Older People Can Be More Active

On Saturday, 1 October, the country will celebrate what older people means to society. They have a lot to contribute in terms of wisdom, life experience and care. According to grandmother Gill Smith and her friend Brian Hood, this is not the only thing older people need to contribute.

Together, the pair is campaigning, by example, to get more older people more active. They play tennis, badminton and table tennis every week and supplement this by swimming, walking and cycling.

At 75 years old, Mrs Smith said: “I always try to be as active as I can. We go swimming at Hinksey Outdoor Pool four or five times a week.”

Gill and Brian even enjoy painting. In a more “traditional” role, Gill drives to Leicester every week to pick up three of her grandchildren from school. She believes it is a privilege to be able to “run around with” her grandchildren. She intends to do this for as long as possible.

According to an article in The Oxford Mail, they are also trying to get other pensioners to be more active. They believe that the more they do, the more they will be able to do. This is a philosophy they use to inspire others to acknowledge that older age doesn’t necessarily mean being less active.

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