Tell your grandparents:
The over-70s should be inspired by the Olympics to take up competitive sport, according to the organisers of a conference in Glasgow this week. Delegates at the Active Ageing Congress will be told that too few elderly people are playing sport and taking exercise, which leaves them frailer than they need to be. Dawn Skelton, professor of ageing and health at Glasgow Caledonian University, said: “If you are not fit, you cannot maintain an independent and active lifestyle.” “For example, if you are not fit and you fall, you cannot get up again whereas if you are active, you can.” The recommended amount of exercise for over-75s is 30 minutes of moderate activity every day but delegates at the conference will be told only 7% of UK adults in this age group achieve the recommended level. “When you are younger, and up to the age of about 60, you have some reserve and you can get away with being a little bit unfit,” said Professor Skelton.
