0:00:02 > 0:00:04- Everything has an impact on your life.- Whatever your age.
0:00:04 > 0:00:07From the type of house we live in...
0:00:07 > 0:00:08Oh, this looks nice.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11Yes, it's been completely renovated throughout.
0:00:11 > 0:00:13..to how much money we have to spend...
0:00:13 > 0:00:17Your wage ends up being like a normal working wage, which is good.
0:00:17 > 0:00:18..what we put in our bodies...
0:00:18 > 0:00:22I don't think I've ever been fat-fat, but I have put weight on.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25..to the secrets of our genetic make-up.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27You are going to live to be 140.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29That'll do - I'll take everything I can get!
0:00:29 > 0:00:35So, finding out about all those things and more could help you mature brilliantly.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39Or slow down the ageing process, just a little.
0:00:39 > 0:00:44We've tracked down the very best tips and advice for Holding Back The Years.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46And now, with the help of our team,
0:00:46 > 0:00:48we're going to pass them on to you -
0:00:48 > 0:00:51to show you how to have the time of your life.
0:00:51 > 0:00:52Whenever that may be.
0:00:56 > 0:01:01Hello and welcome to the show that says you're only as old as other people make you feel.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04Mmm, isn't that the truth? Here's what's on today's show.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09Is losing confidence as you reach middle or older age
0:01:09 > 0:01:11affecting your driving skills?
0:01:11 > 0:01:14If so, then a refresher course might be what you need.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16I'll be road testing it.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20Oh, crikey! Well, I was just being cautious.
0:01:20 > 0:01:21You were.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25- Here, yeah? Oh, no, that's a field. - A little bit further up there.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Our resident medical man, Dr Rangan Chatterjee,
0:01:28 > 0:01:31has advice on how many painkillers you should really be taking.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35So pain and discomfort was seven out of ten,
0:01:35 > 0:01:38and during the session it came down to one out of ten.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41- Got it down to one, yeah. - That is hugely significant.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44And learning how to cook
0:01:44 > 0:01:46is a problem many men from an older generation face
0:01:46 > 0:01:49when they find themselves living alone.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52Ainsley Harriott, however, is exploring a new course
0:01:52 > 0:01:54that's turning them into kitchen kings.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58- You lost your partner a few years ago.- Yeah, yeah.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00So centres like this are really, really important.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04Yeah, it gives you more confidence, and I think the sense of fun...
0:02:04 > 0:02:07- Yeah.- ..is really important in this group.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13These days, driving is so much more than getting from A to B -
0:02:13 > 0:02:17it's about independence, freedom, and staying socially active -
0:02:17 > 0:02:18especially as we get older.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21So if your confidence in getting behind the wheel goes -
0:02:21 > 0:02:25mine's starting to go, I have to say, honestly, it is, it is -
0:02:25 > 0:02:27luckily, there are ways of reversing things,
0:02:27 > 0:02:29and getting your motoring mojo back.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31As Fiona has been finding out.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35There's no upper age limit
0:02:35 > 0:02:39to say when we have to stop driving in the UK,
0:02:39 > 0:02:42and many continue motoring very happily well into their old age.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44However, for some of us,
0:02:44 > 0:02:48even getting into our 50s and 60s poses real problems.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52Although, to be fair, my own relationship with driving
0:02:52 > 0:02:55has been somewhat problematic from the off.
0:02:55 > 0:02:56# Do what you want to
0:02:56 > 0:03:03# All the land we will drive, drive... #
0:03:03 > 0:03:05I passed my test at 17.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08Not a particularly auspicious start, it has to be said -
0:03:08 > 0:03:10I hit a lorry on my first test.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14I passed my second test, though, and I've been driving ever since.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17I have to say, I do start thinking a bit more about journeys now -
0:03:17 > 0:03:19I'm afraid that I might get lost,
0:03:19 > 0:03:23or...yeah, I'm not as big and bold and young as I used to be.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26I do have friends, though, who have stopped altogether,
0:03:26 > 0:03:30and some who are nervous and just don't drive as much as they used to.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39And, it turns out, this loss of confidence is something that affects
0:03:39 > 0:03:40a lot of us as we get older.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44My first pit stop today is to meet Dr Charles Musselwhite.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47He's an academic from the University of Swansea,
0:03:47 > 0:03:51who's studied the psychology of older drivers.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56So, Charles, why do people start losing confidence in their driving
0:03:56 > 0:03:57as they get older?
0:03:57 > 0:03:59In terms of driving,
0:03:59 > 0:04:04increased distances that they have to give, in terms of reaction time,
0:04:04 > 0:04:06so that can increase up to, sort of, 10, 11,
0:04:06 > 0:04:10sometimes 15, 16 times more than a younger driver,
0:04:10 > 0:04:13in order to make the same decision and stop.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15But also in terms of things like eyesight.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18That can be a cause of a lack of confidence.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21So changes in eyesight, particularly in terms of brightness.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24And I think, obviously, as you say, you feel frailer,
0:04:24 > 0:04:27and therefore, you can feel more vulnerable, can't you?
0:04:27 > 0:04:29One of the areas older drivers do have more issues with
0:04:29 > 0:04:33is turning right in the UK, across traffic coming the other way.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37Older people feel under pressure from other drivers
0:04:37 > 0:04:39to make the decision too quickly.
0:04:39 > 0:04:40Given that they can feel under pressure -
0:04:40 > 0:04:44it doesn't have to be real pressure, it can be imagined pressure of the vehicles behind -
0:04:44 > 0:04:45that can make them make an error.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48One solution, Charles believes, to this,
0:04:48 > 0:04:53and any cognitive changes associated with ageing, is to drive slower.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56But this, of course, can raise the ire of other road users,
0:04:56 > 0:05:00who often sit, impatiently, at the opposite end of the age spectrum.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03You know, an old chap said to me the other day,
0:05:03 > 0:05:06they only have to see the flat cap on, or if I take it off,
0:05:06 > 0:05:08the bald head and white hair, and they're right up behind me.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12We do have that stereotype that older drivers are more ponderous,
0:05:12 > 0:05:16and much slower to make decisions, but on the whole,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19we find older drivers are really safe drivers.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22And the statistics bear this out.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25According to research by Swansea University,
0:05:25 > 0:05:30drivers over the age of 70 are involved in three to four times
0:05:30 > 0:05:34fewer accidents than 17- to 21-year-olds.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36But what if, like me, you're not sure
0:05:36 > 0:05:40whether or not you're driving as safely as you used to?
0:05:40 > 0:05:42How can you find this out?
0:05:42 > 0:05:46I think if you start losing a bit of confidence about your driving,
0:05:46 > 0:05:49then one of the best things to do is to go and get a driver assessment
0:05:49 > 0:05:52at one of your local driver assessment centres.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55They're really useful for getting you to reflect on
0:05:55 > 0:05:57how well you're driving, and little habits that, again,
0:05:57 > 0:06:01we've all picked up through our lifetime, that, you know,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04stop us being as safe as we could, perhaps.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06Advice from a driving assessment centre?
0:06:06 > 0:06:08Now there's an idea.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11There are two different types of driver assessments -
0:06:11 > 0:06:15one for people with a medical condition or disability
0:06:15 > 0:06:19which affects their driving - this is provided by mobility centres.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21And there's also one for people who just need
0:06:21 > 0:06:24a little help and advice on how to improve their driving.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27These assessments are run by organisations
0:06:27 > 0:06:30such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents,
0:06:30 > 0:06:33your local authority, or drop-in ones,
0:06:33 > 0:06:34like the one I'm visiting today.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41Check out olderdrivers.org for contact details.
0:06:43 > 0:06:48This is the IAM RoadSmart centre, just outside Welwyn Garden City.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52Rebecca Ashton oversees what they call a Mature Drive Review.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58Rebecca, the Mature Drive Review, now, what is that?
0:06:58 > 0:07:03It helps older people to get a review of their driving,
0:07:03 > 0:07:06without them feeling that they're under a test or assessment
0:07:06 > 0:07:07or anything like that.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09OK, so what does it involve exactly, then?
0:07:09 > 0:07:13It's about an hour long, and it's in their own car.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15It's on routes that they're familiar with,
0:07:15 > 0:07:18so we're not trying to trick them, we're not taking them
0:07:18 > 0:07:21anywhere strange, so it's about building their confidence,
0:07:21 > 0:07:23and keeping drivers on the road for as long as we can.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26# Driving all over, so... #
0:07:26 > 0:07:29Recently, the Automobile Association predicted
0:07:29 > 0:07:31that by 2035,
0:07:31 > 0:07:35there'll be 21 million older drivers on UK roads,
0:07:35 > 0:07:40which make assessment centres like this all the more important.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43But what happens if the test doesn't go so well?
0:07:43 > 0:07:47There must be some people who haven't passed the test.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51Yes. You will get some people that perhaps aren't quite up to standard,
0:07:51 > 0:07:53but I think if they're honest with themselves,
0:07:53 > 0:07:55they sort of knew that anyway.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58So they come into it with wanting the help.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00They want to keep their licence,
0:08:00 > 0:08:01they want to keep their independence,
0:08:01 > 0:08:05so we give them that review and then tell them what they need to work on
0:08:05 > 0:08:10and we can even offer somebody to help them to get back up to scratch.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14So this road test is not about the triumph of hope over reality.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18If there are serious issues, then they're met head-on.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21If somebody really is performing that badly,
0:08:21 > 0:08:26then we would sort of recommend to them that perhaps they think about,
0:08:26 > 0:08:28you know, handing in their driving licence.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32But it's not our decision to make - it's their decision to make -
0:08:32 > 0:08:36but on the other hand, we do want to encourage people to be able
0:08:36 > 0:08:39to keep driving and to up their skills if necessary.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43If you want to book a mature driver assessment,
0:08:43 > 0:08:46there are plenty of providers throughout the UK,
0:08:46 > 0:08:53with prices ranging from £35 to £55 and the reviews lasting between
0:08:53 > 0:08:56one and two hours. Just ask your local council for details.
0:08:57 > 0:09:02Right, well, time to road test this road test, I think -
0:09:02 > 0:09:05and for that I've invited along three mature drivers,
0:09:05 > 0:09:10each of whom have a very different view on their own driving abilities.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14Dave, who is still trucking at 76,
0:09:14 > 0:09:20Fred who is the grand age of 90, and Myrtle, who's 85.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22Fred, I'll start with you.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Do you think getting older has impacted on your driving?
0:09:25 > 0:09:27The way you think about driving?
0:09:27 > 0:09:29- Not at all.- Not at all?
0:09:29 > 0:09:31- No.- You're still out there trucking away.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33- I love driving. - Myrtle, what about you?
0:09:33 > 0:09:38I drive because I'm going somewhere, but I don't drive for fun any more.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41- No. So it's needs must, really? - It's needs must, yep.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44Dave, now this is your magnificent truck you're leaning on,
0:09:44 > 0:09:48so I take it you're still enjoying driving, yeah?
0:09:48 > 0:09:51Yes, yes, I still enjoy it. I probably do 1,000 miles a week.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53- No! Really?- Yeah.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56According to the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency,
0:09:56 > 0:09:59there are nearly 5 million people over the age of 70
0:09:59 > 0:10:01who hold a valid licence.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05These licences have to be renewed every three years
0:10:05 > 0:10:09with a self-assessed declaration that they're medically fit to drive.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12Are any of you more nervous than you used to be?
0:10:12 > 0:10:14I don't think you get nervous, you know.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16You've got to go with the traffic -
0:10:16 > 0:10:19don't matter if it's busy, what it is, you just drive normal.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23It's not nervousness, it's awareness now, isn't it, as you get older?
0:10:23 > 0:10:25You've got to be aware of more things.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29Was it last year? I took my motor over to Jersey,
0:10:29 > 0:10:34picked some stuff up, but I didn't realise... It's like driving down...
0:10:34 > 0:10:37There's no roads in Jersey, they're all country lanes, aren't they?
0:10:37 > 0:10:40And some of the names are in French.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42I got completely lost!
0:10:42 > 0:10:45So it's the language rather than the roads that confused you, yeah.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47Yeah, it was the language, yeah.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49A bit of bloke-ish bravado from the lads, then,
0:10:49 > 0:10:52but it's straight-talking Myrtle
0:10:52 > 0:10:56who I can perhaps see myself turning into in a few years.
0:10:56 > 0:11:01My foot started slipping off the clutch and I'd be at a road junction
0:11:01 > 0:11:06and it would slip off the clutch and the engine would stall
0:11:06 > 0:11:09and that was embarrassing, because I was aware there was a lot of
0:11:09 > 0:11:11men drivers behind me thinking, "Silly old woman!
0:11:11 > 0:11:14"If she can't control the car, she shouldn't be driving it."
0:11:14 > 0:11:17However, rather than giving up driving,
0:11:17 > 0:11:20Myrtle sought out a vehicle she COULD control better,
0:11:20 > 0:11:23so she bought an automatic car.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27This is wonderful because you cannot stall it.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30- Yeah. That's the only advantage. - A big advantage.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32Yeah, it is a big advantage.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36Do you think there WILL come a day when you'll have to stop?
0:11:36 > 0:11:38Yeah, when I'm in my box!
0:11:38 > 0:11:41They'll have to carry you out of here before you give up driving.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43They'll have to carry me out of my car!
0:11:43 > 0:11:46Right, well, I think we've got our three test drivers.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49Let's get this show on the road, as they say.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55Still to come, someone draws the short straw
0:11:55 > 0:11:58and has to take their driving assessment for us all to see,
0:11:58 > 0:12:01and I'll be facing my own fears, too.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05- How did I do?- How do you think you did?
0:12:07 > 0:12:10Over-reliance on painkillers is one of the fastest-growing issues in
0:12:10 > 0:12:15Britain today. It's estimated that one in 11 of us is on potentially
0:12:15 > 0:12:17addictive prescription drugs.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21But what are the signs that YOU may have crossed the line and is there
0:12:21 > 0:12:23an alternative to drugs for pain relief?
0:12:23 > 0:12:25Dr Rangan Chatterjee investigates.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30When it comes to holding back the aches and pains of life,
0:12:30 > 0:12:33sometimes the easiest thing to do is pop a pill.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40It's not surprising therefore that around 10 million people in the UK
0:12:40 > 0:12:44have regular prescriptions for these painkillers,
0:12:44 > 0:12:48but with a staggering 400% increase in prescriptions for these drugs
0:12:48 > 0:12:51in just the past ten years, thousands of us have become
0:12:51 > 0:12:53accidental addicts without even realising it.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57Today, I'm meeting Cathryn Kemp.
0:12:57 > 0:13:02After a dose of pancreatitis and the onset of a chronic condition
0:13:02 > 0:13:05called fibromyalgia, she entered a world of pain.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10So there's the pain that you've got in your abdomen...
0:13:10 > 0:13:12- Exactly.- ..from the pancreatitis.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15- Yeah.- And where's the fibromyalgia pain that you've got?
0:13:15 > 0:13:17It's everywhere, it's all over my body.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21Literally from the muscles of my face down through my neck, my back,
0:13:21 > 0:13:22even into my hands.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25And so there's always a residual level of pain -
0:13:25 > 0:13:27always, 24 hours a day.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30Can you tell me all the painkillers that you've taken
0:13:30 > 0:13:31over the last few years?
0:13:31 > 0:13:35Yes. So when I first went into hospital, I was on IV morphine.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39In between doses, I was treated with tramadol.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42What I was actually experiencing in hospital were withdrawal symptoms.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44At the time, the medical professionals were
0:13:44 > 0:13:47completely unaware, so they gave me more tramadol.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51- People thought you were in more pain, so gave you more of the painkiller?- Exactly.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54Well, they took the withdrawals away beautifully. They took away the symptoms.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Eventually Cathryn was switched to fentanyl,
0:13:56 > 0:14:01an opioid painkiller which has a rapid but short-lasting result.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04She began to take more and more of the drug just to get the same affect.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08She became dependent and then addicted.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Was there a point when you knew that you'd hit rock bottom?
0:14:11 > 0:14:14I was on 50, 55 lozenges a day.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17So in the small amount of sleep that I got,
0:14:17 > 0:14:21I would wake up and I would be very, very ill until I could take
0:14:21 > 0:14:24six lozenges and then get into the bathroom,
0:14:24 > 0:14:28take six more and by this stage, I knew that I was going to die.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32And so each night, I would write a note,
0:14:32 > 0:14:35put it under my pillow, because my mum was caring for me
0:14:35 > 0:14:38and I knew that she will be the one to come in and find me.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42So I wrote a note and I left it for her saying, you know,
0:14:42 > 0:14:44"I'm sorry."
0:14:44 > 0:14:46But here's the twist.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49Because Cathryn was neither an offender nor homeless,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52she was refused NHS detox and had to sell her house
0:14:52 > 0:14:57to pay for expensive private treatments, which thankfully worked.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59Do you take any painkillers today?
0:14:59 > 0:15:01No, I don't. No.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04I think that an important part of coming off painkillers for me
0:15:04 > 0:15:07was acknowledging that I live with pain.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12Through her own experience, Cathryn has resolved to help others,
0:15:12 > 0:15:17by forming PAIN - the Painkiller Addiction Information Network.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19She has also written a book on the subject,
0:15:19 > 0:15:23as her story is a striking example of how overprescription can lead
0:15:23 > 0:15:27first to dependence, and then addiction.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31But how do you know if you're suffering the same issue when it comes to YOUR painkillers?
0:15:31 > 0:15:34Obviously, there's no one size that fits all here.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36But as a GP, when I'm seeing a patient,
0:15:36 > 0:15:39there are a few things that might alert me to a dependency,
0:15:39 > 0:15:41or even an addiction.
0:15:41 > 0:15:46You need more meds to achieve the same painkilling effects.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48You worry so much about running out of your medicine,
0:15:48 > 0:15:50you're obsessing about it.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52You experience withdrawal symptoms
0:15:52 > 0:15:55after not taking a drug or missing a dose.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59If this is the case, then you should talk to your GP immediately
0:15:59 > 0:16:01and they will help come up with a plan of action.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06A big part of the problem, of course, is with the drugs themselves.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09Why are they so addictive in the first place?
0:16:09 > 0:16:12One man who might know the answer is Harry Shapiro,
0:16:12 > 0:16:16who's advised the government on painkillers and other drugs.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18So, why are painkillers so addictive?
0:16:18 > 0:16:21Yeah, they come out from the opium poppy, most of them.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25Co-codamol, tramadol, co-dydramol, co-proxamol -
0:16:25 > 0:16:27all of those, they're all codeine based.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30And if you trace the process from codeine back,
0:16:30 > 0:16:32you finish up with an opium poppy.
0:16:32 > 0:16:37So, these are actually very similar to morphine and heroin, in some way.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40Yes. Yes, I mean, they're all painkillers,
0:16:40 > 0:16:43and they've all, to a greater or lesser extent,
0:16:43 > 0:16:45got a potential to be addictive.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48You know, and even the ones, like fentanyl,
0:16:48 > 0:16:51that are produced in laboratories - the reason they're addictive
0:16:51 > 0:16:54is that you have to take more to get the same effect.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56What's clear from the research
0:16:56 > 0:16:59is that we've just reached the tip of the iceberg.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01In fact, just last year, the group Harry sits on
0:17:01 > 0:17:04said prescription-drug addiction has the potential to be
0:17:04 > 0:17:07a huge public health disaster of the future,
0:17:07 > 0:17:09and that's because more and more of us
0:17:09 > 0:17:12are now having to deal with the effects of chronic pain.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16The whole reason we've seen huge increases
0:17:16 > 0:17:18in prescriptions for painkillers
0:17:18 > 0:17:21is very much to do with the fact that we've got an ageing population.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24Increasing numbers of people are going to experience
0:17:24 > 0:17:26the sort of pain you experience as you get older -
0:17:26 > 0:17:29you know, hips, knees, joints. Yes, they deal with the physical pain,
0:17:29 > 0:17:31cos that's what they're there for,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34but I've heard it described that they kind of take the rough edges
0:17:34 > 0:17:36off of life and smooth things out somewhat,
0:17:36 > 0:17:39and help people cope psychologically.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43All of which leaves one final, crucial question...
0:17:43 > 0:17:47Given how addictive these painkillers can be,
0:17:47 > 0:17:51do you think there's a case to say that even the lower doses
0:17:51 > 0:17:54should not be available over the counter?
0:17:54 > 0:17:57We've got to be careful not to completely go the other way on this,
0:17:57 > 0:18:01and say, "We're not making painkillers available to people."
0:18:01 > 0:18:03And of course, now you've got Internet.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05It's a problem we've got now.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07You know, let alone what we're building up for the future.
0:18:07 > 0:18:12It's a problem NOW that needs some form of, you know, action.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15It's all very well saying that we should reduce our reliance on
0:18:15 > 0:18:19painkillers - or as doctors, we should actually prescribe less -
0:18:19 > 0:18:21but when a patient comes to see you in pain,
0:18:21 > 0:18:23what do you give in their place?
0:18:23 > 0:18:26Here's a technique that might be worth investigating.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29Hypnotherapy is traditionally seen
0:18:29 > 0:18:32as a way of changing conscious behaviour,
0:18:32 > 0:18:36and is increasingly being used as a technique in pain management.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39To explain more, Cathryn and I are meeting Dr John Butler,
0:18:39 > 0:18:42a leading proponent of the power of hypnotherapy
0:18:42 > 0:18:45when it comes to pain relief.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48Have you seen hypnotherapy help people with chronic pain?
0:18:48 > 0:18:52Oh, yes. Most of our brain is working subconsciously.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54It's working to keep everything going.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57Digestion, heart rate, blood pressure, you name it.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59We can tap into these,
0:18:59 > 0:19:01and everybody has that great ability in their brain.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03But of course, they need some training.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06So, Cathryn, as a patient, would have control.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10Correct. The therapist helps the client to relax into the background,
0:19:10 > 0:19:13that conscious, logical, rational, thinking part of their mind.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16Now, it's the same part of their mind they're going into
0:19:16 > 0:19:18when they're using meditation.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22But with hypnosis, now, we're very proactively directing it
0:19:22 > 0:19:24for our health and wellbeing or for our goals.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27Now, it's a technique that interests Cathryn,
0:19:27 > 0:19:33as she stopped smoking after one single hypnotherapy session 15 years ago.
0:19:33 > 0:19:34But with chronic pain,
0:19:34 > 0:19:38can this technique succeed where those of doctors haven't?
0:19:38 > 0:19:41We're going to do an exercise here in hand levitation,
0:19:41 > 0:19:44using your imagination to allow your hand to float up,
0:19:44 > 0:19:48becoming very light, a wonderful light feeling, more and more comfort...
0:19:48 > 0:19:51I'm going to leave these guys to it. So far, so good.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54Cathryn seems to be taking to it really, really well.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58Now, I pretty much bought in to what John was saying.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02Cathryn's doing well so far, but let's see -
0:20:02 > 0:20:05let's see how she feels at the end of the session.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11Time to find out how she got on.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13Cathryn, how was it?
0:20:13 > 0:20:16- It was actually really good. - Was it?- Yeah, it was really good.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19I was really terrified beforehand.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23But I felt extremely relaxed and in a sort of great space.
0:20:23 > 0:20:24We were using a control panel,
0:20:24 > 0:20:26which is literally what happens in our brain -
0:20:26 > 0:20:29we have sensation coming up, and where our brain is registering
0:20:29 > 0:20:31the level of sensation, we can turn it down.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34And I remember you saying, I got it down to one.
0:20:34 > 0:20:35Seven, when I started.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37So, pain and discomfort was seven out of ten
0:20:37 > 0:20:40and during the session, it came down to one out of ten.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42- Down to one, yeah.- Nice!
0:20:42 > 0:20:43Hugely significant.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46Oh, yes. It's just like taking medication.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48The drug wears off, so you must top it up.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51But after a while, eventually, it's kind of like a permanent state.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55Fantastic. You might have another tool now that can, hopefully,
0:20:55 > 0:20:58maybe be one of the missing pieces for you to get you out of pain.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00Absolutely - let's hope so.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06Absolutely amazing. Cathryn had a significant reduction in pain
0:21:06 > 0:21:08in a very quick period of time.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11As a doctor, one of the basic tenets of my profession
0:21:11 > 0:21:13is primum non nocere - first do no harm -
0:21:13 > 0:21:17and given all the problems we're seeing from these painkillers,
0:21:17 > 0:21:20maybe it's time for us to be a bit more open-minded
0:21:20 > 0:21:22and consider therapy such as these,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25which can significantly reduce our patients' pain
0:21:25 > 0:21:28without increasing their risk of addiction.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30Now then, studies regularly show
0:21:30 > 0:21:33that keeping the old grey matter active with a daily puzzle
0:21:33 > 0:21:35can help keep your brain healthy.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38Which is why - just for fun - we've come up with our very own.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41All you've got to do is watch the following clips and work out
0:21:41 > 0:21:43when they all happened.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46And the question - it's simple, What Was The Year That Was?
0:21:52 > 0:21:54Here's how the game works.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57We're going to show you a few key events that all happened
0:21:57 > 0:21:59in the space of a year. But which year?
0:21:59 > 0:22:01And here's why you should play along.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04Psychologists have said that nostalgia can promote
0:22:04 > 0:22:06a sense of wellbeing and vitality in us all.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09So, this could help you hold back the years.
0:22:16 > 0:22:21There couldn't be a more appropriate place to begin this campaign
0:22:21 > 0:22:26than Angola, because this nation has the highest number of amputees
0:22:26 > 0:22:29per population than anywhere in the world.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35# Step off the train all alone at dawn
0:22:35 > 0:22:37# Back into the hole where I was born... #
0:22:37 > 0:22:40One of the first amazing scientific questions,
0:22:40 > 0:22:42and perhaps even practical questions, is how old is Dolly?
0:22:42 > 0:22:46She was born seven months ago, so maybe she's seven months old.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48But her mother is six years old.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50So how old is she? Is she a young lamb?
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Or is she an old sheep in a young lamb's body?
0:22:52 > 0:22:55To me, that's the most interesting aspect of all this research.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57BAAING
0:22:57 > 0:23:00# All my people right here, right now
0:23:00 > 0:23:03# D'you know what I mean? #
0:23:03 > 0:23:07So, tell me, what was it like when you saw your first book in the shop?
0:23:07 > 0:23:09That was the best moment of all.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11Better than anything that's come since, was seeing it,
0:23:11 > 0:23:13and it was a real book,
0:23:13 > 0:23:15in a proper, real book shop and it was wonderful.
0:23:15 > 0:23:22# Time to say goodbye... #
0:23:22 > 0:23:26# Paesi... #
0:23:26 > 0:23:30It has been the greatest honour and privilege of my life
0:23:30 > 0:23:33to share your home for five years,
0:23:33 > 0:23:37and to have some responsibility for your future.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41Now, Hong Kong people are to run Hong Kong.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44That is the promise,
0:23:44 > 0:23:48and that is the unshakeable destiny.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00Keep watching until the end of the show, and we'll give you the answer.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04Yep. Moving on, Ainsley Harriott is with us today, he's in the kitchen,
0:24:04 > 0:24:07but he's not going to do all the cooking himself.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11No, that's because he's meeting the blokes who want to steal his crown
0:24:11 > 0:24:15in an attempt to prove THEY'RE not past their sell-by date.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18Cooking has always been part of my life.
0:24:18 > 0:24:23It started when I was very young, watching and helping my mum and dad.
0:24:25 > 0:24:30So, every time I'm in the kitchen, I feel the years rolling back.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34# You will always find him in the kitchen at parties... #
0:24:34 > 0:24:37Well, today, I'm doing something called sunny Savoy cabbage,
0:24:37 > 0:24:40a dish my mum used to prepare quite a lot.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44My mum encouraged us to bring people to the house - our friends.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46If you walked in the door, and we were eating,
0:24:46 > 0:24:50then you were encouraged to sit down and join the family.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53But what's all this to do with holding back the years?
0:24:53 > 0:24:54Well, I'm about to tell you.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58Let me just have a little bit of a taste, first.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02Look at that! Sunny Savoy cabbage. Absolutely beautiful.
0:25:02 > 0:25:03And I tell you what...
0:25:05 > 0:25:07..it tastes great too. Mmm!
0:25:07 > 0:25:09So nostalgic.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12And I'm not the only one who's using cooking for holding back the years.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14You could, too. But how?
0:25:14 > 0:25:17Well, meet the kitchen kings.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21A scheme run by Age UK to get blokes of a certain generation,
0:25:21 > 0:25:24who don't know how to cook, into the kitchen.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27It's a series of classes that teaches them
0:25:27 > 0:25:29how to cook for themselves, in the face of retirement,
0:25:29 > 0:25:32family leaving home and also, widowhood.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37Eric is 70 years of age, Gino is 66
0:25:37 > 0:25:40and youngster Kante, 65.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43They're all under the tutelage of Graham Clark.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47The course was set up originally to help people socialise,
0:25:47 > 0:25:53to help them eat better, eat more healthily, have a decent diet,
0:25:53 > 0:25:55and it succeeded.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59So, what do you actually do, then?
0:25:59 > 0:26:02I arrive early in the morning, having been to the shops,
0:26:02 > 0:26:07and picked up the ingredients for the day. The guys turn up,
0:26:07 > 0:26:12we explain what we're going to do together, and then I'll show them.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17Statistics say that women in UK on average spend
0:26:17 > 0:26:20nearly 7.3 hours a week cooking,
0:26:20 > 0:26:22whilst men, just over three and a half,
0:26:22 > 0:26:26leaving an obvious culinary skills deficit for men.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28And with the UK eating almost four times as much
0:26:28 > 0:26:30packaged food than fresh produce,
0:26:30 > 0:26:34it's highly likely that older men on their own will resort to
0:26:34 > 0:26:36heating ready meals rather than cooking.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40But the kitchen kings are facing this down.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42Check out this menu if you don't believe me.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46Savoury pancakes to start with.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48Oh, savoury pancakes to start with?
0:26:48 > 0:26:50Savoury pancakes with white sauce.
0:26:50 > 0:26:51Er, Kante and Gino, what about main course?
0:26:51 > 0:26:55- What's happening here?- We're making meatballs and we're having...
0:26:55 > 0:26:58- Spaghetti.- Spaghetti, and steamed broccoli.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00They think it's a normal cooking day at the centre,
0:27:00 > 0:27:03but I've got a little something up my sleeve for later.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05But first, let's get to know them.
0:27:05 > 0:27:10Kante is not the only one who benefits from the kitchen kings experience.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12His family are loving it too.
0:27:13 > 0:27:18I tend to take the recipe home and then make it for my wife
0:27:18 > 0:27:23to sample and my granddaughter, and we do love cooking together,
0:27:23 > 0:27:25baking simple things.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29For Gino, his wife has done most of the cooking all their married life.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33But after nearly 37 years together, he finally gets to surprise her.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36I have taken food home as well, and my wife has loved it.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39And she said, "When are you going to make it for us?"
0:27:39 > 0:27:42Well, I'm not going to promise when, but I will think about it.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44She's still waiting.
0:27:44 > 0:27:49Sadly for Eric, he lost his partner in 2010, and soon after realised,
0:27:49 > 0:27:51he needed to get out more,
0:27:51 > 0:27:53which eventually led him to becoming a kitchen king.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57You lost your partner a few years ago...
0:27:57 > 0:28:01- Yeah. Yeah.- ..so, centres like this are really, really important to you.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05Yeah, it gives you more confidence as well, because... I could cook,
0:28:05 > 0:28:09but this is just expanding my sort of repertoire, if you like,
0:28:09 > 0:28:13which is really...it gives you more confidence,
0:28:13 > 0:28:15and I think the sense of fun...
0:28:15 > 0:28:17- Yeah.- ..is really important in this group.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19I think if it wasn't fun, people wouldn't come.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25But learning how to cook is about so much more than staying social
0:28:25 > 0:28:28or being practical. It's about staying alive.
0:28:28 > 0:28:32Just this year, figures showed a shocking one million older people
0:28:32 > 0:28:34go hungry in this country,
0:28:34 > 0:28:38with malnutrition costing the NHS £12 billion a year,
0:28:38 > 0:28:41so, knowing what to cook is as important as how to cook it.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45So I've invited nutritionist Laura Clark along
0:28:45 > 0:28:48to come and meet the guys for a kitchen kings Q&A.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55What's your view on organic stuff?
0:28:55 > 0:28:57- So, organic...- Is it really as good as people make it?
0:28:57 > 0:28:59Organic is not nutritionally superior.
0:28:59 > 0:29:04So, organic, you know, broccoli is not going to contain
0:29:04 > 0:29:07more vitamins than standard broccoli.
0:29:07 > 0:29:09The benefits of cooking fresh?
0:29:09 > 0:29:12We know that we're going to get far more nutrients in food
0:29:12 > 0:29:15cooked in that way then buying kind of convenience food.
0:29:15 > 0:29:19What are the benefits of using ginger in cooking?
0:29:19 > 0:29:22That has a lot of antioxidant properties to it.
0:29:22 > 0:29:24Some top takeaway for you, there,
0:29:24 > 0:29:28and proof that eating to hold back the years needn't cost a fortune.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30Indeed, according to reliable figures,
0:29:30 > 0:29:35portions of fruit and vegetables a day could cost as little as 30p.
0:29:36 > 0:29:40Right, well, you may recall I said I had something up my sleeve.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44Well, it's something to counter the blokey feeling around here.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47And while these guys might feel like they're kitchen kings now,
0:29:47 > 0:29:48in my experience,
0:29:48 > 0:29:51it's only when they pit their skills against the ladies
0:29:51 > 0:29:53that they can truly be crowned.
0:29:54 > 0:29:58So, please meet my queens of cuisine.
0:29:58 > 0:30:04We have Diane, Helen and Patricia, aka the competition.
0:30:04 > 0:30:05It's no ordinary competition,
0:30:05 > 0:30:09- because there's a prize at the end of it, and the prize is...- Ooh, wow!
0:30:09 > 0:30:11..Ainsley's kitchen crown!
0:30:15 > 0:30:19Yes, sir! In this competition between the recently inducted kitchen kings
0:30:19 > 0:30:23versus the lifetime experience of the queens of cuisine,
0:30:23 > 0:30:26the boys have a menu of savoury pancakes,
0:30:26 > 0:30:29spicy meatballs with broccoli,
0:30:29 > 0:30:31whilst the girls are cooking ratatouille,
0:30:31 > 0:30:35chicken in ginger and lemon with roasted vegetables.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39And it's not long before the temperature starts rising.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42I think the boys are feeling a little bit uneasy -
0:30:42 > 0:30:45look, there's a little pack going on here, a bit of a row.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47- Sabotage...- Sabotage!
0:30:47 > 0:30:50Yours going to be ready before mine. This isn't going to be ready.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52Watch yourself! Hot water coming through,
0:30:52 > 0:30:54hot water coming through! When it was just you boys,
0:30:54 > 0:30:57there was a relaxedness. Now the girls are in tow,
0:30:57 > 0:31:00I'll tell you what, all of you are getting a little bit ooooh!
0:31:00 > 0:31:02It's great to see the guys getting stuck in,
0:31:02 > 0:31:06not only enjoying themselves, but learning a valuable new skill.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08Because it's fair to say that in some areas,
0:31:08 > 0:31:12us blokes struggle as we get older, especially in the domestic sphere.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17But this isn't just about today - it's about the future, too.
0:31:17 > 0:31:21According to new research conducted by the International Longevity Centre,
0:31:21 > 0:31:27the number of older men living alone is expected to rise from 911,000
0:31:27 > 0:31:30to over 1.5 million by 2030.
0:31:30 > 0:31:32Extraordinary.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34So unless you face the prospect of ordering takeaways
0:31:34 > 0:31:38for the rest of your life, you'd better get into the kitchen now.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42Time, though, to see if this generation are fit
0:31:42 > 0:31:44to be crowned today's winners.
0:31:49 > 0:31:53The boys are presenting their savoury pancakes, meatballs,
0:31:53 > 0:31:54pasta and broccoli first.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57Enjoy your meal.
0:31:57 > 0:31:58I could probably eat two of these.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00This would be quite good for a lunch,
0:32:00 > 0:32:02particularly if you serve it with a side salad or something.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04Wholewheat, wholemeal spaghetti?
0:32:04 > 0:32:07Yeah, wholemeal spaghetti, which is a really good shout, actually.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10Really, really easy way to get a little bit more fibre in the diet.
0:32:10 > 0:32:15Encouraging! Next up are the queens of cuisine, with ratatouille,
0:32:15 > 0:32:19chicken in ginger and lemon, served with roasted vegetables and rice.
0:32:21 > 0:32:24Once you put a little bit of squash or courgette or whatever it is
0:32:24 > 0:32:28into a dish like this, it's just, it's quite satisfying, isn't it?
0:32:28 > 0:32:32There's a fresh, zingy, lemony flavour to this which I really like.
0:32:32 > 0:32:36Yeah, it's lovely. And it's important for older people
0:32:36 > 0:32:38to remember they need protein, ideally at each meal.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41So, you know, it's a really versatile option, chicken.
0:32:41 > 0:32:43You can't really go wrong with it.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45Oooh, it's going to be a difficult choice.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48And as our chefs join us to polish off the fruits of their labours,
0:32:48 > 0:32:50it's time for their grand coronation,
0:32:50 > 0:32:53but will we have kings or queens?
0:32:53 > 0:32:55All of us found it quite difficult judging, actually,
0:32:55 > 0:32:58because we were impressed with the nutritious value of it.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01We just thought that the colourfulness of it,
0:33:01 > 0:33:03the presentation, there was care everywhere.
0:33:03 > 0:33:10So without further ado, who walks away with the crown of the kitchen?
0:33:13 > 0:33:18And guess what? Each of you will wear this for two months each,
0:33:18 > 0:33:21because we can't make up our mind!
0:33:21 > 0:33:23Two, four, six, eight, ten, 12.
0:33:23 > 0:33:25Who's going to start off first?
0:33:25 > 0:33:28Do you know what? It's been an absolutely cracking day
0:33:28 > 0:33:30and I'm so... I so appreciate the fact
0:33:30 > 0:33:33that places like this actually exist.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36And it just proves that, regardless of your age,
0:33:36 > 0:33:38regardless of how old you are,
0:33:38 > 0:33:42it's so important that you learn how to cook from a practical,
0:33:42 > 0:33:46from a health perspective - all of those things are really, really,
0:33:46 > 0:33:49important and more importantly, socially - look at that.
0:33:49 > 0:33:51A real social gathering.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54So if you're ready, get steady - come on, let's get cooking.
0:33:55 > 0:33:59Earlier in the show, I set out on a journey to look at
0:33:59 > 0:34:02how diminishing self-confidence affects our driving skills
0:34:02 > 0:34:05as we get into middle and older age.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07So far, it's been all theory,
0:34:07 > 0:34:10now it's time to put it to the road test.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14There are currently nearly 5 million drivers
0:34:14 > 0:34:17over the age of 70 in the UK, but many people are
0:34:17 > 0:34:19hanging up their car keys because they don't feel
0:34:19 > 0:34:22as confident behind the wheel as they used to.
0:34:24 > 0:34:26Older people feel under pressure from other drivers.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28It doesn't have to be real pressure,
0:34:28 > 0:34:30it can be imagined pressure of the vehicles behind,
0:34:30 > 0:34:32that can make them make an error.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34Luckily, there are places to go
0:34:34 > 0:34:38where you can have your driving skills assessed and reviewed.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41It helps older people to get a review of their driving,
0:34:41 > 0:34:44without them feeling that they're under a test.
0:34:44 > 0:34:46So it's about building their confidence
0:34:46 > 0:34:49and keeping drivers on the road for as long as we can.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52So, one of our three older drivers
0:34:52 > 0:34:55is about to put this road test to the road test.
0:34:55 > 0:34:57Hi. Fancy seeing you here!
0:34:57 > 0:34:59Now, what do we do now?
0:34:59 > 0:35:03Myrtle, Fred and Dave have over 100 years of driving experience
0:35:03 > 0:35:08between them, and now one of them is going to be given the chance
0:35:08 > 0:35:10to have their skills assessed.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12First up, all of them get an induction.
0:35:15 > 0:35:16Good morning, everyone.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19What we're doing today is we're going to do a little taster
0:35:19 > 0:35:21of what the mature driver review is all about.
0:35:21 > 0:35:25Once a driver reaches the age of 70, their licence expires,
0:35:25 > 0:35:29but this doesn't mean they're required to take the driving test again.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31All they have to do is renew it,
0:35:31 > 0:35:35but instructor Maxine thinks the benefits of identifying any issues
0:35:35 > 0:35:39with your driving as early as possible is invaluable.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42I know I'm bad on the brake.
0:35:42 > 0:35:46I know I'm using the brake too hard and too early,
0:35:46 > 0:35:49but I can't stop myself at the moment.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51That's something we talk about when we coach people
0:35:51 > 0:35:54as the consciously incompetent.
0:35:54 > 0:35:56- That's right.- You know you're doing something wrong,
0:35:56 > 0:35:58- but you can't fix it and it gets very frustrating.- Yeah.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01Dave, who still drives a truck,
0:36:01 > 0:36:04has found his attitude towards driving changing recently,
0:36:04 > 0:36:08in spite of travelling nearly 1,000 miles a week.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11Even in the last two or three years, you know,
0:36:11 > 0:36:14- everybody's push, push, push.- Yeah.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18I still like it, but it's not as pleasurable as it used to be.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21And Fred, who's 90, is happy as he is.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24- Anything you'd like to improve about your driving?- In my mind,
0:36:24 > 0:36:27- I'm doing good.- Good.- But in your mind, I might be doing it all wrong,
0:36:27 > 0:36:30- I'd never know. Until I find out.- OK, fair enough!
0:36:30 > 0:36:33So, Myrtle, you don't enjoy driving.
0:36:33 > 0:36:37Is that because you don't feel so confident these days on the roads?
0:36:37 > 0:36:38I don't think so.
0:36:38 > 0:36:43I often drive with friends, and I'm being a bit too cautious.
0:36:43 > 0:36:44A bit too cautious, yeah.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47Yes. I don't know, can you be a bit too cautious?
0:36:47 > 0:36:49- I don't know.- You can at times, actually.
0:36:49 > 0:36:51- Yes.- Sometimes, if you're too cautious, you can actually
0:36:51 > 0:36:55enrage other drivers behind you and that can cause a safety issue.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57So, yeah, there is such a thing as being too cautious.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01And finally, Maxine has a few top tips for our drivers.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04So here's some general advice for the more mature driver.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08Firstly, regular eyesight checks - really important.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11The second tip is, leave plenty of time for your journey -
0:37:11 > 0:37:14you don't want to be rushing to get to that appointment,
0:37:14 > 0:37:15and avoid rush-hour.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18Thirdly, really important - if you're on any medication,
0:37:18 > 0:37:20just check with your GP that that medication
0:37:20 > 0:37:21allows you to drive safely.
0:37:21 > 0:37:25Some medication obviously makes you drowsy and you may be recommended
0:37:25 > 0:37:27not to drive. So, something to check with your GP.
0:37:28 > 0:37:33In 2015, almost 17,000 drivers over the age of 70 had their licences
0:37:33 > 0:37:38revoked or refused because they were deemed unfit to drive
0:37:38 > 0:37:41by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.
0:37:41 > 0:37:46Having your driving skills assessed is one way of becoming aware of
0:37:46 > 0:37:51issues and how to improve, as one of our drivers is about to find out.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54So who would like to learn a little bit more and take the test?
0:37:54 > 0:37:57- Would you, Dave? - Yeah, I don't mind.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01- What about you?- I know I've got lots of faults,
0:38:01 > 0:38:04so perhaps I ought to have them pointed out to me.
0:38:04 > 0:38:06OK. And Fred?
0:38:06 > 0:38:09If I'm fortunate enough to do it, it'd be great.
0:38:10 > 0:38:15Time to see who'll be lucky enough to draw the short straw.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18Myrtle, it's you!
0:38:18 > 0:38:21- Oh, aren't I lucky!- Congratulations.
0:38:21 > 0:38:22Did we rig that?
0:38:22 > 0:38:25Hmm! I'm saying nothing!
0:38:25 > 0:38:28First test for Myrtle is her eyesight.
0:38:28 > 0:38:31LP15 SXB.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34- Perfect.- Right, so we're ready to hit the road now.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36Good luck, Myrtle!
0:38:37 > 0:38:4185-year-old Myrtle has been driving for 56 years
0:38:41 > 0:38:44and only recently changed her manual car for an automatic
0:38:44 > 0:38:49because she found using the clutch increasingly difficult.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52But clearly this shift of gears has left her feeling
0:38:52 > 0:38:54less confident behind the wheel.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58- That was a very bad start. I apologise.- Don't worry,
0:38:58 > 0:39:02absolutely everyone gets nervous. No, that's absolutely fine.
0:39:02 > 0:39:03And after that false start,
0:39:03 > 0:39:07it's clear Myrtle's keen to be driving teacher's pet!
0:39:07 > 0:39:10This will be a 30 limit, won't it?
0:39:10 > 0:39:14- That's right, yeah.- I'm very careful to keep within the speed limits.
0:39:15 > 0:39:19Good to hear, Myrtle, because most nasty accidents occur
0:39:19 > 0:39:22on 30mph roads where people are speeding -
0:39:22 > 0:39:25although, going too slow can be a danger, too.
0:39:28 > 0:39:30I love it when they go past.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34Well, don't slow down too much, Myrtle!
0:39:34 > 0:39:37Driving too slow is also an offence.
0:39:37 > 0:39:39We're nearly back.
0:39:39 > 0:39:41- Ooh, sorry!- That's all right, watch the kerb!
0:39:41 > 0:39:43Don't know how I managed that.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49The wanderers return.
0:39:49 > 0:39:51Sit down again.
0:39:51 > 0:39:52- Right, there we are.- There we go.
0:39:52 > 0:39:53Now let's hear the worst.
0:39:53 > 0:39:57No, no, I want to know how YOU think YOU'VE done first of all.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00- How do you think you've done? - Not very well.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04I hit the kerb on one occasion, which I never do usually.
0:40:04 > 0:40:10- Oh.- I braked too soon, so I was too slow at turnings and at roundabouts,
0:40:10 > 0:40:13so everyone behind me was probably saying rude words.
0:40:13 > 0:40:15But what about the rest, Maxine?
0:40:15 > 0:40:18Well, I have to say, what I think you're missing, Myrtle,
0:40:18 > 0:40:21- is a bit of confidence. - That is quite likely.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24I think what one of your problems is, the braking, especially -
0:40:24 > 0:40:26which you said yourself -
0:40:26 > 0:40:28you're braking too soon and you're braking too hard,
0:40:28 > 0:40:31because you haven't got that confidence to see
0:40:31 > 0:40:33that you have got room to stop.
0:40:33 > 0:40:35You know, there's no way I would say you're totally unsafe.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38I think it's just you need a little bit more guidance,
0:40:38 > 0:40:40- to give you that confidence on the road.- Thank you.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43And for those who weren't listening in the back seat,
0:40:43 > 0:40:45here are our top tips.
0:40:45 > 0:40:47If you feel you're losing your confidence behind the wheel,
0:40:47 > 0:40:51get yourself assessed and let the professionals take a view.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54You might be pleasantly surprised.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58When it comes to driving, health and safety do go together.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01In particular, make sure you can see properly
0:41:01 > 0:41:04and that your medication allows you to drive.
0:41:04 > 0:41:08And finally, don't let other road users affect you -
0:41:08 > 0:41:12let THEM do what THEY do and you do what you do.
0:41:14 > 0:41:15Now, I know what you're thinking.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18This day started with me telling you I was, well,
0:41:18 > 0:41:21sort of nervous about my own driving,
0:41:21 > 0:41:24so shouldn't I get it assessed while I'm here?
0:41:24 > 0:41:28Well, that did happen. Enjoy!
0:41:28 > 0:41:29Why's it not doing much?
0:41:31 > 0:41:34- The handbrake's on, that's why. - Yeah, that's why.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36- That way.- Oh, this way.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39- Yeah, I'm afraid so. - I'll knock them over.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41- Oh gosh, there's a pigeon. - Mind the pigeon!
0:41:41 > 0:41:43Stop flapping. Stop the pigeon!
0:41:43 > 0:41:46Yikes! It seems that everything's getting in my way today.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49Maybe I'm really not as good a driver as I thought I was.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52I am, I am! I guess I'll have to wait until the end
0:41:52 > 0:41:54when Maxine gives me my score.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59It goes really slow, doesn't it?
0:41:59 > 0:42:01- That's because you're in a 40. - Oh, right.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04You don't need to change gear.
0:42:04 > 0:42:06No, I'm changing gear.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08I've got dry lips. I'm sure it's nothing to do
0:42:08 > 0:42:12- with me being given a warning! - Whoops!- Oh, crikey!
0:42:12 > 0:42:15- I was just being cautious. - You were.- Are we here yet?
0:42:15 > 0:42:18- Oh, no, that's a field. - A bit further up, yeah!
0:42:18 > 0:42:20- Take a left there.- Yeah.
0:42:20 > 0:42:24- Oh. We were going to go left there, but never mind, keep going. - Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26It's all right, we'll go round again.
0:42:28 > 0:42:31Oops! I didn't see that at all!
0:42:31 > 0:42:34So, Maxine, what do you reckon, out of ten?
0:42:34 > 0:42:37Well, considering you didn't know the car and you didn't like
0:42:37 > 0:42:40the automatic and you hadn't driven the car before,
0:42:40 > 0:42:43- I think I'd give you a seven. - Seven!- Seven!
0:42:43 > 0:42:46OK, a seven. If it's good enough for Len,
0:42:46 > 0:42:48it's got to be good enough for me.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52Quickly, time for the answer to our What Was The Year That Was archive quiz.
0:42:52 > 0:42:57- Fiona, what was it? - The year that was was 1997.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00Ah, the year Tony Blair and Labour took over government here.
0:43:00 > 0:43:02Oh, yeah, OK. End of the show.
0:43:02 > 0:43:06Join us tomorrow, when things really can only get better.
0:43:07 > 0:43:09# Can only get
0:43:09 > 0:43:14# Things can only get better
0:43:14 > 0:43:18# Can only get better
0:43:18 > 0:43:20# Now I've found you
0:43:20 > 0:43:24# Things can only get, can only get
0:43:24 > 0:43:30# Things can only get better
0:43:30 > 0:43:34# Can only get better
0:43:34 > 0:43:37# Now I've found you. #