You are here

Help the Aged calls for Olympic inclusion of elderly

24th August 2006

Help the Aged has warned the government that older people should not be ignored in its health drive during the run-up to the Olympic Games.

The Department of Health has announced that sport and active recreation will be promoted across the country in advance of the 2012 Olympics in London, but the charity has highlighted the importance of an inclusive approach to the campaign.

A spokesperson for Help the Aged, Pamela Holmes, welcomed the action on health promotion, but criticised ministers for ignoring the elderly in their consideration of what makes a healthier Britain.

"Government policy should be directed at encouraging older as well as younger people to get physically active," said Ms Holmes.

"Given the ageing population it's very depressing that the Department of Culture, Media and Sport continues to ignore older people as part of their physical activity work.

"If the government is to meet their targets to increase levels of physical activity then they will rely on more older people getting active," she added.

Help the Aged is a lead player in the National Coalition on Active Ageing, which will lobby the government to improve communication to the over-50s about the benefits of regular exercise, which include reducing isolation, immobility and disability.