Great 'What discounts can I get now I'm over 60?' Hunt

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  • Free bus pass for me at 66. So pension and bus pass age changed from 60 to 66!😳
  • Pollycat
    Pollycat Posts: 34,579
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    Free bus pass for me at 66. So pension and bus pass age changed from 60 to 66!😳

    Well, not really.

    I assume you're a woman born around 1954/1955?
    Waaaay back in 1995 your state pesnion age was changed from 60 to probably something like 64.

    I'm a woman born late 1953.
    Pre 1995, I expected to get my state pension at age 60.
    The law changed in 1995 and my SPA changed to April 2017 (age 63 and a half).
    So I've been aware that my pension wouldn't be paid at 60 for over 20 years.

    At some point after that, bus passes were linked to state pension age instead of being given at age 60 for both men and women.

    Further legislation in 2011 changed my pension age to July 2018 (age 64 and 9 months).

    Did you really think you were going to receive your state pension at age 60?
    If so, when did you realise that you were wrong?
  • littlewren
    littlewren Posts: 1,988
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    edited 8 April 2016 at 4:41PM
    Does anyone know if it is ever possible to be able to use a gym on the NHS. (Please don't bit my head off!) I have osteoarthritis in my hip and knee & trouble with my back following a slipped disc last year, but I know that if I lost weight on the lower part of my body (waist downwards) it would probably help with at least the osteoarthritis. (I know you can't spot reduce, but some weight would probably come off that area if I exercised correctly). I don't need to lose weight overall, it's just concentrated on my lower half. I watch my diet anyway and being 62 it means that weight gathers there, plus being more immobile than I'd like. The trouble is, I have M.E. so I have to be careful I don't overdo things. I really need some expert advice and being able to exercise with professional guidance for my condition and I thought I had heard a while back that you can be referred to use the gym if referred. Is this true or did I imagine it?

    Unfortunately I can't do exercises at home using a DVD as I don't know what will do more damage to my back or cause my M.E. to flare up more. I can't afford to go to the gym nor have a consultation with an instructor.

    I should add that I'm not on benefits.
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  • judy
    judy Posts: 18
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    I did have a 'prescription' from my GP for exercise sessions, with instruction, at the local gym - but this was about 15 years ago and might not be available these days. Ask at your GP surgery.
  • indsty
    indsty Posts: 372 Forumite
    Some areas do have arrangements whereby GPs can refer for exercise of one kind or another. Why not visit your GP and ask whether that is available, or if not, then a session with an NHS physiotherapist might be arranged so that they can advise you of what is best for your condition.

    Have you considered swimming or water aerobics. Many places do these kind of sessions for "pensioners", sometimes run by local Council.
  • littlewren
    littlewren Posts: 1,988
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    indsty wrote: »
    Some areas do have arrangements whereby GPs can refer for exercise of one kind or another. Why not visit your GP and ask whether that is available, or if not, then a session with an NHS physiotherapist might be arranged so that they can advise you of what is best for your condition.

    Have you considered swimming or water aerobics. Many places do these kind of sessions for "pensioners", sometimes run by local Council.
    Yes I've been told I can be referred for physio but unfortunately that won't help me lose weight from the areas that will help the conditions.

    I can't swim unfortunately and I'm scared of the water so even water aerobics would be no good for me!
    Money, money, money, must be funny, in the rich man's World!
  • Savvy_Sue
    Savvy_Sue Posts: 45,936
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    littlewren wrote: »
    Yes I've been told I can be referred for physio but unfortunately that won't help me lose weight from the areas that will help the conditions.
    It's quite a few years ago now, but when I was suffering from a lot of back pain I was referred to a class, I think it was called 'Active Back' or something like that. It was run by physios, but was a sort of circuit class, so we all moved round the room, and if we came to an exercise we couldn't safely do, we just skipped it. Having done the classes, we could then hopefully do some of the exercises in our own time.

    Now, whether a class like that would be adequate given the constraints of the ME, I don't know, but it was certainly helpful and it wasn't just about safe movement but also about safe energetic movement IYSWIM.
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  • Farway
    Farway Posts: 13,114
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    edited 11 April 2016 at 9:33AM
    Savvy_Sue wrote: »
    It's quite a few years ago now, but when I was suffering from a lot of back pain I was referred to a class, I think it was called 'Active Back' or something like that. It was run by physios, but was a sort of circuit class, so we all moved round the room, and if we came to an exercise we couldn't safely do, we just skipped it. Having done the classes, we could then hopefully do some of the exercises in our own time.

    Now, whether a class like that would be adequate given the constraints of the ME, I don't know, but it was certainly helpful and it wasn't just about safe movement but also about safe energetic movement IYSWIM.

    Same here SS, I went along to local hospital after ref from GP, like yours, run by physios, I had to skip some exercises being a big fat slob at the time I just could not do them, they did tailor some to suit my weight, and I finished up more or less doing individual circuits

    it worked on my back, left after a month or so with sheet of do at home back exercises

    The weight continued to be a problem, I found only real way was eat less, I calorie counted, and still do, eventually lost over 5 stones, not easy but exercise helps but is not the solution to weight loss, unless you are climbing the Eiger daily for instance
    Eight out of ten owners who expressed a preference said their cats preferred other peoples gardens
  • teddysmum
    teddysmum Posts: 9,471
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    I have problems with several discs and being no longer able to cope with yoga or a 'gentle exercise ' class, went along to a local branch of Motorcise, hoping that the motor-assisted exercise would be of benefit, but on seeing the range of movement required decide that I daren't risk taking part.


    What I do use (haven't for the last two weeks) is a fairly hard to get 'game' for my Wii, called Step to the Beat. It involves stepping on the spot (or moving round the room) to music and earning points to make landscape and buildings appear on an island.


    It is gentle and you can sit down when required (ie not trapped away from home in pain) and does tone your legs and waist (jeans are now loose at the waist).
  • originator
    originator Posts: 317
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    When I registered with a new doctor she told me I was 4 stone overweight(eeek)! she offered free ref to either swimming classes,gym sessions or 12 weeks of Slimming World.I chose SW.managed to lose 10% of my body weight within the initial 12 weeks and was given another 12 weeks free.This was all offered in sept last year,I guess it's still going.
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