51All this process does not take place in one day, in a short time.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55It is natural process and develops,
0:29:55 > 0:30:00like a flower eventually unfolds.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03And it develops over a period.
0:30:03 > 0:30:05One thing is quite important, though - the way you're sitting -
0:30:05 > 0:30:08cos I can't really sit like that very comfortably,
0:30:08 > 0:30:12and-and a lot of people couldn't get close to it, so how should you sit?
0:30:12 > 0:30:14- Can you sit on a chair? - Sit on a chair.
0:30:14 > 0:30:18You can sit in any position where you feel relaxed, OK?
0:30:18 > 0:30:23The advantage of this posture is, it's straight up,
0:30:23 > 0:30:28it's very effective, OK? Fresh air goes in, and goes in all parts.
0:30:28 > 0:30:33If you're stooped, it will be a little bit blocked.
0:30:33 > 0:30:38As the thoughts, it relaxes your body and again,
0:30:38 > 0:30:41it's the thoughts makes you fresh.
0:30:41 > 0:30:42OK?
0:30:42 > 0:30:47Once you're relaxed and fresh, you're a different person,
0:30:47 > 0:30:52but remember, yoga is a way of life, OK?
0:30:52 > 0:30:56It's nothing to do with any religion or so on, it's a way of life,
0:30:56 > 0:30:58it's a part of life, OK?
0:30:58 > 0:31:01And it's these mental benefits of yoga
0:31:01 > 0:31:03that are perhaps the most intriguing.
0:31:03 > 0:31:05Depression and anxiety in old age
0:31:05 > 0:31:08are among the modern blights of our society.
0:31:08 > 0:31:13If yoga can help heal the mind, then it must be a good thing, surely?
0:31:15 > 0:31:18And if you think it's all about sitting down and chanting,
0:31:18 > 0:31:19well, think again.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22It can also get quite physical.
0:31:22 > 0:31:26So next, I'm joining a class of yogic high flyers.
0:31:26 > 0:31:31Breathe in. Then you go to the side. Three, four...
0:31:36 > 0:31:38Four.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44Well, um...that was fun
0:31:44 > 0:31:48but it was surprisingly strenuous, wasn't it?
0:31:48 > 0:31:50Do...? How often do you all come and do this?
0:31:50 > 0:31:55Once a week in here, but in the house we try to do yoga every day.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58Every day? Well, you all must be in amazing shape.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01- Mentally, you feel a lot alert. - What do you get out of it?
0:32:01 > 0:32:05I feel relaxed. Keep me fit.
0:32:05 > 0:32:09I had a back problem, and when I started yoga -
0:32:09 > 0:32:14since I started doing the yoga - my back is better than before.
0:32:14 > 0:32:19- And so I cut down on medication.- You cut down on your medication?- Yes.
0:32:19 > 0:32:25A little encouragement if given to the body or the mind will fortify.
0:32:25 > 0:32:31Hm. Having done it for some time, has it affected your life overall?
0:32:31 > 0:32:32Yes.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35I'm a very angry person, very angry,
0:32:35 > 0:32:39and then I get very agitated about little things,
0:32:39 > 0:32:41and my breathing had gone bad.
0:32:41 > 0:32:45I have heart problems, I've had stents in my...and I think it
0:32:45 > 0:32:47has given me long...better life now.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50I can do things, I can walk, I can play,
0:32:50 > 0:32:53I can talk and I can fight with people. I can do that.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56- But are you still angry? - No, I'm not angry.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59I'm very happy because my breathing has made me...
0:32:59 > 0:33:02I don't like physical, I can do physical also.
0:33:02 > 0:33:07I'm 78 now but my breathing has improved my heart condition.
0:33:07 > 0:33:12Breathe out. Both hands in front. Same exercise again.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14Well, after all that hard work relaxing,
0:33:14 > 0:33:16I think cooling down is on the cards.
0:33:16 > 0:33:21Or in the case of this lot, cooling down while playing cards.
0:33:21 > 0:33:23So, ladies, what are you up to here?
0:33:23 > 0:33:25- A game.- Playing cards.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28Playing cards. Who's winning?
0:33:28 > 0:33:30ALl TALK AT ONCE
0:33:30 > 0:33:31You're all winning?
0:33:31 > 0:33:35- Who's cheating?- Nobody's cheating.
0:33:35 > 0:33:39So she's a cheat and she's a bad loser?
0:33:39 > 0:33:41THEY LAUGH
0:33:41 > 0:33:45It keeps our brain active because we need to remember which card
0:33:45 > 0:33:46is gone and which is not.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49So you're not just playing for fun - it's good brain exercise?
0:33:49 > 0:33:51Oh, very, very good for brain.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55It's very good for brain. All day, keep ourselves busy.
0:33:55 > 0:33:59Don't feel bored, don't feel lonely, don't feel depressed, like,
0:33:59 > 0:34:00enjoy ourself, all the time.
0:34:00 > 0:34:01- Wonderful.- Very good.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03So, let me get this straight,
0:34:03 > 0:34:05- you come in here and you do yoga... - Yeah.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07..and you get nice and calm and meditative
0:34:07 > 0:34:10- and then you play cards...- Yes.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13..and you get all excited and angry with each other!
0:34:13 > 0:34:15Yeah, who's winning and who's losing!
0:34:15 > 0:34:17THEY LAUGH
0:34:17 > 0:34:19So you need to calm down again afterwards.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21Very good. THEY LAUGH
0:34:21 > 0:34:23- You carry on playing, then.- Thanks.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26I think it's fair to say that when it comes to holding back the years
0:34:26 > 0:34:28these guys have a winning hand.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32It's nearly the end of my good news journey
0:34:32 > 0:34:36into the world of health and wellbeing in our older years
0:34:36 > 0:34:40but I've got just enough time to bring you one last story.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42And as we say on the news, "and, finally,"
0:34:42 > 0:34:46there's one type of story the media love when it comes to old people
0:34:46 > 0:34:47and their health -
0:34:47 > 0:34:51wacky pensioners who are keeping fit in unusual ways.
0:34:51 > 0:34:53Whether that's skydiving grannies,
0:34:53 > 0:34:56roller-skating seniors
0:34:56 > 0:34:59or pensioners playing in the park.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02But the truth is that the vast majority are never going to do
0:35:02 > 0:35:06any of these things, they're just too extreme or embarrassing.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08However, there is a quieter, gentler
0:35:08 > 0:35:11and much more private way of staying fit.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13And it's becoming very popular.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15According to some recent studies,
0:35:15 > 0:35:19the age group that uses the gym most regularly are the over-70s,
0:35:19 > 0:35:21but what do they get out of it
0:35:21 > 0:35:23and what type of exercise can you do there?
0:35:25 > 0:35:28I'm popping along to a centre which offers different ways
0:35:28 > 0:35:29for seniors to keep fit...
0:35:31 > 0:35:35..whether it's rowing, pumping weights or pounding the treadmill.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38MUSIC: Moving On Up by M People
0:35:38 > 0:35:41Here to explain how it can help hold back the years
0:35:41 > 0:35:43is personal trainer Craig.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46What are the benefits, then, of coming to the gym for older people?
0:35:46 > 0:35:51It's huge. As you get older, the body naturally starts to degenerate,
0:35:51 > 0:35:55so by doing a minimal twice a week, you can reverse that completely.
0:35:55 > 0:35:59It increases the bone density and increases the muscle mass as well.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02And these guys here, they're your top athletes.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05These guys are the elite of the elite. Yes, they are!
0:36:05 > 0:36:08- They are.- Olympians.- They're regulars.- They're the Olympians.
0:36:08 > 0:36:09Oh, future, future Olympians.
0:36:11 > 0:36:15The first athlete of a certain age is Sheila, she's 82.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18What brought you to the gym?
0:36:18 > 0:36:21Initially a social activity,
0:36:21 > 0:36:23it was the swim, er...
0:36:23 > 0:36:26- the aqua class with friends.- Uh-huh.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29- How often do you come here, then? - Four times a week, usually.
0:36:29 > 0:36:30That's a lot.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33Yes, but it structures the day.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35And you feel more energised.
0:36:35 > 0:36:39Definitely feel more energised cos if you sit about
0:36:39 > 0:36:43then you just kind of nod off or whatever but...
0:36:43 > 0:36:45it gives you the get-up-and-go.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52And the science says that even light exercise is good for you.
0:36:52 > 0:36:56It's estimated that just 15 minutes a day can extend your life.
0:36:56 > 0:37:00So the message is, you don't have to go skydiving to stay fit.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03It can be a bit nerve-racking, though, can't it,
0:37:03 > 0:37:07for somebody coming in who is older, who doesn't know what to expect?
0:37:07 > 0:37:10Absolutely. I think it can be nerve-racking for any age group.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12We try to make it as welcoming as possible.
0:37:12 > 0:37:16One of the first things that you do is you receive a health check
0:37:16 > 0:37:20which just allows to see that you are fit and able to do the exercise
0:37:20 > 0:37:22and it may also flag up some things
0:37:22 > 0:37:24that you might not have been aware of.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27We offer age specific classes here as well which, again,
0:37:27 > 0:37:31is really good for sort of introducing the social element.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34For Anne, it's something everyone should have a go at.
0:37:34 > 0:37:38Well, Anne, I think you're the top gun of this particular class.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41Is it something you would recommend for other older people?
0:37:41 > 0:37:45Anybody, yeah. No matter whether it's swimming, the gym, whatever.
0:37:45 > 0:37:50As long as you're moving and once you're moving, oh, it's marvellous.
0:37:50 > 0:37:52And, finally, Sandra is using exercise
0:37:52 > 0:37:55to recover from a bout of illness.
0:37:56 > 0:37:58How many miles have you got so far on the clock?
0:37:58 > 0:38:00Well, I'm not counting.
0:38:00 > 0:38:02What brought you to the gym?
0:38:02 > 0:38:04First of all, it stops me becoming a slob.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08I need the discipline of a gym, I wouldn't exercise on my own.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11It kind of repairs the wear and tear.
0:38:11 > 0:38:14And also, you know, you make new friends, get out, things like that.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17You said it repairs wear and tear, how's that?
0:38:17 > 0:38:20- Well, I have some wear and tear at the top of my spine.- Uh-huh.
0:38:20 > 0:38:25So if I do exercise and various ones which you get guidance on,
0:38:25 > 0:38:27it means you don't do any further damage,
0:38:27 > 0:38:29in fact you might improve things.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32Of course not everyone is able to use the gym,
0:38:32 > 0:38:36almost half of all pensioners report having mobility issues.
0:38:38 > 0:38:41And that's where the role of technology comes in.
0:38:41 > 0:38:45We've always invented stuff to help us in later life,
0:38:45 > 0:38:47from the hip replacement...
0:38:47 > 0:38:49X-ray, please.
0:38:49 > 0:38:50..to the hearing aid...
0:38:53 > 0:38:55..the stairlift,
0:38:55 > 0:38:57to the good old Zimmer frame.
0:38:57 > 0:38:59But here's the breaking news,
0:38:59 > 0:39:02we live in a time of unparalleled invention
0:39:02 > 0:39:06that's revolutionising how the elderly can stay mobile.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09But what's on offer to the average person in the here and now
0:39:09 > 0:39:11and what does it cost?
0:39:11 > 0:39:14I've come to one of the largest mobility superstores
0:39:14 > 0:39:15here in Scotland and first,
0:39:15 > 0:39:18I'm checking out the hottest wheels in the warehouse.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26Mobility scooters, then, are the most expensive things you sell?
0:39:26 > 0:39:28Yes, I would say pretty much that's true.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31Something like this would be a fairly typical scooter
0:39:31 > 0:39:33that somebody would use.
0:39:33 > 0:39:35Ideal for the pavements, easy-to-use,
0:39:35 > 0:39:36let somebody get around.
0:39:36 > 0:39:37Entry-level, is that what you'd call it?
0:39:37 > 0:39:40- Entry-level, definitely. - It's got a mahogany trim.
0:39:40 > 0:39:43Mahogany trim, of course, only the finest.
0:39:43 > 0:39:44How much is this one, then?
0:39:44 > 0:39:47You're going to be somewhere between roughly £1,000-£2,000,
0:39:47 > 0:39:49just depending on specifications.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52- Over here, though, we have the top-of-the-range.- Yeah.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55You're looking much more at the Rolls-Royce type scooter,
0:39:55 > 0:39:58much bigger, much fancier and, of course,
0:39:58 > 0:40:00- you can use this on the road as well.- OK.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03- Quite a lot of stuff going on here, though, isn't there?- There is.
0:40:03 > 0:40:05There's all these controls here, massive dashboard.
0:40:05 > 0:40:07It's like an aircraft, yeah.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09You've got indicators, you've also got a speed control,
0:40:09 > 0:40:12one for the road, one for the pavement.
0:40:12 > 0:40:13You've also got full suspension,
0:40:13 > 0:40:16so typically someone who's perhaps given up their car
0:40:16 > 0:40:18might buy something like this.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20What's the top speed on this one?
0:40:20 > 0:40:22You're looking at about 8mph on the road
0:40:22 > 0:40:25and you're limited to 4mph on the pavement.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27So, 0-8 in how many seconds?
0:40:27 > 0:40:29It depends how fast you accelerate.
0:40:29 > 0:40:30How much is this going to cost you?
0:40:30 > 0:40:32Erm, anywhere, depending on a size of scooter,
0:40:32 > 0:40:35you're going to be anywhere between £3,000-£5,000,
0:40:35 > 0:40:38- depending on size and type. - It has got a lot of bounce on it.
0:40:38 > 0:40:39It is. Very, very comfortable.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41This is what they would call a good, comfortable ride.
0:40:41 > 0:40:43Yes, it is. Very...
0:40:43 > 0:40:46Big suspension on it, makes it really comfortable to use, yeah.
0:40:46 > 0:40:50And we Brits really do love our mobility scooters.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52In fact, we're the mobility scooter capital of Europe
0:40:52 > 0:40:57with more than 250,000 of them currently on the roads.
0:40:57 > 0:40:58Keep going, keep going.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02It can sometimes cause some, well, problems.
0:41:02 > 0:41:03OK, where are you going now, mate?
0:41:03 > 0:41:06- Walter.- Yeah? - Come back here, mate.
0:41:06 > 0:41:10But it's not just high-end products on offer in places like this,
0:41:10 > 0:41:12there's everything to make life just a little easier
0:41:12 > 0:41:15for the elderly in here,
0:41:15 > 0:41:19including the most basic of activities, like standing up.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22If you look at something like this, you've got a simple control
0:41:22 > 0:41:25which you can use and, again, if I push this button here,
0:41:25 > 0:41:26the foot will elevate.
0:41:26 > 0:41:30This can often help the swelling of the ankles or swollen feet.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33And the chair also rises up to help you stand up, does it?
0:41:33 > 0:41:36That's right, it'll basically help you stand up.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38If you're fit and able in the morning,
0:41:38 > 0:41:41by afternoon time you might be getting a bit tired,
0:41:41 > 0:41:44you can use this chair. If you're struggling to get to the bathroom,
0:41:44 > 0:41:46struggling to get to the kitchen, for example,
0:41:46 > 0:41:48it makes a big difference to the elderly people.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50Of course we're only scratching the surface here
0:41:50 > 0:41:52of what's available worldwide
0:41:52 > 0:41:56when it comes to helping those with mobility reach new heights.
0:41:56 > 0:42:00From the highly practical to the simply mind-boggling.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07For Keith, though, it's about providing a vital service right now.
0:42:07 > 0:42:08We see customers who, you know,
0:42:08 > 0:42:10they're at not a great time in their life,
0:42:10 > 0:42:12they've had possibly a stroke,
0:42:12 > 0:42:14they've had a severe disability of some sort
0:42:14 > 0:42:17so they're not in a great place and they're really looking for somewhere
0:42:17 > 0:42:20to come to give them some advice, to give them some help
0:42:20 > 0:42:23and hopefully we can then provide some sort of, you know,
0:42:23 > 0:42:28not a solution exactly but an aid or a device that will help them.
0:42:28 > 0:42:30My time in Scotland is nearly up.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33I set out to show you some of the good news about health care
0:42:33 > 0:42:35for us older Brits
0:42:35 > 0:42:38and also to expose some of the myths out there along the way.
0:42:38 > 0:42:42So, as I've ended many a broadcast, what's the summary?
0:42:42 > 0:42:45Well, things aren't as bad as the media would sometimes
0:42:45 > 0:42:47have us believe.
0:42:47 > 0:42:49There are wonderful people and places out there
0:42:49 > 0:42:53dedicated to helping us all have a healthy older age.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56And the future looks bright in terms of the role that medical research,
0:42:56 > 0:43:01science and technology will play in helping us hold back the years.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04Most of all, though, it's never been easier to take control
0:43:04 > 0:43:08of your own wellbeing and there are lots of inspirational characters
0:43:08 > 0:43:11willing to show us the way.
0:43:11 > 0:43:15Good news that I'm passing on to my old friends Dermott and Laurie.
0:43:15 > 0:43:17I think the most important thing, though,
0:43:17 > 0:43:19- I've discovered is psychologically. - Yes.
0:43:19 > 0:43:21The attitude that you have to it.
0:43:21 > 0:43:25If you think positively, stay engaged, make friends,
0:43:25 > 0:43:27keep friends, see friends, get involved in projects,
0:43:27 > 0:43:30- if you can do that and live in the moment...- Yes, yes.
0:43:30 > 0:43:33..that, for me, is the single most important thing
0:43:33 > 0:43:36- cos that's the energy that keeps you going.- Yes.- Yep.
0:43:36 > 0:43:38- Right.- Cool.- Good to know.- Sorted.