Why getting older is no excuse for not living your life to the full

Being in your sixties, seventies and eighties doesn’t mean you have to give in to old age. There are lots of really enjoyable activities that we can all be involved in throughout our later years.

Often people have more time to take part in activities and hobbies at this stage of life too and being older shouldn’t stop us.

Here, Anne Gallacher, director of Luminate, which encourages creativity in older people and Keith Robson, Age Scotland’s chief executive, offer some advice on approaching ageing positively.

What benefits do regular physical and mental stimulation offer for older people? They make a huge contribution to our physical and mental health.

Regular physical activity enables us all to lead healthy lives, including reducing the chances of developing some serious illnesses.

For older people who may be at risk of falls, regular exercise can also reduce the likelihood.

Exercise also contributes to our mental health, boosting confidence and releasing “feel-good” hormones.

Keeping your mind active is important too and there’s research that indicates the importance of this to our mental wellbeing and cognitive skills. What are some ways for older people to physically exercise? It’s really important to find a way of exercising that you enjoy, as we’re all much more likely to stick at something if we find it fun. Try a few things till you find the one that works for you.

Walking is known be extremely beneficial and it’s something that can be quite straightforward to build into our daily lives.

If you’re interested in being involved in an organised activity there are some great initiatives that support this, for example Paths for All support over 500 Health Walks across Scotland every week. See www.pathsforall.org.uk/pfahome or phone 01259 218888.

Luminate’s work focuses on arts and creativity and dancing and singing are both artforms that offer great physical benefits.

There are adult dance classes and community choirs all over Scotland – your local library is a great source of information about activities in your area.

What would you suggest people try to keep their minds active? There are many different ways of doing this, from reading books and playing word games to joining an art or language class.

Learning something new can offer a huge sense of achievement and you can

do this at any age – you’re never too old.

You could also think about volunteering for a local charity or community group. Look in your local library or online for opportunities.

Loneliness can be a problem for older people as they become less mobile – what can they do to counteract it? It can be as simple as a phone call to have a chat. Be it a friend or a family member, just having a good talk over something and nothing keeps our brains active.

Alternatively, Age Scotland’s helpline is free to call on 0800 12 44 222, Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm.

Trained advisers would be delighted to have a chat. If you’re looking for help in how to get out and about they can let you know about groups that will help you.

Lots of community groups organise their own transport so that barrier to getting out is reduced. Just give them a call and they’ll let you know what’s going on in your area. www.ageuk.org.uk

What can Luminate offer the older person and how can they get involved? We run a month-long festival across Scotland each October. It’s a chance for older people to try out new arts activities and also to showcase projects that older people are already be involved in.

If you’re in a ukulele group or attend an art class for example, you might be interested in giving a concert or exhibiting your class’s paintings as part of the festival. Creativity has no age.

If you’d like to run an event as part of the programme, this is the time to contact us. We have just invited proposals for this October and you have until June 30 to put your activity forward.

You can do this online at www. luminatescotland.org, or give us a call on 0131 668 8066 and we will send you the information.

And if you would like to attend one of our festival events in October, sign up for our e-newsletter on the website, or call us on the number above and we will send you a brochure when it’s available later in the summer.

Pittenweem reader Virginia Nelson is 75 and is always on the go.

Since her husband John – a renowned painter – died in 2013, she has continued to indulge her love of travelling.

“I’m am just back from a week in the Bay of Naples and visited Pompeii, Herculaneum, Capri, Sorrento, Amalfi, Ravello and walked up Vesuvius,” she says.

“I have just booked a trip in November to Peru and Machu Pichu with a trip along the Amazon.”

Virginia’s secrets to positive ageing include always having plans – big plans – for your future and following your dreams.

Contact people you liked that you have lost touch with or join a dating site. Why not? As long as you are very sensible and cynical.

Also, don’t waste time worrying what people think of you and make the most of public transport.

You should never think “What on Earth am I going to do today?” she adds.

Gentle physical activity is so good for keeping your brain and body active.